“Will you be able to stay with my parents for six months after our wedding?” He asked.
Puzzled!!! I just stopped for a while and looked at him, wondered why he
asked me the question. Suspected myself if I was really a delay catcher, ‘Tube
light’ as often described by few of my friends!
We were walking after our dinner as we were neighbors in the same
colony. Winter night in Delhi, while temperature was going down every minute,
our good feelings for each other were soaring high. After a perfect
co-ordination, we used to regularly meet at the colony lane for the after-dinner
walk. Oh! What a never ending wait that used to be! Ofcourse, those were the
days before we called it “Let’s be together”…while love was all the time
buzzing around our minds and souls like a cheerful bee.
“Yes”……..after a pause… “Yes, why not? If needed, I will take sabbatical…” I didn’t want to disappoint him. I responded that serious question with confidence, though still toying with my mind for the ‘why’ underneath. Was his Indian mentality wanted to test my thought process???
I saw him smiling lightly..
“But, in one condition….” I too put my checker card….It was a golden
opportunity for me to materialize my secret desire of long years, inspired by
Bollywood movies, if he would agree.
“Yes, sure, tell me…”
“You will have to propose me in the market area with a
loud voice.”
Now, he stopped for a moment, looked at me with a question of ‘why’. I
could visualize him as Paresh Rawal of Judai with a Question sign on his
forehead – for a moment. I knew it would be an uphill task for him.
“Yes..” ….after a pause.. “Sure, why not?” Oh! He agreed.
So, we made the deal.
Next day. We met at the nearby market place, as usual. It was a hustling bustling shopping
place with full of food stalls, lines of auto and rickshaw pullers, tiny shops
selling stationery, vegetables, fruits, sweets and every household essentials.
When any car used to pass by, a huge traffic jam would surely ensue. Honking
sound, hawkers’ calls, bells of rickshaws and bi-cycles, chores of vegetable
sellers, all would make you feel you are lost for a while….
We ate chowmein from a fast food
corner, bought some vegetables and were going towards our colony.
Suddenly, I could hear one voice
saying, “Love you lady, will you marry me?”
Oh! What was that! A familiar voice! It
was unexpected. Volume was ok, but, it was so quick that I got fully confused
from which side the voice was coming….
I looked back…I looked down…. He was on
one of his knees….
He was tying his shoes lace, though his
face was upwards and facing towards me…..
With a smile of triumph, with a wink,
he uttered…. “I did my task.”
Few rickshaw pullers, onlookers were
quite confused if everything was fine. Few of them started starring at us.
What to do now……,wondered whether to
accept the completion of the task or ask to re-do.
Looking at his innocent face which he
was intentionally making, I had to accept for the time being….
12 years Today! I am still keeping a silent desire
to repeat the same…..though I am not sure if he will …someday, someway, by the
way!!!
Happy Anniversary to us, anyways!!!! :)
