King, Queen,Ace,Jack,Queen,King,Jack,Ace,Joker; it looked like a realm of rich but grim royals. “Ulle…veliye…ulle…veliye…ulle…veliye…” vellamani’s voice cut straight to the attention of the puny crowd that surrounded the deck of cards that were neatly laid on the ground.
Nithu(Nithesh, my 12 year old neighbor)squatted among other adolescents around the cards. Pretending to nudge Nithu on his back, I hopped to take a keener look on the cards. NIthu didn’t turn.
I pinched him.”Mcchh….what?”
“Nithu…what are you doing here?”
Nithu didn’t reply.
“Aaaaaahhhh, King kedachuchu paathyaa….podu…ulle…veliye…ulle…veliye…ulle…veliye”, Vellamani took the game on.
“Mcchh…Nithu”
No reaction.
“NITHU”
Vellamani looked at me indignantly but couldn’t release his anger as his lips continued to chant ulle…veliye.
Do I know this guy? Yes, he’s the sweeper turned watchman and now runs errands for almost every one in this apartment complex. He has become a household possession and that gave me the liberty to respond to him on the same tone he carried on his face.
“Vellamani….ennathu ithu…chinna pasangle vechu cheettadittu irukke, athuvum kaasu vechu”.
“Akka, ithu super-a irukku, neeyum vaayen, it’s fun”, Nithu answered for Vellamani.
“Iru…un amma kitte solren. Vellamani, unne thedi Shobana vantrukka”. I knew this would silence the game. Vellamani turned with an appalled look. He would have punched me on my nose, in his imagination. Who cares, I stopped his damn ulle…veliye.
Shobana was not there actually but her name usually threatened Vellamani. So I used it profusely whenever the situation with him needed it. Shobana, his half sister and a hazard to his mind’s peace. They always fought over everything and Vellamani complained she took away everything he had.
“enge irukka”, a sigh, a frown, a moment of closed eyes in silence precedented this.
“Ange, front gate pakkathule”.
He stood up and left without saying anything to the kids.
“Ethukkuda kaasu vechu veleyadreenga. It’s wrong”, I said authoritatively to the dissapointed crowd. They looked somewhere else, ignoring in all respect what I just said.
Three hundred rupee notes, four fifty rupee notes and one twenty rupee note.
“ivlo kaasu yaarodathu?” I didn’t expect an answer. So I picked the money, counting.
“Five Twenty rupees !!!! ” I looked around hoping no one would answer so I didn’t have anybody claiming the money. Yippe, a piece of me said.
“Cut it !! Yaaruppa anthe ponnu…Intha character script le illeye, Vellamani enge?” ,that wasn’t from void. There was a man, about twenty feet away, in goggles. I looked at him, there were few more, behind him, beside him, everywhere and there was a camera. And it was running. The cameraman did not move.
I didn’t actually but believed I understood. I was sitting there, squatting actually,with cards laid out, some cash in hand and surrounded by a mob of brood who pretended to be naïve, all captured neatly in a running camera.
“Vellamani poyittan,Sir.Namma itheye eduthukkalam. Different a irukku Sir, Teenage ponnunge pocket money kaaga, Mangaatha velayadrange.Different ana concept, sir.”
The man in goggles observed me, only his goggles didn’t fit in his ears.They were half dangling on his nose. I had watched enough television to understand he was the director of whatever crap they were shooting.
“Hmm…ok”, he said,”inthamma…apdiye ukkanthutu…konjam..dialogue-e sollu”
“Dialogue-a!?,Excuse me, I am not acting” verum kaathu thaann vanthuthu
He smiled as if he sympathised and turned to another man who stood beside,”yen pa, intha ponnu dialogue enna?”
“Ulle…veliye…ulle…veliye…sollu ma” he shouted from there.
I think Nithu understood what I felt like.
“Akka, come on, dialogue e sollu” , he nudged me
Veliye….Flash, some yellow light beat hard on my face.
Ulle, I felt queasy, or at least that’s what I remember.
A few days later on TV
“Pocket Money sambaathippatharkaage indraye teenage pengal seivathu ennenne, paarungal intha vaaram, ULLE VELIYE! , oru dhidukkidum report”
Nithu’s mom never let him talk to me again. None of the kids were allowed to, from that day.
These reality shows, I am telling you.
Showing posts with label Fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fiction. Show all posts
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Last night I dreamt of you,
like every other night. I know you will dismiss this with your indignant, ‘there you go again’. But hold on, I take my last attempt to collect all those illogical thoughts and put them on paper, for the last time so you could try and make out what it means to be in love and yet lonely. All these days, I was crazy about you and everything about you that I almost missed to realize that I could never ever be your love. I hoped only falsely that you would understand one day and things would be fine. You didn’t and I am not complaining. Perhaps, I should thank you for molding my belief in love. I probably didn’t know that it’s not love to just keep writing letters, like I always did and feel okay about you crushing them all. I wonder if there was no love, why did you have to read them after all. I love you so much that it now hurts badly to keep loving and keep getting ignored in return. I saw you in the café with your new found love, last evening. And trust me, it did not make me cry. For a moment, I felt alright seeing you smile with another man. I am not bitter, really. I know we would be 50, 60,70 someday and it’s nice to wish for all that we want to be. I don’t even know how life would be with out thinking about you or insanely trying to attempt another letter or a gift which I hoped would could change your mind .I hate that I am clueless, but I have had enough that I want to just leave you with your life and I don’t really care what ever comes of it, my life or yours and it seems like a damn good idea to move on. All the letters and flowers that you eventually chucked out, I am happy you did and there’s nothing that reminds me of you or how insane I was. I want to sleep the nights out, hugging the pillow, and go fishing with some wine and party with friends and play squash. I haven’t experienced it in years and oh man, I haven’t had a Life all these years. With this I am gladly burying all your memories and when I wake up, I want to go back to life and be ready to hope that one day I will have my girl, I am yet to meet. Any day, you don’t have to think about where the hell I would be in life for you know, I would be fine though you wouldn’t see me creeping on you with my letters, right now, and am going back to some sleep and wouldn’t really invite you to my dreams. So, just relax.
PS - I felt, melancholy takes better shapes in the hands of a male and I have written like a boy; hope this is set straight. :)
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
A Promise for Christmas - Valentine's Special
I rush into the hospital and find Gennie talking on the phone. She points at the doctor’s room gesturing Dam is in there and pulls my hand down to sit next to her. “He’s alright, Mrs. Parkinson. Please don’t let this worry you too much. He’ll give you a call once he’s out of the doctor’s room. Yes, sure, Take care”.
“Dam’s mom, she wants to come and it’s…”
“Hw’s he now ? ” I sharply cut her across
“Dam is doing ok. But they say he might need a surgery on his right elbow. The car hit him on his hand while he was trying to get out of the driver’s seat. “
I sigh out my aggravation and ask her if she has got enough money.
“I have paid for the x-rays and stuff but I think we’ll need a lot more”.
I quickly leave for the ATM. I offered Gennie a bottle of water when I got back. She took it gratefully.
“Anna, there’s something else I want to tell you”.
“What?”, I ask her, sipping the water bottle.
“Did you know that Dam is a cancer patient? ” She says that so casually that I can’t really make out if I heard her right.
“Wh…what ?”
“He is, Anna. And I found that out myself only today when he told the doctor. Dam is leaving New York, the next month. Says he wants to just move on ”
There is this sudden gush of tears bombing out of my eyes and I can feel my heart shrinking thinking about what I just heard. I can’t hold the bottle firmly and drop it eventually. My fingers are trembling. I can’t even blink. I am shocked to the degree that I feel like slapping Gennie for giving me this news.
“What the hell…” I don’t know what I am saying.
Gennie holds my hands and tries to appear composed. But I can see tears in her eyes too.
“Don’t worry, he will be ok.”
I bang my neck against the head rest of the chair and look up at the blank ceiling.
“No body knows, not even his mom”, Gennie continues but I wish I didn’t hear anything.
All these days, all the fun and silly things we had shared. I have only seen Dam in the brightest of smiles. Every moment of hell I gave him and Gennie about my relation with Kenny, I know I have hurt Dam so many times because I was hurt myself and I couldn’t take it when Dam or Gennie tried to console me. I was always snappy and cranky and insane whenever we talked about Kenny or my life. And Dam would tease me at the end of it all saying I finally gave Kenny a chance to live and I would sometimes slap him. All this and more when he knew he was having this dreadful disease ? He was always listening to me like I was the most important person ever and all I have given him back is my share of truck loads of problems and a little companionship.
I sigh and close my eyes. For a moment I don’t see anything, I don’t see life. Perhaps Dam didn’t tell me about his little secret because he knew I would ignore it just like I had ignored him, all these days, all my life.
I curse God for putting people through the worst of life, but quickly remember Dam telling me once that God never puts us in problems; we choose our own mistakes and God goes through the toughest time trying to pull us out of it.
Dam was leaving ? Where would he go ? He doesn’t have anyone save his mom. Is there anything I can do ?
I lay there for hours, thinking and not understanding. They are doing the surgery on Dam’s hands. Gennie fell asleep for an hour.
I wipe my cheeks and feel a numb coldness and tears.
I look around. It must be almost midnight. The clock showed 11:15. I can’t believe I was sitting there for 5 hours. I pull myself out of the chair. I suddenly think of Kenny and the easiness with which he broke the marriage. I think of Michelle. I think of Dam. I think of Gennie. I walk across the hall and hold the window sill, gazing out meaninglessly. I see a church and some people gathering up for the midnight service. They are hugging each other, kissing. I can’t see more because eyes are welling up and I look up at the skies, stand there until my knees were tired.
“Ms Gennie, Ms Anna”, that’s the call from the doctor.
I turn around with a jerk and see Gennie hurrying towards the doctor. I don’t hear what the doctor is saying. But he’s smiling at Gennie and she turns back to give me a Thumbs up. For once in so many hours, I take a deep relieved breath and wipe my tears out and slowly walk to the room.
Dam is awake, smiling as joyfully as ever. “Did I make your Christmas eve adventurous, ladies ? “ He chuckles.
I wait at his bedside and smile, touching his arm. “Hey Anna, what’s up honey. Did Gennie tell you I was dead ? “ Gennie was laughing.
“Are you leaving” I crawl up closer to his face. Dam’s smile fades, he looks up at me seriously.
“Where?” Dam manages to hold the smile.
“Are you leaving the city, Dam?”
He doesn’t respond. He looks at Gennie who looks apologetic.
“Dam I am asking you “ I sound angry
“Anna, see, some things are better left unsaid and you.. “
“I am so sorry Dam, I am so sorry I am letting you go. I am so sorry I didn’t know”. I cry and lean across his chest. I can slowly feel his hands on my hair.
“Anna, I just thought I will let you live”, he continues to chuckle.
“Yea, Thanks Dam, you can, it’s your life. But I’ve just got a small gift for you.”
“Wow, for Christmas ?”, he exclaims “ I just hope it’s not another crazy kitten that crunches into me all the time”
I suppress my laughter. I had gifted Dam a barmy kitten, last Christmas.
“No, it’s not, but it’s gonna be yet another crazy being that will torture you for a life time ” I smile
“Ohhh no”, Dam groans “I know ! A puppy this time, right ? ! Anna for GOD’s SAKE, I HATE PETS “
I continue to smile.
“What, where’s the damn thing” He is curious.
I move further close that I can now feel his breath and whisper into his confused face
“here” And I kiss him, gradually feeling his hug tightening and tears flowing. But there is no grief , I know. I look into his eyes. For the first time, I have seen tears in his eyes. He still looks flabbergasted. He hasn’t taken his arm off me.
Wiping away his tears, I hold his hands and say
“Merry Christmas, Dam”
He still can’t speak. And he struggles to shift his gaze to Gennie to get her word that this is not a dream.
Gennie is smiling in tears.
I turn back and go “Merry Christmas, Gennie”
Tears get faster on Gennie’s cheek. She comes closer, kneels down by the bedside
“Merry Christmas to both of you” She somehow manages amidst tears and smiles .
- Concludes.
“Dam’s mom, she wants to come and it’s…”
“Hw’s he now ? ” I sharply cut her across
“Dam is doing ok. But they say he might need a surgery on his right elbow. The car hit him on his hand while he was trying to get out of the driver’s seat. “
I sigh out my aggravation and ask her if she has got enough money.
“I have paid for the x-rays and stuff but I think we’ll need a lot more”.
I quickly leave for the ATM. I offered Gennie a bottle of water when I got back. She took it gratefully.
“Anna, there’s something else I want to tell you”.
“What?”, I ask her, sipping the water bottle.
“Did you know that Dam is a cancer patient? ” She says that so casually that I can’t really make out if I heard her right.
“Wh…what ?”
“He is, Anna. And I found that out myself only today when he told the doctor. Dam is leaving New York, the next month. Says he wants to just move on ”
There is this sudden gush of tears bombing out of my eyes and I can feel my heart shrinking thinking about what I just heard. I can’t hold the bottle firmly and drop it eventually. My fingers are trembling. I can’t even blink. I am shocked to the degree that I feel like slapping Gennie for giving me this news.
“What the hell…” I don’t know what I am saying.
Gennie holds my hands and tries to appear composed. But I can see tears in her eyes too.
“Don’t worry, he will be ok.”
I bang my neck against the head rest of the chair and look up at the blank ceiling.
“No body knows, not even his mom”, Gennie continues but I wish I didn’t hear anything.
All these days, all the fun and silly things we had shared. I have only seen Dam in the brightest of smiles. Every moment of hell I gave him and Gennie about my relation with Kenny, I know I have hurt Dam so many times because I was hurt myself and I couldn’t take it when Dam or Gennie tried to console me. I was always snappy and cranky and insane whenever we talked about Kenny or my life. And Dam would tease me at the end of it all saying I finally gave Kenny a chance to live and I would sometimes slap him. All this and more when he knew he was having this dreadful disease ? He was always listening to me like I was the most important person ever and all I have given him back is my share of truck loads of problems and a little companionship.
I sigh and close my eyes. For a moment I don’t see anything, I don’t see life. Perhaps Dam didn’t tell me about his little secret because he knew I would ignore it just like I had ignored him, all these days, all my life.
I curse God for putting people through the worst of life, but quickly remember Dam telling me once that God never puts us in problems; we choose our own mistakes and God goes through the toughest time trying to pull us out of it.
Dam was leaving ? Where would he go ? He doesn’t have anyone save his mom. Is there anything I can do ?
I lay there for hours, thinking and not understanding. They are doing the surgery on Dam’s hands. Gennie fell asleep for an hour.
I wipe my cheeks and feel a numb coldness and tears.
I look around. It must be almost midnight. The clock showed 11:15. I can’t believe I was sitting there for 5 hours. I pull myself out of the chair. I suddenly think of Kenny and the easiness with which he broke the marriage. I think of Michelle. I think of Dam. I think of Gennie. I walk across the hall and hold the window sill, gazing out meaninglessly. I see a church and some people gathering up for the midnight service. They are hugging each other, kissing. I can’t see more because eyes are welling up and I look up at the skies, stand there until my knees were tired.
“Ms Gennie, Ms Anna”, that’s the call from the doctor.
I turn around with a jerk and see Gennie hurrying towards the doctor. I don’t hear what the doctor is saying. But he’s smiling at Gennie and she turns back to give me a Thumbs up. For once in so many hours, I take a deep relieved breath and wipe my tears out and slowly walk to the room.
Dam is awake, smiling as joyfully as ever. “Did I make your Christmas eve adventurous, ladies ? “ He chuckles.
I wait at his bedside and smile, touching his arm. “Hey Anna, what’s up honey. Did Gennie tell you I was dead ? “ Gennie was laughing.
“Are you leaving” I crawl up closer to his face. Dam’s smile fades, he looks up at me seriously.
“Where?” Dam manages to hold the smile.
“Are you leaving the city, Dam?”
He doesn’t respond. He looks at Gennie who looks apologetic.
“Dam I am asking you “ I sound angry
“Anna, see, some things are better left unsaid and you.. “
“I am so sorry Dam, I am so sorry I am letting you go. I am so sorry I didn’t know”. I cry and lean across his chest. I can slowly feel his hands on my hair.
“Anna, I just thought I will let you live”, he continues to chuckle.
“Yea, Thanks Dam, you can, it’s your life. But I’ve just got a small gift for you.”
“Wow, for Christmas ?”, he exclaims “ I just hope it’s not another crazy kitten that crunches into me all the time”
I suppress my laughter. I had gifted Dam a barmy kitten, last Christmas.
“No, it’s not, but it’s gonna be yet another crazy being that will torture you for a life time ” I smile
“Ohhh no”, Dam groans “I know ! A puppy this time, right ? ! Anna for GOD’s SAKE, I HATE PETS “
I continue to smile.
“What, where’s the damn thing” He is curious.
I move further close that I can now feel his breath and whisper into his confused face
“here” And I kiss him, gradually feeling his hug tightening and tears flowing. But there is no grief , I know. I look into his eyes. For the first time, I have seen tears in his eyes. He still looks flabbergasted. He hasn’t taken his arm off me.
Wiping away his tears, I hold his hands and say
“Merry Christmas, Dam”
He still can’t speak. And he struggles to shift his gaze to Gennie to get her word that this is not a dream.
Gennie is smiling in tears.
I turn back and go “Merry Christmas, Gennie”
Tears get faster on Gennie’s cheek. She comes closer, kneels down by the bedside
“Merry Christmas to both of you” She somehow manages amidst tears and smiles .
- Concludes.
Monday, February 4, 2008
A Promise for Christmas - Part 2
I bite my lips, irritated. Why on earth does Gennie have to call me NOW and on some restaurant’s number.
“Thank you, I am coming” I mumble to the waiter;I can’t hide how irritating this could get.
I swiftly walk up to the reception, pick up the phone and answer
“Gennie?”
“Anna, oh my god, I finally got you”
“Why in the whole world did you have to reach me on this number?” I control my temper to make sure my voice does not get loud.
“Anna, I have something important to tell you”
“You couldn’t call me on my blackberry?”
“Your blackberry was switched off. Anna listen, Dam met with a car crash”
I flip my gaze from my blackberry, which I took out to check if it was switched off to the receptionist. I can’t make out what Gennie was talking about.
“What? Dam? When ? Gennie, what are you saying?”
“Yes, don’t worry he’s out of danger. Dam was giving me a drop back home. I got out of the car to buy something and I don’t know, the car was hit and Dam was bleeding. I took him to the hospital. They are looking at him. Anna, I want you here right now” Gennie sounds nervous yet strong.
“Fine, I am coming, which hospital?”
Gennie is a strong person, I know she can handle things pretty well. But I need to go. Oh my God, Dam, what the hell. Thoughts just whisking through my mind and am unconsciously walking to the exit.
“Anna” , Kenny stands right in front of me looking very concerned.
Perhaps he can make out something is wrong.
“Kenny, Hi”, I don’t smile and pretend serious and confused.
“Is every thing alright?” He comes a little closer.
Michelle joins him from the table, smiling at me.
“Yes, umm…I mean not really, Hi Michelle”
I gather guts and decide to leave “See, I am sorry, am in a hurry, I have to leave right now “
“Ohh, of course”, Kenny replies, “I hope u have all the help”.
“Yes, fine, thank you”
And I start walking.
“Anna”, I hear Kenny again
What now, I turn back.
“I am sorry but Merry Christmas to you “
“yea…Merry Christmas to both of you”, I can’t believe I managed that.
And take a cab, straight to the hospital.
Dam Parkinson is my colleague and a good friend. In fact, there is friendship between us to the extent that Dam and I hang out causally and he has helped me with a lot of issues in life. Gennie Whitefield is my roommate and she’s a common friend to me and Dam. Dam is handsome, intelligent and extremely funny. But I genuinely can’t pull myself to spend too much time with him because Dam is in love with me. Yes, he has proposed and every time I speak to him, I can make out his effort to hide the love from his eyes and therefore it’s not always smooth for me with Dam. In fact, I have been razor sharp with him when I knew I saw love in him. I think I can’t get over my breakup with Kenny . It’s insane. But I do not think I could ever remarry. The cab stops in front of the hospital making me blink about how long I have been thinking about Dam. I take my wallet out and feel a few dollops of tears drop into my hands.
God, please keep Dam safe.
- Anna's snags will continue
“Thank you, I am coming” I mumble to the waiter;I can’t hide how irritating this could get.
I swiftly walk up to the reception, pick up the phone and answer
“Gennie?”
“Anna, oh my god, I finally got you”
“Why in the whole world did you have to reach me on this number?” I control my temper to make sure my voice does not get loud.
“Anna, I have something important to tell you”
“You couldn’t call me on my blackberry?”
“Your blackberry was switched off. Anna listen, Dam met with a car crash”
I flip my gaze from my blackberry, which I took out to check if it was switched off to the receptionist. I can’t make out what Gennie was talking about.
“What? Dam? When ? Gennie, what are you saying?”
“Yes, don’t worry he’s out of danger. Dam was giving me a drop back home. I got out of the car to buy something and I don’t know, the car was hit and Dam was bleeding. I took him to the hospital. They are looking at him. Anna, I want you here right now” Gennie sounds nervous yet strong.
“Fine, I am coming, which hospital?”
Gennie is a strong person, I know she can handle things pretty well. But I need to go. Oh my God, Dam, what the hell. Thoughts just whisking through my mind and am unconsciously walking to the exit.
“Anna” , Kenny stands right in front of me looking very concerned.
Perhaps he can make out something is wrong.
“Kenny, Hi”, I don’t smile and pretend serious and confused.
“Is every thing alright?” He comes a little closer.
Michelle joins him from the table, smiling at me.
“Yes, umm…I mean not really, Hi Michelle”
I gather guts and decide to leave “See, I am sorry, am in a hurry, I have to leave right now “
“Ohh, of course”, Kenny replies, “I hope u have all the help”.
“Yes, fine, thank you”
And I start walking.
“Anna”, I hear Kenny again
What now, I turn back.
“I am sorry but Merry Christmas to you “
“yea…Merry Christmas to both of you”, I can’t believe I managed that.
And take a cab, straight to the hospital.
Dam Parkinson is my colleague and a good friend. In fact, there is friendship between us to the extent that Dam and I hang out causally and he has helped me with a lot of issues in life. Gennie Whitefield is my roommate and she’s a common friend to me and Dam. Dam is handsome, intelligent and extremely funny. But I genuinely can’t pull myself to spend too much time with him because Dam is in love with me. Yes, he has proposed and every time I speak to him, I can make out his effort to hide the love from his eyes and therefore it’s not always smooth for me with Dam. In fact, I have been razor sharp with him when I knew I saw love in him. I think I can’t get over my breakup with Kenny . It’s insane. But I do not think I could ever remarry. The cab stops in front of the hospital making me blink about how long I have been thinking about Dam. I take my wallet out and feel a few dollops of tears drop into my hands.
God, please keep Dam safe.
- Anna's snags will continue
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
A promise for Christmas.
The last time I was here was for the eve of my last birthday, when Kenny finally said he wanted to get married to me. For a moment I couldn’t believe him, ‘cause Kenny is someone who doesn’t usually give in to anything that easily. He was holding my left hand and I could see a glee of love on his face in the candle light that spread graciously from the White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle cheese cake on the table. For the umpteenth time I smiled at my super strong confidence that Kenny was the most handsome man I had ever seen. He was leaving for California the next day and I wanted to put a pause to everything and just stay there, staring into his eyes. I was going to miss him. Two weeks was not a small thing, you know.
“We will get married by the end of Jan; that’s like about 3 weeks from now ?”, he was smiling intriguingly and I didn’t respond. I couldn’t take my eyes away and think.
“Anna?”, he embraced my palm and I was forced to come back to the real world.
“hmmm…yea…you were..hmm..saying..something ?” I was embarrassed at my own dreamer-attitude.
“Good gracious, Anna ! “, he was still smiling and I had to make my ignorance up and smile intelligently, like he was the one being ignorant.
“I was talking about getting married by this month end. 3 weeks from now, how about that?” , he continued ignoring my attempt to appear smart.
” Hmm…yes, that would be fantastic, I..umm…I just can’t believe you are saying this, are you serious Kenny ?” Now this time I was again looking into his eyes but not with passion, I wanted to see a sense of assurance.
He only gave his trademark smile again and I couldn’t ask for more. I trusted his gestures more than his words. Sometimes I had this strange feeling that I was just trying to personify the man of my dreams in him. But it couldn’t be true, or I believed so, because it’s not really a year since Kenny and I were a couple and am here again at Cheesecake factory in New York , 11 months after I married Kenny and 4 months after we separated. I sit here thinking of the changes that year has brought about, single, married and divorced, broken and mending, my emotional ride through out the year.
It’s the eve of Christmas. The city is a spectacle. There is this red feeling of love that just blooms around in here every winter. I walk in looking for a private kind of place and choose a corner table by the window which lets me stick around for hours, watching the world go by. I look through the glassed up walls. It’s nice to see people making merry. Happier faces, forgetting the stress and work, the cakes smelling yummier and hotter than ever, snow just kissing away the blues of the year, Churches getting ready with lights and carols, Christmas is just too beautiful.
“Good evening and a Merry Christmas to you ma’am, would you like to have something”
I look up at this man standing right beside my table, offering me a menu which has a tiny wreath attached and he is wearing a Santa Claus hat and a very warm smile.
“Ohh, yes…umm..Thank you” I politely take the menu and he leaves. I decide to go for a club sandwich and a Peach Smoothie.
As he comes by, I find myself in a hurry to close the menu and place my order. I avoid his eyes when I tell him I would like the beverage along with the sandwich. It has become a habit to avoid anybody’s eyes who smiles at me, these days. Broken heart, you know.
“We will get married by the end of Jan; that’s like about 3 weeks from now ?”, he was smiling intriguingly and I didn’t respond. I couldn’t take my eyes away and think.
“Anna?”, he embraced my palm and I was forced to come back to the real world.
“hmmm…yea…you were..hmm..saying..something ?” I was embarrassed at my own dreamer-attitude.
“Good gracious, Anna ! “, he was still smiling and I had to make my ignorance up and smile intelligently, like he was the one being ignorant.
“I was talking about getting married by this month end. 3 weeks from now, how about that?” , he continued ignoring my attempt to appear smart.
” Hmm…yes, that would be fantastic, I..umm…I just can’t believe you are saying this, are you serious Kenny ?” Now this time I was again looking into his eyes but not with passion, I wanted to see a sense of assurance.
He only gave his trademark smile again and I couldn’t ask for more. I trusted his gestures more than his words. Sometimes I had this strange feeling that I was just trying to personify the man of my dreams in him. But it couldn’t be true, or I believed so, because it’s not really a year since Kenny and I were a couple and am here again at Cheesecake factory in New York , 11 months after I married Kenny and 4 months after we separated. I sit here thinking of the changes that year has brought about, single, married and divorced, broken and mending, my emotional ride through out the year.
It’s the eve of Christmas. The city is a spectacle. There is this red feeling of love that just blooms around in here every winter. I walk in looking for a private kind of place and choose a corner table by the window which lets me stick around for hours, watching the world go by. I look through the glassed up walls. It’s nice to see people making merry. Happier faces, forgetting the stress and work, the cakes smelling yummier and hotter than ever, snow just kissing away the blues of the year, Churches getting ready with lights and carols, Christmas is just too beautiful.
“Good evening and a Merry Christmas to you ma’am, would you like to have something”
I look up at this man standing right beside my table, offering me a menu which has a tiny wreath attached and he is wearing a Santa Claus hat and a very warm smile.
“Ohh, yes…umm..Thank you” I politely take the menu and he leaves. I decide to go for a club sandwich and a Peach Smoothie.
As he comes by, I find myself in a hurry to close the menu and place my order. I avoid his eyes when I tell him I would like the beverage along with the sandwich. It has become a habit to avoid anybody’s eyes who smiles at me, these days. Broken heart, you know.
I resume my gaze through the glass and suddenly flip my mouth open, my elbow slips off the table. It can’t be. Oh gosh, this is insane, it can be…HIM. But it is and truth always turns hostile with me, always. Kenny Witherspoon, my ex-husband and his new-found fiancée Michelle Blossom enter Cheesecake Factory hand in hand, fully in love. He says something in her ears and she turns pink and gives him a soft little push. Oh my GOD, why does it always happen with me? I must scuttle or he’ll catch me. Kenny and his girlfriend saying hello to me ! I would rather die than make myself a fool in front of them. I look for my phone and pretend to dial a number and hurriedly flip off the seat. I hide my face in hair and fumble for an exit, not daring to look up or straight. Oh yes, thank god I can see the exit and Kenny hasn’t seen me or he would have called out my name. For once, I escape. Relieved but still wheezing, I hold the handle of the door to just flee when I hear “Ms Anna … “.
It was like a lump of thunder banging across my chest. For an instance, I think I must just move on. I am still gripping the handle of the door not looking back. I open,
“Ms.Anna Sweetmore” . It’s clearly loud enough for anyone in the restaurant to hear. I have no choice but to gulp in the remaining energy, close my eyes and turn around forcing a gentle smile into my own face. I can’t pull out my voice but I manage a
It was like a lump of thunder banging across my chest. For an instance, I think I must just move on. I am still gripping the handle of the door not looking back. I open,
“Ms.Anna Sweetmore” . It’s clearly loud enough for anyone in the restaurant to hear. I have no choice but to gulp in the remaining energy, close my eyes and turn around forcing a gentle smile into my own face. I can’t pull out my voice but I manage a
“Yes ? “
“Ms. Anna Sweetmore ? ”
“Yes, it’s me “ I look through the corner of my eyes for Kenny and he looks shocked and surprised. I am obviously visible beyond question.
I heave a deep breath, convinced that Kenny has also made out that I was trying to flee the place, seeing him.
“Am so sorry ma’am”, continues the waiter whom I had placed my order to, “there is a call for you at the reception”.
“What ?”
“Ms. Anna Sweetmore ? ”
“Yes, it’s me “ I look through the corner of my eyes for Kenny and he looks shocked and surprised. I am obviously visible beyond question.
I heave a deep breath, convinced that Kenny has also made out that I was trying to flee the place, seeing him.
“Am so sorry ma’am”, continues the waiter whom I had placed my order to, “there is a call for you at the reception”.
“What ?”
“Ms. Gennie Whitefield is on line”
-- Anna will be back
Thursday, October 25, 2007
A Love that was arranged - Concludes.
They talked about it again and again and finally decided to stop slogging over the discussion that found no solution.
They left the place when it was almost three hours, sitting there, and as they sauntered slowly, both of them were looking away from each other.
Anju’s mind was on a rove, that night , thinking whether she was taking the right step.
The discussion had grown to be a debate and eventually a cause of worry to both of them. They had spent hours talking on the phone. They had gone out, shopped and dined together and felt good about it all.
But this seemed to define and set limits for their future.
‘May be Ram cannot compromise. May be I am being too adamant to adjust Am I?. May be… May be we both cannot get along well. May be, arranged marriages always have opposite priorities. ’ It was an endless list of maybe’s that tormented Anju the whole night. And she was intrigued by the fact that she was taking the subject a lot more seriously than she would have otherwise and she had to put herself one final question , was she in Love with him ?
‘Damn, No. What the hell. I hate men and I don’t want to get married and I am not compromising on my career . My job means the most to me.’ She concluded and fell asleep, whilst the dawn cracked.
“Papa, I want to talk to you”. Anju said in a mushy voice, the next morning.
Anju’s father looked at her intriguingly.
“Papa, I want to quit my job. “
There was a silence and she was embarrassed by it.
“What are you saying baby. I know how much that means to you”.
“Papa, I hate to leave it , but …”
Anju’s mother walked in, looking at her grimly
“I want to travel with Ram. He would be away on work most of the year and I think it’ll be a dire thing to lead a lonely life, after marriage”.
There was silence again and Anju desperately wanted it to be shattered as she was astonished by her own words and the smile on her parent’s face.
“You don’t need to, dear”. Anju’s mother helped her break the stillness.
“Ram had called up in the morning and he told us he has decided to switch his workplace that would keep him here for at least a couple of years. He said, he does not want to be flying around the world, while you are here .”
Anju could not deem what she was hearing. Her eyes were wide open and she wore a surprised smile.
“Anju dear, we are proud to see you both ready to compromise for each other.” Her father patted her.
Anju ran to give Ram a call.
“Hello, Ram here”, came the answer.
“You changed your mind ! “ , Anju’s voice was still mushy.
She could not wait for an answer but Ram kept mum.
“I did not want this relationship to be tested too much”. He said, finally.
“Neither did I, But you said you wanted to go”.
“That was until the moment, I fell in Love with you “ , came the reply.
They left the place when it was almost three hours, sitting there, and as they sauntered slowly, both of them were looking away from each other.
Anju’s mind was on a rove, that night , thinking whether she was taking the right step.
The discussion had grown to be a debate and eventually a cause of worry to both of them. They had spent hours talking on the phone. They had gone out, shopped and dined together and felt good about it all.
But this seemed to define and set limits for their future.
‘May be Ram cannot compromise. May be I am being too adamant to adjust Am I?. May be… May be we both cannot get along well. May be, arranged marriages always have opposite priorities. ’ It was an endless list of maybe’s that tormented Anju the whole night. And she was intrigued by the fact that she was taking the subject a lot more seriously than she would have otherwise and she had to put herself one final question , was she in Love with him ?
‘Damn, No. What the hell. I hate men and I don’t want to get married and I am not compromising on my career . My job means the most to me.’ She concluded and fell asleep, whilst the dawn cracked.
“Papa, I want to talk to you”. Anju said in a mushy voice, the next morning.
Anju’s father looked at her intriguingly.
“Papa, I want to quit my job. “
There was a silence and she was embarrassed by it.
“What are you saying baby. I know how much that means to you”.
“Papa, I hate to leave it , but …”
Anju’s mother walked in, looking at her grimly
“I want to travel with Ram. He would be away on work most of the year and I think it’ll be a dire thing to lead a lonely life, after marriage”.
There was silence again and Anju desperately wanted it to be shattered as she was astonished by her own words and the smile on her parent’s face.
“You don’t need to, dear”. Anju’s mother helped her break the stillness.
“Ram had called up in the morning and he told us he has decided to switch his workplace that would keep him here for at least a couple of years. He said, he does not want to be flying around the world, while you are here .”
Anju could not deem what she was hearing. Her eyes were wide open and she wore a surprised smile.
“Anju dear, we are proud to see you both ready to compromise for each other.” Her father patted her.
Anju ran to give Ram a call.
“Hello, Ram here”, came the answer.
“You changed your mind ! “ , Anju’s voice was still mushy.
She could not wait for an answer but Ram kept mum.
“I did not want this relationship to be tested too much”. He said, finally.
“Neither did I, But you said you wanted to go”.
“That was until the moment, I fell in Love with you “ , came the reply.
Monday, October 22, 2007
A Love that was arranged - Part 2
She worked for a school, with the administrative department. She loved kids and loved her job. And she was so happy to spend the evenings either shopping with her mother or chilling out with her college buddies. She felt coerced at the thought of being pulled away from the life she was too acquainted with and more threatened at the thought of spending the rest of her life with a stranger.
And as she drove, she sighed at the fact that the day had finally come, when her parents would want her to get married and have another life. She thought about her college days. She had been a freak, back then. There were always some conceptions on marriage, on her mind. She had never been in love. Sometimes she wondered if she would fall in love and then get married. But she had never met a guy, she thought she admired. Anju had a few good friends, a couple of them boys. But they were just friends and the friendship to her was too noble that she never in the wildest hallucinations saw any of them as her boyfriend. A smile surged over her lips as she remembered two other guys who had proposed to her in college and the way she had just whisked both the proposals off.
And a couple of days later, they met. Anju and Ram were sitting in the park , as their parents decided to take a stroll around.
Ram smiled at her. “ I don’t know what to talk .” He smiled again.
” Mom and dad and more particularly my brother and bhabhi have been pestering me to get married for sometime and I managed to flee the whole idea. But now, they seem to have grown aggressive. And here I am, talking to you. “ He looked at her and they both smiled.
“So tell me, tell me if you don’t like me “ he tried to joke.
“Honestly, I have never given serious attention to the idea of getting married. “ Anju said, ” And mom and dad have not discussed it with me either, until they met your family. I am just happy with the school and home. But yea, Life cannot be the same through out. And they finally made me say yes to meet you up.”
And they talked for not more than 40 minutes. The chat invited topics on their interests, friends, the latest movies in town and their favorite restaurants in the city and then they badly wanted their families to come back.
So that was it. Anju did not have an answer when her parents asked her, later that night, if she found him boring.
“Mom, all I know is he’s a business analyst with an IT firm and he’s looking quite good. It’s too early to decide and besides we did not talk on getting married” .
The next morning, there was a call from Ram’s father saying Ram was ok with the wedding. And Anju’s parents were thrilled when she said,
“He seems ok to me. And if you people want to go ahead with the plans, I don’t want to say no” .
They could not believe what they had just heard. They were elated and Anju smiled.
Later that evening, Anju received a call from Ram. He sounded matured on phone.
“Listen Anju, they asked me If I liked you and I said yes, because there was nothing to be disliked about you, as long as our meet went. And I heard from pa that you have no issues as well. But I know it’s too early to commit on something as serious as marriage. Anju, err, if you want to take time before deciding, I would never object and besides, we did not talk about our life together. I mean your plans and mine.
Would you be comfortable quitting school. I mean, I would never ask you to, but
my work involves a lot of traveling. So I think, we need to talk over a few things that might crop up later.”
Ram said quite a few important things and Anju felt he sounded very serious. And she wondered if he was basically a serious person. And they talked for a couple of hours. But at the end of it, they had not convinced themselves that they were doing it right, because there were issues to be talked about and resolved if they wanted to go ahead with the wedding.
Ram somehow had the strange feeling that his career might disturb Anju’s and that would be a problem. And he was sure Anju would be thinking the same thing.
So, it was a fortnight, an engagement ceremony and few jaunts that had all happened between them.
There were more smiles with every meeting and once Ram tried to tease her, when a bunch of teenage school chaps giggled , as they recognized Anju, with him.
The evenings slid in as they indulged in more conversations and coffees and as the night got lit up, they realized it wasn’t too tough after all, to talk about life to a person who had been a stranger, till a few days back and would be the better half for the rest of their lives.
Anju knew, they both still had questions for each other, and more importantly to themselves. Sometimes she wondered if Ram was the kind of guy, she would be comfortable with and she frowned as she doubted if Ram was going through the same thoughts.
And this day, they sat in the coffee parlor and tried to talk about their Life together.
Anju told him she loved the school and he understood she wanted to continue working.
She felt too joyful to be involved with the kids. And there were events coming up and few big plans. She was expecting a promotion to the management unit. Her MBA had groomed her managerial skills finely that she was sure she refused to think about quitting work.
They both had careers they loved and that would draw them in two different directions. But they appreciated that they had decided to talk about it.
They tried talking of making compromises. But eventually, acknowledged the fact that they could not, as far the career was concerned.
They liked each other and had enjoyed being in each other’s company.
“But, this is Life, Anju. We need to settle on compromising something for us to think of a sharing a life” , Ram said, this time on a very serious tone. “If we cannot give up on something, I think it would be better to part ways, before issues get tightened:”
Anju looked at Ram in surprise. Was he hinting at calling the wedding off.
“Are you sure, you would not be able to postpone your trip or change your job ?” Anju wanted to know.
“Of course, I can’t, the most I can do is try and get another job that would keep me here”
“Can you do that ?”
Ram did not answer for a while.
“I don’t know. I don’t want to do that. I love my job”.
-- To be continued
And as she drove, she sighed at the fact that the day had finally come, when her parents would want her to get married and have another life. She thought about her college days. She had been a freak, back then. There were always some conceptions on marriage, on her mind. She had never been in love. Sometimes she wondered if she would fall in love and then get married. But she had never met a guy, she thought she admired. Anju had a few good friends, a couple of them boys. But they were just friends and the friendship to her was too noble that she never in the wildest hallucinations saw any of them as her boyfriend. A smile surged over her lips as she remembered two other guys who had proposed to her in college and the way she had just whisked both the proposals off.
And a couple of days later, they met. Anju and Ram were sitting in the park , as their parents decided to take a stroll around.
Ram smiled at her. “ I don’t know what to talk .” He smiled again.
” Mom and dad and more particularly my brother and bhabhi have been pestering me to get married for sometime and I managed to flee the whole idea. But now, they seem to have grown aggressive. And here I am, talking to you. “ He looked at her and they both smiled.
“So tell me, tell me if you don’t like me “ he tried to joke.
“Honestly, I have never given serious attention to the idea of getting married. “ Anju said, ” And mom and dad have not discussed it with me either, until they met your family. I am just happy with the school and home. But yea, Life cannot be the same through out. And they finally made me say yes to meet you up.”
And they talked for not more than 40 minutes. The chat invited topics on their interests, friends, the latest movies in town and their favorite restaurants in the city and then they badly wanted their families to come back.
So that was it. Anju did not have an answer when her parents asked her, later that night, if she found him boring.
“Mom, all I know is he’s a business analyst with an IT firm and he’s looking quite good. It’s too early to decide and besides we did not talk on getting married” .
The next morning, there was a call from Ram’s father saying Ram was ok with the wedding. And Anju’s parents were thrilled when she said,
“He seems ok to me. And if you people want to go ahead with the plans, I don’t want to say no” .
They could not believe what they had just heard. They were elated and Anju smiled.
Later that evening, Anju received a call from Ram. He sounded matured on phone.
“Listen Anju, they asked me If I liked you and I said yes, because there was nothing to be disliked about you, as long as our meet went. And I heard from pa that you have no issues as well. But I know it’s too early to commit on something as serious as marriage. Anju, err, if you want to take time before deciding, I would never object and besides, we did not talk about our life together. I mean your plans and mine.
Would you be comfortable quitting school. I mean, I would never ask you to, but
my work involves a lot of traveling. So I think, we need to talk over a few things that might crop up later.”
Ram said quite a few important things and Anju felt he sounded very serious. And she wondered if he was basically a serious person. And they talked for a couple of hours. But at the end of it, they had not convinced themselves that they were doing it right, because there were issues to be talked about and resolved if they wanted to go ahead with the wedding.
Ram somehow had the strange feeling that his career might disturb Anju’s and that would be a problem. And he was sure Anju would be thinking the same thing.
So, it was a fortnight, an engagement ceremony and few jaunts that had all happened between them.
There were more smiles with every meeting and once Ram tried to tease her, when a bunch of teenage school chaps giggled , as they recognized Anju, with him.
The evenings slid in as they indulged in more conversations and coffees and as the night got lit up, they realized it wasn’t too tough after all, to talk about life to a person who had been a stranger, till a few days back and would be the better half for the rest of their lives.
Anju knew, they both still had questions for each other, and more importantly to themselves. Sometimes she wondered if Ram was the kind of guy, she would be comfortable with and she frowned as she doubted if Ram was going through the same thoughts.
And this day, they sat in the coffee parlor and tried to talk about their Life together.
Anju told him she loved the school and he understood she wanted to continue working.
She felt too joyful to be involved with the kids. And there were events coming up and few big plans. She was expecting a promotion to the management unit. Her MBA had groomed her managerial skills finely that she was sure she refused to think about quitting work.
They both had careers they loved and that would draw them in two different directions. But they appreciated that they had decided to talk about it.
They tried talking of making compromises. But eventually, acknowledged the fact that they could not, as far the career was concerned.
They liked each other and had enjoyed being in each other’s company.
“But, this is Life, Anju. We need to settle on compromising something for us to think of a sharing a life” , Ram said, this time on a very serious tone. “If we cannot give up on something, I think it would be better to part ways, before issues get tightened:”
Anju looked at Ram in surprise. Was he hinting at calling the wedding off.
“Are you sure, you would not be able to postpone your trip or change your job ?” Anju wanted to know.
“Of course, I can’t, the most I can do is try and get another job that would keep me here”
“Can you do that ?”
Ram did not answer for a while.
“I don’t know. I don’t want to do that. I love my job”.
-- To be continued
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
A love that was arranged.
“And so will I be “, Anju replied when Ram told her scornfully that he would be a lot more occupied with his business assignments, for the next one year.
She looked at him, took her eyes off and smiled, in perplexity over the Life that was arranged and hoped to be bloomed between them.
This was the fifth time since their engagement, Anju and Ram went out together. They were in a coffee parlor, down the road where Anju’s workplace was, to discuss the plans they had for their wedding. The first few times they met, they talked about the list of friends to be invited, the count of days they would be off work for, the places they would visit post wedding and the places to shop. They had enjoyed the conversation and they kept it light and friendly.
But this time, Ram seemed to be too keen on his agenda for the next year. He would be away at his client’s location for five months, immediately after the wedding. And he wanted to know if Anju was interested in accompanying him.
“The new project, I am sure, will keep me traveling around for a while. I am off to Australia, in about ten days after the wedding. Might take five months until I return.
And I will have to fly again in another month. Anju, I don’t want to amuse you, with all the travel stuff. It could get tiring. But I leave the decision to you. If you want to come with me, then we need to get your visa processing initiated and you’ll need to decide on your job” .
Anju gazed at him. She did not have an answer. She did not want to have one.
And she hoped Ram would understand her silence. Ram looked away, thinking his plans might have intimidated hers. They sat in silence and watched the world go by, bending down occasionally to sip their coffee. This was the first time, since their two-week courtship, they had talked less and felt a bit uncomfortable.
Anju and Ram were engaged for a week now and had known each other one week before the engagement. To both of their apathy, it was arranged. Their parents had met over a common comrade’s wedding and the tête-à-tête deduced to the point of getting their offspring meet up. If they would feel ok with each other, things would be great. And that is precisely what had happened.
“Mamma, I don’t want to get married now. And I am not meeting anybody. I can’t believe you just fixed up something as important as this with out even asking me ! “
Anju was in plain anguish, over what had been discussed to be arranged, when her mom told her two weeks back about the proposal that had come up.
“Beta, we are not forcing you for this, in any way. We are simply asking you both to meet up sometime and see if you can get along at all. I promise that will be all. “
Anju’s mother tried to put her hands on her daughter’s cheeks as they spoke the same thing for she did not remember how many times, that day.
“And If I don’t like him ?” Anju snapped.
“We are not even going to think about it again”. Her father assured her, as he gently pressed her shoulders, from behind.
Anju sat there with a cranky mood and managed to listen as her father continued.
“We are never against your wishes, sweetheart. And we have always loved to see you live by your choices. But now that you don’t seem to have anything else on your mind, why not give this a try. Just a try and that’s it . You are 24 and mom and I feel this is the right time for you take another big leap in your life. And who knows, this could be the best thing to you. “ he smiled as he looked longingly for a positive gesture in his daughter’s eyes.
Anju replied. “Okay. Bu if I don’t like him, don’t even bother to pull me again to this crap, until I decide to get married. “
“Never, never”. Anju’s mother’s voice was relieved.
Anju smiled at both of them and picked her bag as she checked on her watch, ready to leave. And she drove off in her two-wheeler.
--- To be Continued
She looked at him, took her eyes off and smiled, in perplexity over the Life that was arranged and hoped to be bloomed between them.
This was the fifth time since their engagement, Anju and Ram went out together. They were in a coffee parlor, down the road where Anju’s workplace was, to discuss the plans they had for their wedding. The first few times they met, they talked about the list of friends to be invited, the count of days they would be off work for, the places they would visit post wedding and the places to shop. They had enjoyed the conversation and they kept it light and friendly.
But this time, Ram seemed to be too keen on his agenda for the next year. He would be away at his client’s location for five months, immediately after the wedding. And he wanted to know if Anju was interested in accompanying him.
“The new project, I am sure, will keep me traveling around for a while. I am off to Australia, in about ten days after the wedding. Might take five months until I return.
And I will have to fly again in another month. Anju, I don’t want to amuse you, with all the travel stuff. It could get tiring. But I leave the decision to you. If you want to come with me, then we need to get your visa processing initiated and you’ll need to decide on your job” .
Anju gazed at him. She did not have an answer. She did not want to have one.
And she hoped Ram would understand her silence. Ram looked away, thinking his plans might have intimidated hers. They sat in silence and watched the world go by, bending down occasionally to sip their coffee. This was the first time, since their two-week courtship, they had talked less and felt a bit uncomfortable.
Anju and Ram were engaged for a week now and had known each other one week before the engagement. To both of their apathy, it was arranged. Their parents had met over a common comrade’s wedding and the tête-à-tête deduced to the point of getting their offspring meet up. If they would feel ok with each other, things would be great. And that is precisely what had happened.
“Mamma, I don’t want to get married now. And I am not meeting anybody. I can’t believe you just fixed up something as important as this with out even asking me ! “
Anju was in plain anguish, over what had been discussed to be arranged, when her mom told her two weeks back about the proposal that had come up.
“Beta, we are not forcing you for this, in any way. We are simply asking you both to meet up sometime and see if you can get along at all. I promise that will be all. “
Anju’s mother tried to put her hands on her daughter’s cheeks as they spoke the same thing for she did not remember how many times, that day.
“And If I don’t like him ?” Anju snapped.
“We are not even going to think about it again”. Her father assured her, as he gently pressed her shoulders, from behind.
Anju sat there with a cranky mood and managed to listen as her father continued.
“We are never against your wishes, sweetheart. And we have always loved to see you live by your choices. But now that you don’t seem to have anything else on your mind, why not give this a try. Just a try and that’s it . You are 24 and mom and I feel this is the right time for you take another big leap in your life. And who knows, this could be the best thing to you. “ he smiled as he looked longingly for a positive gesture in his daughter’s eyes.
Anju replied. “Okay. Bu if I don’t like him, don’t even bother to pull me again to this crap, until I decide to get married. “
“Never, never”. Anju’s mother’s voice was relieved.
Anju smiled at both of them and picked her bag as she checked on her watch, ready to leave. And she drove off in her two-wheeler.
--- To be Continued
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