@aThakkali: The Match Making!

He was good looking! In fact I lie, he was very good looking! His eyes bright and alive, jaws chiseled and nose sharp. Pitch black and wavy hair, suitably long gave him the perfect “born to model” face. Add to it the fact that he was well built with the muscles threatening to rip apart the linen he was wearing. And despite the fact he was sitting I was quite sure he would measure up enough to match the inevitable ‘Tall, dark and handsome’ cliché! And to top it all was the smile as he played with my niece! Enough to shame Adonis and make him burn in the fires of jealousy! Happy smile, cheerful smile, warm smile, smile which made his eyes glow. A smile which, without the attendant warmth would have reduced this charming person to a mere Casanova!

More than a handsome hunk!

As we exchanged our first glance, Cupid struck me, struck me hard. And my womanly intuition told me correctly that Cupid had struck him too, equally hard! Electric when our hands brushed against each other as I extended the filter kaapi and he subtly tried to grab at more than just the tumbler! We were allowed a brief exchange of words in the adjacent room amidst the din that arose from the drawing room where the parents were busy discussing what parents generally do during match making ceremonies! And I came to know that he was more just a piece of handsome hunk. An engineer and a successful one at that, employed with a leading MNC in Bangalore with ‘kai niraya sambalam’ to boot. But what took my breath away were his words after the mundane introduction. A declaration of Cupid having found his mark, quite accurately, delivered matter of factly. Words failed me, my eyes rescued me. And with that he walked out of the room having read my eyes!

The next 48 hours were like a million years as I awaited the inevitable phone call inviting us over to his house as is the practice. I pretended to go through the daily chores while always within hearing distance of the phone. And finally it did ping! A message, from him! His family had found another girl for him with a larger dowry and he didn’t want to break their hearts it said!

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She was good looking! In fact I lie, she was very good looking! Her eyes bright and alive, jaws chiseled and nose sharp. Pitch black and wavy hair, suitably long gave her the perfect “born to model” face. Add to it the fact that she was built well, with just the right combination of bones and flesh, slim yet blessed with the right curves at the right places. And despite the fact she was draped in a pattu podavai, I was quite sure she would measure up enough to match the inevitable ‘Tall, dusky and lissome’ cliché! And to top it all was that smile as she played with her niece! Enough to shame Eve and make her burn in the fires of jealousy! Happy smile, cheerful smile, warm smile, smile which made her eyes glow. A smile which, without the attendant warmth would have reduced this charming person to a mere Nymph!

Not just a Nymph!

As we exchanged our first glance, Cupid struck me, struck me hard. And my manly gutfeel told me correctly that Cupid had struck her too, equally hard! Electric when our hands brushed against each other as she extended the filter kaapi and I subtly tried to grab at more than just the tumbler! We were allowed a brief exchange of words in the adjacent room amidst the din that arose from the drawing room where the parents were busy discussing what parents generally do during match making ceremonies! And I came to know that she was more than just a piece of beauty. An engineer and a successful one at that, employed with a leading MNC in Bangalore with ‘kai niraya sambalam’ to boot. But what took her breath away were my words after the mundane introduction. My declaration that I had taken a vow never to take dowry at my wedding! Words failed her, her eyes confused me. And with that I walked out of the room, sanguine I had read her eyes right!

The next 48 hours were like a million years as I awaited the inevitable phone call accepting our invitation to visit our house as is the practice. I pretended to go through the daily chores while always within hearing distance of the phone. And finally it did ping! A message, from her! She didn’t want to get married to a loser who refused dowry it said!

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PS: Please comment which of the two stories you found reflecting the reality more!

Glossary:

Filter Kaapi: South Indian Coffee