 Dream Date: Naveen's Story
The hints had ceased. They were replaced by questions. When are you going to get married, beta? Now is the right time. When are you coming to India? There are girls waiting for you here! I realized, my parents had run out of patience.
I decided to make at least a modicum of effort to seek my better half. Going to India and marrying someone after a fleeting meeting seemed a bit bizarre. And meeting someone while shopping for grocery in the US seemed far-fetched. Hence the search turned to the place where all searches do- the Internet. I posted my profile on a few Indian matchmaking sites. While doing so I also browsed a few postings and found one particularly interesting. She happened to reside in the same state and so raised a possibility of a rendezvous. The emails weren't returned. But hopes didn't die. And they were richly rewarded with a friendly reply on my birthday, no less! We exchanged a few emails and she asked me to call her. I did and asked her out. We both expectantly looked forward to the tete-a-tete. She was five minutes late. She seemed in a hurry to finish the dinner and get back home. It was the first time I had gone out alone with a girl. I wasn't sure how to act. In hindsight, I could have done with some thoughtful preparation like getting some flowers, perhaps.. read some jokes or poems? But then hindsight is always 20/20. As it turned out, I took a favourite book along. And offered to lend it to her. An excuse to meet again for her to return my book, at the very least. The dinner was uneventful. And was followed by a brisk walk to her favorite ice cream parlour. It was an unusually, but seasonably, cold evening. I walk fast even in the corridors of my workplace. I was walking probably a step too fast for her. I had a malt vanilla, she a chocolate cookie flavour. The ice cream was polished off quickly and I offered to reach her to her car. She didn't look back to say goodbye after alighting from my car. I came back home, losing my way a bit, lost in her thoughts. I sent her an email of thanks and suggested we meet again. I asked her out for Valentine's day, but she excused herself at the last moment - a night out with her girl friends to watch a basketball game, she claimed. My emails weren't returned and it seemed she'd lost interest. But I hadn't! I set up a fictitious email account and invited her for chat. She was inquisitive and agreed to chat with a stranger, out of intrigue. I posed as a half Indian Kiwi and she believed it. I got to know her better than before. I discovered that she liked Savage Garden and Enya. I fell in love with her! She was amazed that I could remember everything she told me, even though she didn't remember telling me. I couldn't live with the lies anymore and decided to reveal my true identity. She couldn't believe it. She felt betrayed and deceived but forgave me. We continued to chat frequently. And then I had to move to another state. I asked her if we could meet before I left. She agreed, saying it would be a kind of send off. Despite the fact that she didn't like to say goodbyes. I sort of hinted that it might not be the last time she would be seeing me. And then she broke my heart. She said she was talking to someone. After careful consideration, I told her that it was perhaps best we don't meet in person. I wouldn't know what to say and it might be equally awkward for her. I still forward her a joke or two a week and she appreciates that. Once in while, she is online at the same time as me and we share our lives. Much as I like her, I don't think she's very interested in me. But we are the best of friends now and will always be. When I met her, I didn't know what kind of girl I'd like to marry. Now, I do. Someone just like her (if not herself). I have never gathered myself to tell her my true feelings. I wonder what she'd make of it, if she reads this! Naveen of CA, USA wins a Rediff Shopping Gift Certificate worth Rs 1001
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