Friday, February 13, 2009

This one is for you - my valentine

There are a few things in life that changes you as a person, I was a changed man (well I used to smile at myself not calling boy anmore).

I had saved some 400 rupees by washing and ironing my clothes for the last 2 months. 150 of it I had already planned to spend on flowers. I could get 30 roses 5 zarberas for that money back then. I wished giving one rose to everyone I thought I knew fairly in my class. And the 5 zarberas were special. The day before, for the entire day I had been trying to optimize the other hard saved 250 rs.. Her favourite shop was “My Fair Lady” and it was fairly costly for my meager means. I bought a jewellery set or something that could be called so for 100rs. The ring was beautiful. It was my first valentine and a ring, however cheap in value, I thought was must. Whole day long I had been dreaming of going on my knees with a yellow zarbera and a ring, making her feel the most loved valentine of all time. I can still remember that excitement and elation of the thought of holding her hand in mine and sliding that beautiful diamond ring in her finger, kissing her hands (the diamond part was only for the thoughts).

The day started beautifully with me giving those roses to my classmates. I remember that odd jerk getting surprised at the fact that someone gave him a flower. I could hardly hide my anticipation for the evening with blushing and smiling alternatively. I know not if she noticed me blushing from the bench behind mine. The classes took excruciatingly longer time that day as I waited for the evening. Whole day we talked in whispers as our friends teased us through the day. Well it was a rare day and I got ready in the evening for a date, my first one. I walked down the road from my rented apartment to hers, in my hand-washed and ironed clothes. I met 2 of my friends who gave very encouraging smiles (unlike these days, back then we were the only “couple” in my class). And down she came from those stairs in her white silk dress and sea green dupatta. She had looks of a young lady and she smiled like a child. As we walked that road to the restaurant, we talked of all things that made us feel special.

Valentine’s day was not a big concept back then in that small place, so we were not expecting any waiting time at the restaurant so early. We sat there on the table opposite to each other, trying to fake our just-another-date looks. There were so many differences that existed between us but not on that day, that day we were young Man and Woman almost touching our twenties, trying to be our best for the one we thought we want to be with all our life. I know it’s quite amateurish to talk of life at 20 but it’s in the age of innocence that ignorance enlightens our actions. You learn in youth the things you understand when you are old. I wanted to take out that ring from my pocket and put it on her hands, and wanted to tell her about all those romantic promises that I had thought of. I knew she too was waiting for me to talk things that she never liked listening to in books and movies. It was a state of nervous chaos, as 3 glasses of water disappeared and I was worried that it can create trouble at the right time. A usual bowl of sweet corn soup also disappeared as soft music was being played on the dim lit table of the restaurant.

I was about to utter something that I had practiced all day, when I saw head of our engineering department enter the restaurant, taking the table next to ours. He was notoriously known for not accepting students getting romantic. I swear nervousness for romance and fear of a call to parents is not a good cocktail. She too was afraid of the whole situation. But someone said to get what you never had, you need to do that you never did. In my nervous moments I took her hand, looked into her eyes and said, “I love you” (softly enough not to be heard by the devil on the next table). As I slid that ring in her right hand and hold her hand in mine, I learned things about youth and love that I now understand.

{To put the facts clearly on table, I could not kiss her hand. She now prefers spinach soup to my sweet corn soup after our marriage. She now wears a delicate diamond ring and she still laughs like a child.}

1 comment:

krags said...

Beautiful :) ....
wishing u n ur wife a very happy V day :).

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