It's past midnight and Ratul isn't home yet. After 'liking' and commenting on photos and posts of the known and the unknown on Facebook for almost two hours now, I'm at a loss for words. So here comes my latest blog! just a reflection.
Ours was an arranged marriage. After refusing and/or being refused by some twenty or twenty five 'eligible bachelors', I finally decided to put my wobbling foot down. "I don't want to marry", was my decision and "This is the last guy you have to meet before you can take a break of few months", was Baba's decision. Resigned and tired, I surrendered.
They came much before time and I, being late as usual, wasn't 'ready' to meet him. After much cajoling and a somewhat literal push by Ma, I stumbled into the living room. What happened there was totally contrary to popular belief and my expectations. The supposed groom, Ratul was engrossed in the cricket match being shown on the 32" plasma t.v. in the room and his father was looking unblinkingly at me from head to toe, while my brother was doing the same to him. The awkwardness lasted for almost an eternity and made me wonder if the only thing my parents might have to gift me was a 32" inch plasma t.v. Finally the moment of dread arrived, we were asked to go to the other room and talk, following the 'ritual'. That was the first time he turned his attention to me and gave an illuminating smile.
"OK! so he does have interest in people apart from the TV, thought I". The trip to the other room was a trip to the other world, as he was a different person there. We started off on the hackneyed topic of films and favorite actors and it turned out that our favorite actor was the same- Amir Khan, the safe bet. The conversation steered from movies to books to cuisine to sports to music to family to spirituality to current affairs... and before we could cover every topic under the sun, the clock struck and it was time to go for Cinderella...err I mean the Prince. Cinderella was found by her slipper and I was impressed by Ratul's sparkling white socks. They were shiny clean, screaming of their "new" status and non-smelly unlike most men's.
Before I realized, we were engaged and soon to be married. He claims that for him it was 'love at first sight', but for me he had to pass by one more time. And this time it was at his house. The red kurta and black jeans did what the black trousers and the crisp white shirt couldn't do the other day. Didn't hear any bell ringing but definitely felt a cool breeze almost sweeping me off the ground. That was it!
After two years, two months and seven days as I am writing this, I realize that it was really windy that day and since we were talking on the terrace, the breeze was really working its wonder. Ratul is finally home and though all the windows are shut, a breeze swept me off the ground, the moment I opened the door and saw him smile!
Ours was an arranged marriage. After refusing and/or being refused by some twenty or twenty five 'eligible bachelors', I finally decided to put my wobbling foot down. "I don't want to marry", was my decision and "This is the last guy you have to meet before you can take a break of few months", was Baba's decision. Resigned and tired, I surrendered.
They came much before time and I, being late as usual, wasn't 'ready' to meet him. After much cajoling and a somewhat literal push by Ma, I stumbled into the living room. What happened there was totally contrary to popular belief and my expectations. The supposed groom, Ratul was engrossed in the cricket match being shown on the 32" plasma t.v. in the room and his father was looking unblinkingly at me from head to toe, while my brother was doing the same to him. The awkwardness lasted for almost an eternity and made me wonder if the only thing my parents might have to gift me was a 32" inch plasma t.v. Finally the moment of dread arrived, we were asked to go to the other room and talk, following the 'ritual'. That was the first time he turned his attention to me and gave an illuminating smile.
"OK! so he does have interest in people apart from the TV, thought I". The trip to the other room was a trip to the other world, as he was a different person there. We started off on the hackneyed topic of films and favorite actors and it turned out that our favorite actor was the same- Amir Khan, the safe bet. The conversation steered from movies to books to cuisine to sports to music to family to spirituality to current affairs... and before we could cover every topic under the sun, the clock struck and it was time to go for Cinderella...err I mean the Prince. Cinderella was found by her slipper and I was impressed by Ratul's sparkling white socks. They were shiny clean, screaming of their "new" status and non-smelly unlike most men's.
Before I realized, we were engaged and soon to be married. He claims that for him it was 'love at first sight', but for me he had to pass by one more time. And this time it was at his house. The red kurta and black jeans did what the black trousers and the crisp white shirt couldn't do the other day. Didn't hear any bell ringing but definitely felt a cool breeze almost sweeping me off the ground. That was it!
After two years, two months and seven days as I am writing this, I realize that it was really windy that day and since we were talking on the terrace, the breeze was really working its wonder. Ratul is finally home and though all the windows are shut, a breeze swept me off the ground, the moment I opened the door and saw him smile!
