God, she is so beautiful, well more than the pictures I had of her. I know what people say, that a picture speaks a thousand words. What they forget to tell you is that the real thing makes you speechless and beautifully recklessly dumb! “Interesting friends you have… hmmm… So Gayatri or may I call you Gay” cos that’s what Nuts told me they called her, her gang of friends.Curious to know what was I to her. A friend or foe. “Gayatri is perfectly fine!” Oooh bad move buddy! The default cover up ensued. “Gayatri, the name suits you to perfection!” Ah she softened, thankfully. Now to business, “I am sure you know and fully understand the essence of us sitting here. You have a fair idea like I do about what our folks are expecting out there. So tell me what is your decision?”. The fact that none of her male friends from the GANG had been here surprised me. More than that I wanted to know whether she was not the victim of another forced arranged marriage thingy. It hurts but its not quite unusual an Indian culture.
“I don’t know you, Anurag, to make a decision.” Matter of fact statement! Slow down buddy don’t rush her. But I was as helpless because I was working on a time frame. The helplessness in her eyes loosened my guard, let everything else wait. “Nor do I…” I said it to calm me more than her. “I would have asked you a few questions, Gayatri but I personally feel asking about your hobbies, likes and dislikes, wont make us known to each other. It sometimes may even take a few years to get to know each other and we only have 10 minutes to make this decision. I like you fairly well and hence I have no objection to this union. If you feel otherwise, please speak freely now.” Phew that was it. I played my cards, its her turn now. I waited, then a bit more and then I knew she got what I meant. But I realised she didn’t want to stand by the reasoning.
“Don’t you want to ask anything? No questions?” “Gayatri all I need to know is if you find me suitable. I don’t need to know anything else.” Arranged Marriages, God who was the first parent who ever thought up of the idea. I am sure Adam and Eve didn’t come up with it. Nor God, so who did? Coming down the line, let’s see? Blame the Romans! Well not my fault they made the Amphitheatre and the Gladiators. This falls along that lines. A raging bull, a captive gladiator and a few million spectators. So what is it like, the first ever arranged marriage in the history.
“Romulus, don’t you think our Son has more than enough money to spend on his own. Maybe He needs help from somebody to finish up the wealth he is amassing. jeez don’t you think we should help him out.”
“Portia come to think of it, I think yeah he looks miserable lets make him a millionaire from a crorepati… He would be soooo happy!”
Or maybe its like this,
“Calphurnia, isn’t our daughter grown up, she had a raging periods, taunting pedophiles to think about, crazy predators like rapists and robbers, unhealthy education systems oh not to mention the job hunt and the corporate adventures like nightmares.”
“Yeah Caesar teenage issues and hormonal outbursts, but now she is settled. She has grown up!”
“Really, Calphurnia I think lets try this for fun. Let’s give her another shock. Let’s take a guy to her bedroom and surprise her, tell her its her husband and she is bound to her life with him”
“Yeah Caesar that sounds like the awesomest idea ever better than the snappy adventure time we had with the kids in the alligator pool!”
Back to the scene. She took her time and then gently nodded which had to mean, yes. I nodded to her back to confirm the meeting was over, crap habits from professional environments and board meeting never wear off in the home environment. Too late now, but don’t worry looks like we have a lifetime ahead. Because the Gladiator has won!
Guys, after all the above charades of anti-arranged-marriage methods do you know why I love the arranged marriage concept? Please do remind me to tell you.
