The Date

They had met over the internet through a dating site, some months back. They both had no serious intentions of dating anyone they would come across on this site. This was a new area for them.

Ali and Ayesha knew each other well today. They have been exchanging emails from the day they first signed up on this dating site. Ayesha was a school teacher and Ali a corporate person. They both got immediately friendly and did not consider meeting up in person. The thought of being any closer than this virtual relation that they shared wasn’t a priority at all in either of them. They would talk of everything, literature, poetry, Ali’s work, his targets, his meetings, Ayesha’s classes and her students, the different cities they lived in, the society, politics…everything.

Just one day as Ayesha sat down to write an email to him, a thought crossed her mind. She could send a picture to Ali and have a picture from him back. This way they would know how they look. She had no idea how Ali was, thin, short, tall, dark….no idea! She also proposed to Ali that he send a picture to her. She had sent him a picture of her own attached with the email. The email kept Ali thinking of Ayesha the whole day. He hadn’t replied to her that day. Not that he had problems sending a picture of how he looked but what was the need? He did not want to see how Ayesha looked. For him this relation was virtual and could have remained like that. But he did admit that Ayesha was a real head-turner. He liked her features and especially her tiny eyes. He took 2 days to reply to her. Ayesha was a little impatient. She did not know if he would ever talk with her again. But when he did, he sent a picture of him as an attachment to the e-mail. But the third day, when she found his email, she had gone into wilderness of happiness. She noticed the mail had an attachment and opened it with her heart throbbing. Scrolling down she first clicked on the picture to see the enlarged version. Ali was dashing man. Very tall and bright eyes and a loving smile with uneven teeth. This seemed to excite her. She realized that she had pictured him perfectly in her mind in the last two days. She was lucky she could do that. Then she read the mail. Ali had wanted to know why she even asked for a picture if the relation was meant to be the way it had been till now. In her reply, she simply just wrote the following. “I think we should meet up and start dating each other. I know you will agree. The time is right Ali, we should meet. I will arrange for your stay here in this city and will be together from Wednesday until Friday and we will meet up when the whole world is at work. You plan up your trip and call me. You do have my number, don’t you?  I’m waiting dodo.”

Ali was absolutely startled to find the email from Ayesha. The forthrightness and the adamancy provoked him to meet her. He noticed she had called him “dodo”, something she would call him lovingly or with a lot of jest and warmth. He got his leave sanctioned. Soon he was on the flight to meet her.

She came to pick him up at the airport. In a light chiffon summer dress in white and pink, she stood awaiting him. He saw her and her small dark eyes and beautiful long tresses flowing over her face. She saw him too. He was the man her eyes had always imagined, now she knew, was real. She ran towards him and he walked towards her faster. They both came close and could not hold the hug back. They held each other and felt the warmest embrace they had ever felt. Gradually moving out, Ayesha shyly looked away and told him that she had got her car. They walked towards the car without anyone speaking. Did their hands meet or brush? Ali was in a trance. He did not know what to say. He had never thought that he would ever see Ayesha. What a day!

The hotel wasn’t very far from Ayesha’s place. He could take a shower and then meet her for dinner. She had booked a table at a famous restaurant there. Ali’s mind was not thinking now. He took a shower and wore a tuxedo to meet her. She met him in the lounge, looking even more beautiful in the evening attire. She had a great figure and her curves showed well in the off shoulder dress that she wore. The restaurant was dimly lit and their table even though did not have a candle, could be settled for something as cozy and romantic as a candle-lit table. The light, Ali saw made her face glow even more.

They spoke and had a quiet dinner. Ayesha was a real lady and Ali was really impressed by her vocabulary and poise.

In the next two days, Ali had seen quite a few places of interest in the city, as a tourist. Ali had become quite fond of her and their initial shyness had been overtaken by a very affectionate relation between them. They were comfortable with each other and Ali realized that Ayesha talked a lot. She had opened up and no stranger would be able to keep himself from befriending Ayesha for long. The days were going by and so they were at the eve of Friday. They would have to get back to their schedules after the great holiday they had had. Ali had kept the serious talks for a later date. He wanted to talk to her. Ayesha took him to show him her apartment. The place was well decorated and every single piece there, spoke of the creative knack that she possessed. Ali took her by the hand and led her to sit on the couch. She wasn’t expecting his hands on her. She sat down and her small dark eyes looked at him and his heart pounded faster and his hands melted. He finally took a hold on himself and spoke, “Ayesha, I am really fond of you and you have made me realize that I had always wanted person like you in my life. I am not proposing anything yet, except…..would you give me the opportunity to know you better? I think we made a good decision to meet each other in person.” Ayesha did not know what to say and was thinking exactly on the same terms. She wanted him to stay longer. She told him that she wanted him to say the same, but understood that this trip was meant to be short and sweet. Suddenly Ali’s eyes fixed at her eyes and he came closer to her. She closed her eyes and knew what this closeness was for, giving in her consent.

Ali’s left hand stroked her face and brought her head closer and Ayesha opened her mouth to make way for Ali. Their tongues touched and shuddered and their hands embraced each other. The tongues went to find the way into their partner’s mouth and into their hearts. Ali traced his hand over her back. Ayesha brought her hands to his chest and started to unbutton his shirt. All the time she could not stop looking into his deep eyes. He kissed her first on her forehead and then on her lips.

The morning alarm rang loud. Ali had a flight to catch. Ayesha's heart was heavy. Her eyes sorrowful. As they were about to leave, Ali caught her by the waist and swirled her around and picked her up in his arms. He kissed her and asked, “Will you marry me?” 

Dates seldom end up in marriages these days. “Making-love” is no more “love-making” and it’s a desire of the body, more than that of making two souls unite. I might sound like almost two generations old. 

PLAN

I remember that day when I sat down with my regular coffee in my hand and had the computer opened to the matrimonial site. The whole page was decorated in bright red, orange and yellow. I clicked on the register button and the link opened to the next page, which had the bright colours with a registering form that I filled in without any difficulty and clicked on register now. The site soon opened me to another page that had options for looking through already existing matches and new profiles. Without thinking any further I clicked on existing profiles. Then came to the page that had a lot of profiles. (Please check the details, I don’t know how the site looks). I began reading each one and almost all seemed to be just good enough for me. Some said alliance wanted from upper class Brahmin, some said wanted from well settled match, caste no bar. I preferred to click on one, which said that caste- no bar and quickly went through the profile of this girl who had applied on her own. Said she had no close relatives. This profile kind of just clicked with my thought process and I just sent her a reply mail with my details. Didn’t know if all of this was true, didn’t know how long they kept the profiles on air. Thought what if she is married off now and my letter just reaches on her marriage day or something. Then a second thought came up that it’s all a matter of luck, so if it has to happen there, I would be in tim
e with my alliance. Checked my watch, just had enough time to make it for lunch and then rush for the meeting so had to close the site.
In some days I had forgotten about this advertisement that I responded to and then one fine morning, I opened my personal mail account and found that the same female had emailed to me. I read the mail with eyes wide open and kept thinking all my fears had been answered. My response had reached on time and probably god wanted me to be there with her, probably.
She had given me her phone number and I immediately picked up the telephone and dialed her without thinking of what I would say, my instincts just gave way and the next thing I remember was, I was saying “hello” in response to a voice. I gathered my senses and said further on, “ I’m Srinivas and I would like to speak with Ranjita” all at one go and then I exhaled out the tension, awaiting the reply. The voice on the other side said that she was Ranjita and I realized the voice was sweet. Did not compliment her at the first go thinking that I was overtly anxious. I went on to tell her relating to the letter but she seemed to remember. She said we should meet and I agreed and we fixed up to meet at a restaurant she suggested.
That day I took great care to dress up in my best attire and put on the best perfume and deodorant. We had given specifications of our clothes so I entered the restaurant and found her sitting there already. She looked beautiful and rose up as I approached her. She was in a light pink sari and looked angel-like as her face glowed when she smiled at me. I smiled back and greeted her. Settling down, we ordered for some snacks and juice. She told me that she had lost her parents to an accident when she had just about begun working and then on had no one to take care of. She had been on her own with an uncle who just gave her financial aid being in America. He would come and meet her often. In these five to six years her life had undergone “turmoil” as she said and I could see a drop of tear waiting to fall so I decided to cut her there. I told her that her past was past and I did not want to know about it. I was interested in her present and then we talked of our work. It was somewhat similar. She worked for an institute where she taught graphic designing and I was a software engineer. I told her I would help her with some software, which she could get some from. We talked for a long time and even walked along the beach talking about my family and me in person. I got to study her nature. She was docile, quiet, sweet-natured, caring and concerned. Soon our liking grew for each other and I decided to speak with my family regarding her.
That night I called home and the first person I told to was my mother and she seemed delighted with the fact that I had ultimately decided to marry someone and she was happy that I had selected someone already. Dad agreed too and they decided to come to see her. I had already proposed Ranjita and she had given her consent to marriage. My folks came in next two days and that day was great day when I brought her to my place. She looked as beautiful and soft as ever. They spoke to her and everybody liked her as her soft nature won all hearts. Our horoscopes were matched and a suitable date was fixed for our matrimony. My mother stayed for some days, dad went back. My family had raised me with a little conservative thought. They had no problems with Ranjita’s parents not being there and her uncle we had found out had been very glad that this matrimony was happening and gave his full consent to it and said would help in every possible way. He scheduled his coming for our marriage. The date and venue had been fixed for a social get together after our marriage at the temple.
As the date kept coming closer, I began feeling great about the whole thing having happened as if it had all been planned by the lord and kept thanking him for all that he was doing to me. Just about a week was left for our marriage and early morning we got a call from Ranjita’s uncle that he has reached the city and would soon come by the afternoon to see us. We waited anxiously and he came over after lunch. He was in his late 50’s and was pretty heavy but was smart in the way he carried himself and the sobriety in which he spoke made us feel all the more comfortable even though he was an NRI. He had come alone but told us his wife and children would not miss the wedding. He got us small gifts. There was something that he had to say as I felt he wasn’t coming out with it. But I waited. Ultimately he came up with it and began saying, “My poor child has suffered a lot all her life, you know everything. The lord took away her parents from her at such an early age and then when she got married, her in-laws caused all sorts of pain to her yet that poor child carried on….” The words kind of kept ringing in me again and again, “married”, “in- laws”. I turned to look at my parents and they looked all bewildered at me with the same eyes. My mother spoke up,
“We did not know that she was married!”. Looking at me she said, “you didn’t tell me she had been married before?”. That’s when her uncle said with more force that he was sorry we had known all this but Ranjita had not ever wanted to hide this truth, so she had herself made her profile for the site. It was all wierd for me but I realized everytime I had the opportunity to learn this truth, I always escaped from it. The time when I read the profile, I read it in hurry avoiding the details and even when at the restaurant she tried to tell me about her past, I remember shrugging off the topic.
Obviously my parents had overnite decided that the marriage was called off but they wanted me to go about it with her and her uncle. I didn’t know what to do, my brain did not work. On one hand, there was what my parents wanted, of course they never wanted me to be unhappy. On the other hand, there was Ranjita whom I knew, I respected, I loved and I understood. But I would not be able to marry her when she would be unwanted by everybody at home and after all the struggle in my life I would not be able to fight on. I wanted to relax. Perhaps I was selfish but marriage was for everyone’s happiness in our kind of society.
I could not sleep in the night. The next morning I went to her uncle’s place and Ranjita was there. She looked flawless as ever. Little did she know what storm would befall her. I just fumbled with words as I sat down to speak with her uncle. He had a calm face and he looked relaxed. So I began, I did not know how or what I said but I began. I said all the pros and cons of our marriage and that my parents were dead against it. I could see the tears in her eyes as I kept on saying that I would not marry her.
I came home with a heavy heart and not knowing if it was right or wrong. The whole day I could not relax and I kept feeling guilty for hurting her. It was evening and I was thinking of all this and knew soon parents would be gone leaving me alone to go through the pain all my own. Suddenly something grasped and I found myself walking towards her house. I reached her place and called out to her. She did not open the door but I kept waiting for hours. Then she did. I took her in my arms and we both cried and cried. We decided to marry and went back home and told my parents that I would marry Ranjita. They were obviously shocked but I had to be tough. I loved her and I could not afford to let my life go away from me. Guess somewhere my mother understood and gave her consent to this marriage.
Today also I am sitting with my regular coffee in my hand but the difference is now I have my wife, Ranjita with me in everything I do. Even after 2 years of our marriage, we have not lost our love, our passion for each other. It keeps on growing and growing every minute. My parents are happy that they have Ranjita as their daughter-in-law.