MORE THAN YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT AMAL

Fans submitted interview questions on LiveJournal in November 2008 and March 2009, and the boys did their best to answer...


What college did you go to?
UC Berkeley.

What's your astrological sign?
Aquarius, Boar (Chinese zodiac).

Do you have any bad habits?
Faking or trying too hard to meet expectations. Seeing worst-case scenarios, stressing out, flying off the handle... I, uh, also drink too much sometimes.

Do you have any scars, aside from your appendix?
No major ones. Got a few dark scrapes here and there but that's it.

What's the cause of the grey at the front of your hair?
Just genetics. It runs on my Mom's side of the family. I'll probably be all salt-and-pepper by 35. Sangeeta's starting to get some gray, too, and she's only 21.

Would you rather get a tattoo or a piercing?
Piercing, definitely. I've, uh, actually been considering a couple...

What's the trashiest novel/movie you'll admit to reading/seeing (and enjoying)?
The Xanth series. (In my defense, I was fifteen.)

Tell us about your, erm, ex-fiance.
Kavita? [grins] She's amazing. Smart, funny, beautiful, talented... seriously ambitious. She's so driven, she could probably light L.A. with her willpower alone. [laughs]

Did you object to the arranged marriage?
Hm? No, not to an arranged match - I mean, my parents have been happy together for almost 30 years; most of my friends can't say that. It's more... well, Kavi wasn't so big on getting married at this point in her life anyway, with her career finally taking off, but mainly, she shouldn't be stuck with someone who... [rubbing his neck]
I just... I couldn't keep lying.

What's your favorite movie?
The Princess Bride. And Wrath of Khan, of course.

Did you ever play any of those trading card games? YuGiOh, Pokemon, Valentine's Day?
I... I may or may not have played Magic: The Gathering at one time. Those records have been expunged. [Jedi mind trick hand-wave]

Other than Indian, what's your favorite ethnic food?
Japanese, I guess. It's pretty healthy.

Have you ever read Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Prachett?
Yeah, about 7 or 8 years ago. It was funny, though I think I'd have gotten more of the jokes if I were more familiar with Christian mythology.

Since it features so heavily in the story, can you tell us about your car?
Um, well, Clara's a 2005 Honda Civic hatchback. Blue with tan leather interior. She gets great mileage, which is nice, since gas is freakin' four dollars a gallon. [laughs] [Author's note: This story takes place in late May 2008.]

Clara?
After the Clara Pandy, the ship in The Ballad of Halo Jones by Alan Moore.

What's one thing you tend to find extra-attractive about guys (like, "Oh, I kinda thought he was hot before, but then I found out ______ and now I am SO there")?
Intelligence. But not being stuck-up about it. Is he smart? That trumps a lot of things. But hotness also helps. [laughs]

What is an annoying habit that people have that just sets you over the edge, even if you don't know them (poor grammar, talking with their mouths full, etc.)?
Willful ignorance... gorilla-ish jock-pack behavior.

If you could have any one superpower, what would it be?
Invisibility.

What were your teenage years like? Did you feel close to your peers in high school?
From 13 to 16 it sucked, then it suddenly went on an upswing once I started working out and forcing myself to be more social. I still wasn't out till college, though.

What was the worst thing to happen to you in high school?
It's a tie between getting the shit beat out of me when I was a scrawny little nerd, and realizing I was gay... Actually, I guess those are also the best things to happen, since they got me to turn my life around. Huh.

Can you communicate (not speak fluently, just being able to get by) in any language other than English?
I grew up speaking both English and Hindi at home. I can speak sort of passable Telugu, thanks to Mom, and uh... my French is... an abomination unto language. (Sorry, Mme. Hastings.)

This story takes place just after the 2008 Presidential Primaries. Which candidate did you vote for?
You're asking a gay, brown, 24 year old this question?

Boxers, briefs, or commando?
Personally? I wear cotton boxer briefs, but don't really have a preference on other guys. Clean and not hideous, I guess.

Do you, or have you ever, shaved anything but your face?
Yes. ...Aaand that's all the detail I'm going into here.

When did you get your first job, and where was it?
Intern (read: office gofer) at my dad's colleague's radiology lab, the summer after highschool graduation.

Where did you spend the majority of your time before the road trip?
School. Lab. Gym. Sleep. Rinse, repeat.

Have you ever taken any drugs? (prescription included)
Well, yeah. Painkillers from surgery and dental work and all. Um... and some other stuff.

Have you ever had braces/caps/fillers/are you missing any teeth?
I ... I had headgear in junior high. Is it any wonder I got a swirly every week? Egggh.

Who are the last five people you talked to on your cell phone?
Um... Radhi called, then Skeev, and after that TJ borrowed my phone to make a couple of calls.

Skeev?
One of my friends from Berkeley. Uh, real name's Steve. Me and him and Doug met in Gross Anatomy.

Have you ever had long hair?
Nope, it's always been short. Actually, this is the longest I've ever had it.

Do you, or have you ever, played any sports?
Not on a team. I run and work out solo.

What's your current favorite song?
"Myla Goldberg" or "We Both Go Down Together " by The Decemberists.

What's your favorite drink (alcoholic and non)?
Alcoholic, good, aged lowland scotch. Non, chai.

What comes to mind when you think of your father?
... Pressure.

What's your favorite food your mother makes?
Chapati with vegetable curry. Simple and tasty. I've tried making chapatis at home, but that little microwave doesn't really cut it, haha.

What is your favorite memory of your mother?
The day she finally came home from the hospital for good.

Did you ever attend summer camp?
Yes, once - a day camp for a music program. Mom and Dad still hadn't faced up to the fact that I absolutely suck at the clarinet.

Have you met any fan girls?
...What?

What is your biggest fear?
Disappointing my family. Heh. Oops.

Do you dream often? And are there any recurring themes in your dreams?
Sometimes I have this dream where I'm wandering from house to house on the street where I grew up - all the doors are locked.

What draws you to TJ?
I... uhm. It's like... [nervous hand-waving gesture] He's, uh, he's... just cool about things. In-in a way most people aren't. Also, he's... well, you know. [clears throat, shifts in chair]

Do you think you'd have been able to find happiness if you hadn't met TJ?
Hm? I wasn't UN-happy... generally speaking. Anyway, I suppose so. I don't think it's healthy to have your happiness depend on another person.

Okay, let's take a page from The Actors' Studio...

What is your favorite word?
"Aquamarine."

What is your least favorite word?
"Morph."

What turns you on?
Warm laughter.

What turns you off?
Humiliation.

What sound or noise do you love?
Distant thunder. Rain.

What sound or noise do you hate?
Screaming children.

What is your favorite curse word?
"Fuck."

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Musician. If I had any musical talent, which I don't. [laughs]

What profession would you not like to do?
Schoolteacher. I have the utmost respect for teachers, but I know I could never do that job.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
"It's okay, I forgive you."

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