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.