GETTING MARRIED
"Are you married?"
"No, I am happy."
After, ten years, I met Neeraj, last evening, with his wife and their little kid. I reminded his wife about the dialogue we had.
"Are you married," I had asked Neeraj.
"No, I am happy," he had replied.
This time, I asked both of them, "Are you happy?"
They looked at each other and laughed.
Not long back, I was with a young man called Amit. He was to get married after a week. So, just as a friend of mine, Glen, bumped in, I instinctively wanted to introduce Amit to Glen.
"Glen," I said. Then, as it happens in my case, often, I forgot Amit's name! "He is getting married next week." I tried to bail myself out.
"Hi," said Glen, stretching his hand to Amit.
"Hi," Amit responded.
But, the hands did not unclasp.
"I was wondering, whether to say 'Congrats', or 'I am sorry'," Glen pulled the would-be bridegroom's legs.
"I was wondering," said Amit, " Why was I introduced with 'He is getting married'... and not with my name. I am Amit."
Seventeen years of married life had taken its toll on my memory, I thought. "Oh! Just a slip of my memory," I informed, hiding my embarrassment.
Still my battered mind was young enough to take me back to an incident, which, again, was seventeen-year old.
I had gone to my student, Raju's textile shop to invite him for my wedding. As I was talking to him, a lean and young man approached us. "Your bother?" I asked Raju, offering my hand to the young man.
"No sir, my dad," corrected my student!
I couldn't believe that. The man looked so young! Nevertheless, I continued, "Sir, I am getting married."
"What? Getting mad?" the senior yelled.
My nervousness had distorted my speech, no doubt. But, it couldn't have sounded so bizarre, I thought. But, I tried to put a sporting front.
"Don't you worry," intervened the son, my student. "They both are same."
No wonder, after such a long married life, the father still looked like his son!
On my way home, my bruised mind could recoup one more episode.
This time, it was in a sweet shop. "Hello sir," it was Karuna, one of my ex-students.
"What a pleasant surprise," I said sincerely. "Your dad?" I enquired offering my hand to an old-looking man who was with her.
"No sir, my hubby!" Karuna was large-hearted. But, her hubby was not. The handshake conveyed what an 'unpleasant shock' it was!
"Are you married?"
"I am happy, I AM."
GERALD D'CUNHA
"No, I am happy."
After, ten years, I met Neeraj, last evening, with his wife and their little kid. I reminded his wife about the dialogue we had.
"Are you married," I had asked Neeraj.
"No, I am happy," he had replied.
This time, I asked both of them, "Are you happy?"
They looked at each other and laughed.
Not long back, I was with a young man called Amit. He was to get married after a week. So, just as a friend of mine, Glen, bumped in, I instinctively wanted to introduce Amit to Glen.
"Glen," I said. Then, as it happens in my case, often, I forgot Amit's name! "He is getting married next week." I tried to bail myself out.
"Hi," said Glen, stretching his hand to Amit.
"Hi," Amit responded.
But, the hands did not unclasp.
"I was wondering, whether to say 'Congrats', or 'I am sorry'," Glen pulled the would-be bridegroom's legs.
"I was wondering," said Amit, " Why was I introduced with 'He is getting married'... and not with my name. I am Amit."
Seventeen years of married life had taken its toll on my memory, I thought. "Oh! Just a slip of my memory," I informed, hiding my embarrassment.
Still my battered mind was young enough to take me back to an incident, which, again, was seventeen-year old.
I had gone to my student, Raju's textile shop to invite him for my wedding. As I was talking to him, a lean and young man approached us. "Your bother?" I asked Raju, offering my hand to the young man.
"No sir, my dad," corrected my student!
I couldn't believe that. The man looked so young! Nevertheless, I continued, "Sir, I am getting married."
"What? Getting mad?" the senior yelled.
My nervousness had distorted my speech, no doubt. But, it couldn't have sounded so bizarre, I thought. But, I tried to put a sporting front.
"Don't you worry," intervened the son, my student. "They both are same."
No wonder, after such a long married life, the father still looked like his son!
On my way home, my bruised mind could recoup one more episode.
This time, it was in a sweet shop. "Hello sir," it was Karuna, one of my ex-students.
"What a pleasant surprise," I said sincerely. "Your dad?" I enquired offering my hand to an old-looking man who was with her.
"No sir, my hubby!" Karuna was large-hearted. But, her hubby was not. The handshake conveyed what an 'unpleasant shock' it was!
"Are you married?"
"I am happy, I AM."
GERALD D'CUNHA
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