[Scene: A tea stall in Lahore. The sun is setting, and the two friends are sitting on a bench sipping chai.]
Ali: (sneezes twice loudly) Achoo! Achoo!
(grins and looks smug)
Sami: Bless you! And… what’s with the smug face? You look like you just solved climate change.
Ali: (winks) Someone’s thinking about me, yaar. Double sneeze, you know what that means.
Sami: Please don’t tell me you’re pulling out the “someone’s thinking of you” theory again. That’s not science, it’s WhatsApp university.
Ali: (laughs) Aray bhai, our dadi used to say this. She was never wrong. If I sneezed in the morning, I’d get a call from my cousin in the afternoon. Every single time.
Sami: That’s not causation, Ali, that’s coincidence. If I flip a coin and then my phone rings, it doesn’t mean flipping coins summons calls.
Ali: But why does it happen so often then? Explain that, Doctor Logic. It’s too frequent to ignore.
Sami: Okay, let’s play this out. How many times do you sneeze in a day?
Ali: Hmm, depends. Sometimes a couple of times. Especially during dust or when Amma is making garam masala.
Sami: Exactly. Dust, pepper, cold air, allergies — all these can trigger sneezing. Your brain sends a signal to clear your nasal passage. That’s it. No secret admirer involved.
Ali: Still… how do you explain the timing? Like last week, I sneezed and ten minutes later, my ex messaged, “Hey, just thought of you!” Coincidence? I think not.
Sami: (mockingly dramatic) Or maybe your sneeze vibrated through the air, entered her brainwaves, and forced her to text you?
Ali: Don’t mock! These things are ancient traditions. Not everything needs to be dissected under a microscope.
Sami: I get that. Traditions have emotional value. But just because it’s old doesn’t mean it’s right. People used to believe Earth was flat too.
Ali: You always ruin the fun, yaar. So according to you, there’s no magic in sneezing? Just mucus and nose drama?
Sami: Pretty much. I mean, unless you’re allergic to romance.
Ali: (laughs) Look, I’m not saying science is wrong. I’m just saying… sometimes, a little mystery is nice. Like chai with a hint of cardamom — you can’t explain why it makes you feel good, it just does.
Sami: Fair enough. But if you’re banking on sneezes to tell you about your love life, you might want to carry tissues and a reality check.
Ali: (laughing) Fine. But next time I sneeze and get a text from someone, you’re buying the chai.
Sami: Deal. But if you sneeze and no one messages, you’re buying — and I want samosas too.
Ali: Done! May the sneezing gods be on my side.
[They clink their chai glasses in good humor, the streetlights flickering on as evening settles in.]
Science Vs Superstition 
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