Match Made in Heaven

A stranger who I haven’t met (or may be we did meet but nobody introduced us before) looks like a perfect **DAMAAD** to the relatives who love sticking their nose everywhere and who will be least bothered about the ‘Match made in Heaven’ once they have told every possible soul around that they deserve the credit for being the cupid.

I have always believed that falling in love is the best thing that can ever happen to anyone (yes you can tag me as a ‘Typical Girl’) and nothing better than tying the knot with the same person. But the problem comes when you are not holding hands with someone and at the same time don’t want to be in this state with a stranger. Anyways the point is how can you ever think of marrying a person who you have not met in 24 years of your life and decide to celebrate your silver jubilee in just 5 meetings (that too with some aunt using the youngest kid of the family to spy on you like her evil twin).

The pressure from my parents (rather I should say my wannabe parents aka relatives) was growing like a Godzilla ready to pounce on me any moment I decide to rest. My first instinct was to maintain distance from the jaws itself and decided to squirrel away from my family. But me being me, succumbed to the constant ‘Emotional Atyachaar’.

I caved in. Yes I did!!! And so began the laundry list of the expectations- First and foremost I don’t want to marry a kid so he should be atleast 3 years elder to me, Second condition – No NRIs please. I am too much in love with India to settle outside (this helped me in rejecting the first lucrative proposal – the guy was an MS from a US University but wanted to settle abroad). Third – I hate soap opera families aka business families so service class will do… and as I was listing all this down my mother’s cellphone rang and no prize for guessing who it was. My sweet aunt! All I could get from the secretive conversation both the ladies were having was about some US Guy coming to Jaipur (the one I mentioned above). I looked at my Mom and this time she caved in.

Now came the seasons of rejections till I found a person whom I can give a thought to. Let me take you few months back when all of us were on a war footing as my brother was getting married and all the shopping for gifts and clothes was to be done by me and my mother. In a discussion over dinner at my uncle’s place, my aunt (not the ‘sweet 1’ but the one who knows my secrets) mentioned about one of my friend who has a crush on me (why is it so difficult to understand a simple statement ‘Please don’t tell this to anyone’). My Dad asked me if I am interested and I was dumbstruck. ‘No ways, not at all’ was my delayed reply and that was the end to the friend topic forever (at least I though so). Coming back to where I had left, on one of the many trips to Jaipur during the lean month, my mom, out of the blue, mentioned about ‘my friend’. At first I couldn’t understand why is she enquiring about him and then when lightening struck I was irritated and angry. So in order to please me and calm me down she cooked my favourite halwa (I wish I had such tactics!).

After coming back to Delhi I got engrossed with my work. On a relatively free day I was checking the college album and came across his picture. I have no clue what it was which forced me to call him after such a long time. That phone call lasted for about 10-12 mins but for the first time I had a very strange feeling after the call. This had nothing to do with me developing any special feelings for him but for the first time the thought of being with a friend all your life occupied my mind. The concept of marrying a friend whom you know so better is nothing less than getting a chocolate fantasy instead of Belgium dark chocolate cake. It may not be your first choice but it is not something you wouldn’t relish. Isn’t it the ultimate option for solving many of the world’s hassles, disappointments, and general ill intended diabolical messes. It opens new doors and over the time the only missing thing - passion also comes. But soon came the clouding thought of settling for something less. It feels like giving up the hope of finding that one true love that makes your tummy do crazy things and makes you forget how to speak properly.

And so recollecting and gathering myself, I headed to my laptop to check the profile of the guy my cousin had mailed to me but this time it was more of hope and less of reluctance.