The day was Sunday - The Time 10 AM. An unusual Sunday considering I had got up well before my usual Sunday wake up time of 9:30 – 10 AM. The purpose was clear. We had a family coming down to visit us and assess if we could strike our relations for the long term.
I was my usual self – hair nicely shampooed and neatly left open, my favorite Fast Track watch on the left palm, a single bangle in the right, a simple gold chain bearing the unique ‘S’ pendant, a crisply ironed cotton dress – only I was carrying the dupatta this time in spite of it being a conservatively measured neck with a Stand collar and absolutely no trace of makeup other than a lip balm.
Dad was busy organizing the logistics – the Boy's Dad would sit here. The Boy would sit on this chair and you sit exactly opposite to him. Mom would be in this corner and I would sit beside his Dad with his Mother sitting beside you. :)
And all this seemed so very funny – I even remember asking if he is going to command them to sit where their seats were planned and he said of course not but I would definitely guide them. And I thought in my mind what a waste this exercise was!
My brother Anant, assuming that this is going to be just another family which my Sis isn’t gonna approve of had already left to meet his friends for the supposed project work that they had taken up! [I had disapproved of two other proposals that my parents short listed].
The clock struck 10, when seconds later the door bell rang - the family is here – SHARP at 10!! While we @home were prepared with all that was to be served and in place, our extended family was still to come. The Boy’s Family was welcomed home – I don’t know who came in 1st cause I was in the kitchen and wasn’t supposed to come out till commanded :) They were 5 of them – The Boy, his Parents and his Aunt and Uncle and we shortly after were 3 families from our side – Mom n Dad, Aunt and Uncle [both Maternal and Paternal] and me.
So it was 5 People to see the girl and 7 to see the Boy! Maan the place was crowded and amongst this crowd I was suppose to figure out if this Boy was indeed my dream match! I however had it easier since I was rehearsing this for the 3rd time. For him though it was his 1st time [and he hoped post meeting that it was his last as well! :) ]
Shortly after when the Poha, was finally to be served amongst several other things I picked up the tray and told Mom I am Going to serve this! Mom was shocked – its too early for you to make an appearance – I said I don’t care!! I am going! And in my usually fast pace Out I GO! My Mom by then had probably almost collapsed :).
Well the Boy dint have the guts to look up but his Dad introduced me to him [I was wondering that like my Dad, he too had his actions well pre planned :) ] I said “Hi!” and he was astonished “Is this the Girl, or is there someone still waiting in there” ***
And so now that I was there, seated right in front of him as planned, I was being variedly questioned. The talkative and extrovert soul that I am, I spilled it all in one go :) and
slowly, so did the Boy – not once did he look at me! When the Father figures asked us had I anything more to ask I said: "No he summarized things very well". My Dad however, was uncomfortable with that and so was the Boy. He said he would like to have a moment in person and I was quite speechless – my heart skipped a beat!
So when we were given privacy, he was casually discussing a lot of other things only to find me not responding as vivaciously. So he said “its fine if you are short of things to say or are not in a mood to talk – maybe you could call me up or email me and we could talk at ease when you wished to – and he handed me his Business Card” I thought wow how considerate – I should be humble enough and play a good host!
That kind of eased me out and then I got talking. I do not know how, but he had managed to get the 3 most important things out of my mind and they were - that I dint have the intentions of retiring doing technology, that I wanted to pursue a Masters Degree but what I would specialize in was something I needed help in figuring out and that if I was faced with an impending situation where I would have to choose a career and family I’d always choose the later.
And while he agreed that the moment he saw me in the snap he found himself looking at a girl who had a warm and loving look, that he would love to come back to, after a hard day of work, his decision to marry me was reaffirmed only after he had learnt the above things. The only thing not clear to him was whether I was going to approve of him.
What I had learnt from him was, he always wanted his wife to keep herself occupied - that dint necessarily mean that she is compelled to work. To put her skills and education to good use. And it was perfectly fine if she dint know how to cook.
Before we parted, there was no handshake, no “nice meeting you nothing”! We just exchanged smiles. It was close to Noon when both the families exchanged pleasantries and were guided downstairs accompanied by my Parents and Uncle. The ball was in our court and we were asked to communicate my decision.
Everyone came upstairs to ask me what I thought and I said: “He is the best out of the ones I met till date”. My Dad continued to complete “... and he is the BEST we have for you” [after going through a painful search process of a couple of months scanning 50 odd profiles and filtering just 3 that matched my requirements]
It was this day April 3rd 3 years back - the day I met Abhi for the 1st time.
As someone rightly said : “There is someone made for each one” and that one for me was always Abhi… :)
Luv as always
- sayli :)
3 days later [when Abhi had refused to see any other girl till I responded, and on the 3rd day, while he was in the middle of a clean shave, and was thinking of starting afresh on his Bride Hunt, my Dad called up to convey a YES !! :) ] While the rest is history in itself, I am convinced each day, that Life couldn’t be any Better!!
*** Later on I learnt that when the daughters of the Yadav family had guys coming over to see them, they would always be presentably dressed up in a zari bordered saree, jwellery and make up and would make a late appearance – always, only when they were asked to. The exact opposite of what I did and was hence perceived by Aai - Baba as bubbly, original self, open minded and easy to get along with!
I was my usual self – hair nicely shampooed and neatly left open, my favorite Fast Track watch on the left palm, a single bangle in the right, a simple gold chain bearing the unique ‘S’ pendant, a crisply ironed cotton dress – only I was carrying the dupatta this time in spite of it being a conservatively measured neck with a Stand collar and absolutely no trace of makeup other than a lip balm.
Dad was busy organizing the logistics – the Boy's Dad would sit here. The Boy would sit on this chair and you sit exactly opposite to him. Mom would be in this corner and I would sit beside his Dad with his Mother sitting beside you. :)
And all this seemed so very funny – I even remember asking if he is going to command them to sit where their seats were planned and he said of course not but I would definitely guide them. And I thought in my mind what a waste this exercise was!
My brother Anant, assuming that this is going to be just another family which my Sis isn’t gonna approve of had already left to meet his friends for the supposed project work that they had taken up! [I had disapproved of two other proposals that my parents short listed].
The clock struck 10, when seconds later the door bell rang - the family is here – SHARP at 10!! While we @home were prepared with all that was to be served and in place, our extended family was still to come. The Boy’s Family was welcomed home – I don’t know who came in 1st cause I was in the kitchen and wasn’t supposed to come out till commanded :) They were 5 of them – The Boy, his Parents and his Aunt and Uncle and we shortly after were 3 families from our side – Mom n Dad, Aunt and Uncle [both Maternal and Paternal] and me.
So it was 5 People to see the girl and 7 to see the Boy! Maan the place was crowded and amongst this crowd I was suppose to figure out if this Boy was indeed my dream match! I however had it easier since I was rehearsing this for the 3rd time. For him though it was his 1st time [and he hoped post meeting that it was his last as well! :) ]
Shortly after when the Poha, was finally to be served amongst several other things I picked up the tray and told Mom I am Going to serve this! Mom was shocked – its too early for you to make an appearance – I said I don’t care!! I am going! And in my usually fast pace Out I GO! My Mom by then had probably almost collapsed :).
Well the Boy dint have the guts to look up but his Dad introduced me to him [I was wondering that like my Dad, he too had his actions well pre planned :) ] I said “Hi!” and he was astonished “Is this the Girl, or is there someone still waiting in there” ***
And so now that I was there, seated right in front of him as planned, I was being variedly questioned. The talkative and extrovert soul that I am, I spilled it all in one go :) and
slowly, so did the Boy – not once did he look at me! When the Father figures asked us had I anything more to ask I said: "No he summarized things very well". My Dad however, was uncomfortable with that and so was the Boy. He said he would like to have a moment in person and I was quite speechless – my heart skipped a beat!
So when we were given privacy, he was casually discussing a lot of other things only to find me not responding as vivaciously. So he said “its fine if you are short of things to say or are not in a mood to talk – maybe you could call me up or email me and we could talk at ease when you wished to – and he handed me his Business Card” I thought wow how considerate – I should be humble enough and play a good host!
That kind of eased me out and then I got talking. I do not know how, but he had managed to get the 3 most important things out of my mind and they were - that I dint have the intentions of retiring doing technology, that I wanted to pursue a Masters Degree but what I would specialize in was something I needed help in figuring out and that if I was faced with an impending situation where I would have to choose a career and family I’d always choose the later.
And while he agreed that the moment he saw me in the snap he found himself looking at a girl who had a warm and loving look, that he would love to come back to, after a hard day of work, his decision to marry me was reaffirmed only after he had learnt the above things. The only thing not clear to him was whether I was going to approve of him.
What I had learnt from him was, he always wanted his wife to keep herself occupied - that dint necessarily mean that she is compelled to work. To put her skills and education to good use. And it was perfectly fine if she dint know how to cook.
Before we parted, there was no handshake, no “nice meeting you nothing”! We just exchanged smiles. It was close to Noon when both the families exchanged pleasantries and were guided downstairs accompanied by my Parents and Uncle. The ball was in our court and we were asked to communicate my decision.
Everyone came upstairs to ask me what I thought and I said: “He is the best out of the ones I met till date”. My Dad continued to complete “... and he is the BEST we have for you” [after going through a painful search process of a couple of months scanning 50 odd profiles and filtering just 3 that matched my requirements]
It was this day April 3rd 3 years back - the day I met Abhi for the 1st time.
As someone rightly said : “There is someone made for each one” and that one for me was always Abhi… :)
Luv as always
- sayli :)
3 days later [when Abhi had refused to see any other girl till I responded, and on the 3rd day, while he was in the middle of a clean shave, and was thinking of starting afresh on his Bride Hunt, my Dad called up to convey a YES !! :) ] While the rest is history in itself, I am convinced each day, that Life couldn’t be any Better!!
*** Later on I learnt that when the daughters of the Yadav family had guys coming over to see them, they would always be presentably dressed up in a zari bordered saree, jwellery and make up and would make a late appearance – always, only when they were asked to. The exact opposite of what I did and was hence perceived by Aai - Baba as bubbly, original self, open minded and easy to get along with!
