Arranged Love: An Indian Boy's Search in Amrika To Find A Suitable Girl

by Ajay Patel

  Vijay followed Rocky and Komal as everyone spilled in through the hallway. The room was fairly large and more than a few hundred people had already arrived. Once inside, Vijay scanned the faces of the guests from Komal’s side. In fact, one of the more positive aspects that Vijay envisioned coming out of this wedding was the fact that there would be an entirely new crowd there with new women for him to meet.

  The room was a large square, and Vijay turned left, away from where Rocky and Komal were busy being introduced to family and guests. Vijay headed towards an informal bar that was set up with soft drinks and water. It was no different than those days when he, Rocky, and Amit caroused as single men at parties. A drink of any sort in hand lent comfort, especially now for Vijay as he had neither Rocky nor Amit to give him the company they had given him in the past.

  With a glass of water in hand, Vijay moved to a corner and surveyed the room more carefully. Out of the several hundred guests who had arrived, only but a handful were female in his age group. That was to be expected. What both surprised and saddened Vijay, however, was that many of them looked familiar. Although he had not ever talked to these women, he could recognize them from the convention or he had some recollection of being shown their picture before. Evidently everyone at his age was well circulated, including him. And the reason he had not talked to these women before would be the same reason that he probably would not be pursuing any of them at Rocky’s wedding. He stood there and wondered to himself. Had he met every eligible woman in the country? Although he knew that was not possible, it certainly was feeling that way. What greatly disturbed him was if that was the case, then what did it mean that he hadn’t yet found the right person?

  As he stood there and pondered that thought, he felt a tap on his shoulder. The singer had already begun singing and the women were already forming circles getting ready to start the garba portion of the program. “If I’m going to have to make the rounds, I fully expect you to be there with me.”

  Vijay turned and faced Megha. She was dressed in a beautiful red and green chaniya chori, worthy of an outfit to be worn by the bride’s best friend. His internal heavy sighs and feelings of loneliness vanished. Megha could always bring a smile to his face. He smiled at her and said, “Thank goodness! I thought I was going to have to bear this evening alone.”

  “How are you?” she inquired putting aside her fun facade for the moment.

  “Okay, I guess, given where we are and everything,” said Vijay shrugging his shoulders.

  “I know,” Megha sighed. “These weddings can be kinda tough nowadays.”

  Vijay shook his head. “It’s kind of a shame. Going to weddings used to be so fun. It was like going to a huge Indian party. You always hoped that you would meet someone new and all the excitement that comes with that. But looking around, I don’t know if there’s anyone new left.”

  “Either the parties are getting old or we are,” Megha agreed with Vijay’s sentiment.

  There was a cheer from the crowds interrupting their conversation. Vijay and Megha looked over to the center of the room to see Rocky and Komal officially starting the first circle of garba. At the sight of that, Vijay’s spirits rose. “You know what? I’m glad to be here. We helped to make that happen,” Vijay pointed to Komal and Rocky.

  Komal was gliding gracefully while Rocky was following behind in herky-jerky fashion out of tune with the music, grinning broadly not only because he knew that he looked terribly awkward, but also because Komal was trying unsuccessfully not to laugh every time she turned to face him.

  “You’re right! Just think! The convention Marriage Thermometer goes up at least one degree because of us,” Megha said smiling. “And this is the eighth one already. Those organizers are loving it!”

  “What?” Vijay asked. “How do you know that?”

  “Didn’t you get the Convention Newsletter?” Megha asked. “They write about the weddings that have taken place because of the convention. In fact, remember that guy Jigar you introduced me to who sat at your table the first night? He just got married.”

  “Really?!” Vijay exclaimed in surprise. “Jigar? That guy who was so shy that he couldn’t even talk to women without his relatives there to help him form the words?” Vijay said.

  “I guess his relatives were good talkers,” Megha said with a shrug.

  The people dancing in circles had begun to solidify into distinct lines for them to join. Vijay waited for a half a rotation, just staring, and then sighed saying “It sure feels like everyone is getting married doesn’t it?”

  “Everyone but us,” Megha joined his sigh. “But who cares? There’s no point in dwelling on it. Besides, I’ve got some good money that I bet with Komal that you’re even more uncoordinated at garba than Rocky, and I want to collect on that bet!”

  “What a coincidence!” Vijay said laughing, his spirits rising. “I bet Komal that you would be more uncoordinated at garba than Rocky too!”

  “Well there’s only one way to settle this!” Megha said, and she led him by the hand to the middle and they joined Rocky and Komal. And as they spun around while the music progressively played faster and louder, Vijay had fun again. Between Vijay, Rocky, and Megha, choosing the most uncoordinated dancer was a tough decision, as each pointed to the other while doubled over in laughter at each other’s antics. As they continued to dance and spin, Vijay hoped the music would never stop. Because while out there on the dance floor with all of his friends, the only thing he could concentrate on was where his feet were going and which way everyone was spinning. There was no time to feel lonely.

  Vijay brought the van to a halt in front of the motel. It was half past midnight. Although the garba raas program had ended over half an hour ago, the windows of the van were still steamed on the inside from the heat generated by the passengers having danced all night.

  Vijay walked over to his room, pulled off his jubbo lango, and changed into sweats. Rocky had told Vijay to meet up with him in the lobby after he had changed. There was a pool table in one of the side rooms and the thought was that they might be able to play a few games before going to sleep. One last bachelor thing to do for Rocky. Vijay made sure he had the room key, and then walked out through the parking lot to the main lobby. As he entered through the doors, he turned right and entered into a side room to find Rocky still with a number of his relatives and his parents sitting around in chairs. They had all changed and were hanging out, looking very comfortable. Realizing that the bachelor night was not going to happen, Vijay brought a chair over and joined them. Evidently, they were replaying how the evening turned out and were collecting impressions. No doubt somewhere across town Komal’s family was doing the same thing.

  “Did you see the gaudy ring that the woman in the green sari was wearing? Or how about that tube top…” the women were talking amongst themselves.

  “…and I was talking to Prakash, and he says there are engineering jobs at the TVA plant up in Augusta…” the men were talking amongst themselves.

  And in between them all, Vijay, Rocky, and several of Rocky’s closer family relations were talking about Komal.

  “Rocky. Everyone loved Komal! We were all so impressed,” one auntie was telling him.

  Another interrupted, saying, “And she is soooo beautiful!” All the while, Rocky and his mother sat and accepted all the compliments and praise, beaming.

  “Now we know why you waited so long,” another woman nodded in understanding, “thank goodness that you didn’t rush it!”

  “Well,” Rocky said, “I knew there was someone special that I was hoping to find, and I’m just glad I found her.”

  “All those other women don’t even compare,” Rocky’s mother said enthusiastically. She, to some level like Rocky, had lived through the pains of all the past failures. Having to explain to her friends and family why there still was no wedding for everyone to attend. Now that the time had come, it was her turn to bask and enjoy as well.

  As they all sat there talk
ing, one of the aunties turned her attention to Vijay who had joined them in the inner sanctum. “And you? What is your story? Are you engaged as well? Or perhaps married? Where is your wife?” she asked in rapid-fire succession, piling on questions as if she were a reporter at a news conference fighting for air time.

  Vijay just looked at her and said, “No. Not yet. I’m still trying to find someone who makes me as happy as Komal makes Rocky,” he answered diplomatically.

  “So you are looking?” another auntie asked to confirm. Vijay began to get uneasy. More than one auntie had turned her focus on to him. It was as if a pack of marital wolves, having just killed off Rocky, had just caught scent of new single meat and were preparing to pounce again.

  “He is very eligible,” Rocky answered on behalf of Vijay with a grin, knowingly leading the wolves to the prey.

  “Oh, I agree,” the auntie sitting behind Vijay admitted, having joined the conversation. Vijay was surrounded.

  “Well, if you know anyone special, keep me in mind,” Vijay said forcing a smile although none of them would have noticed it wasn’t natural.

  “Special! Everyone is looking for someone special!” another auntie complained in a “these kids nowadays” tone. For some reason all attention in the room had shifted focus to Vijay—in a bad way.

  “True. Very true. How old are you?” another auntie agreed with the other.

  “Twenty-nine,” Vijay answered.

  “And you have not found anyone yet? My goodness!” she said in shock.

  “Have you been looking at all?” someone else asked. It felt like one wolf would advance in to draw his attention, allowing others to sneak up with questions behind him.

  “Yes. Actually, Rocky and I have gotten to know each other because we’ve both been looking.”

  “That’s good. But take our advice,” one of the aunties from an outer circle joined in on the kill. “Don’t wait too long. There might be nobody left if you are too picky,” she intimated negatively.

  Vijay desperately wanted to leave. He didn’t feel like hearing this lecture all over again, let alone from people who he didn’t even know. Other than calling them uncle or auntie, everyone in that room besides Rocky and his parents was a stranger to him and there was no other connection. For a few more minutes they continued. Trying to explore the reasons why Vijay had not yet found someone to settle down with, all the while predicting the dire consequences coming from that failure. Vijay was in shock at how quickly this very same group of people who had commended Rocky for waiting for Komal now questioned Vijay about why he was taking so long to find someone.

  After a few more minutes of handling the questions with forced smiles, laughs, and jokes, Vijay could take no more of it and excused himself, saying that he was tired. As he headed out of the room he, to his surprise, ran into Rajan uncle in the main lobby.

  Rajan uncle looked up and saw Vijay and said, “My goodness! Hello! What a strange place to see your face! To think that we live a few miles apart in California yet we see each other thousands of miles away in Florida!”

  “Hi Rajan uncle,” Vijay, too, was surprised to have run into him. “What are you doing here? Are you here for the wedding?”

  “Yes. Komal’s father, like Megha’s father, went to school with me when we moved here from India. We are all old and close college friends. Have you seen Megha already?”

  “Yes. Actually, at the garba earlier today. We got to talk for a bit,” said Vijay.

  “Come, sit down for a second. Let’s catch up. It’s been a while,” Rajan uncle requested.

  Vijay didn’t refuse, not only because Rajan uncle was a close family friend, but also because he knew that Rajan uncle, unlike the marital wolves he had left behind, understood better what he was going through.

  After Vijay had apprised Rajan uncle of the health and welfare of his parents and brother, Rajan uncle asked the question that was always foremost on everyone’s mind when meeting Vijay “So how is everything going?” intimating, of course, to his search.

  “Things haven’t changed much on the marriage front since we last met, except now I’m beginning to feel like I’ve met everyone there is to meet. Even here from strangers…” Vijay pointed to the room where the wolves were still licking their chops from the attack amassed against him, “I’m being told that I can’t be too picky.”

  Rajan uncle shook his head and said, “Nonsense! Forget about them!” he said crossly.

  “I’m trying,” Vijay said with a smile and a sigh, happy that Rajan uncle had taken his side. “Everyone is so eager to tell me that I need to hurry and find someone, but no one ever focuses on whether I should try to find the right person.”

  Rajan uncle listened with sympathy. He then said, “Vijay. Don’t worry about what they say. Stay true to your feelings. If you need to meet a thousand women before you find the right one, then do it. You’ll find her. Nobody will remember that you took so long after you find her, but believe me, if you rush the decision and don’t find the right woman, you’ll regret it for a lifetime.”

  “I know. That’s why I keep believing I’m doing this the right way and that’s why I keep looking,” Vijay said tiredly.

  “The only thing I will say to you is when you meet a lot of girls this way, it can be confusing. So you need to be sure you know what you are looking for. As long as you can look back to everyone you have met and can say that there are no regrets, that you haven’t let one get away, then you have been doing the right thing, and you need to keep looking as much as you did the first day you started this search.”

  And with that, Rajan uncle excused himself and left to go back to Leena auntie in their room. Vijay stood up as well and walked outside in the parking lot on the way to his room. He felt better. Knowing that there was still someone who believed in Vijay’s search helped. And as he walked across the quiet parking lot at night, he looked up at the sky full of stars. He began to think about all of the women he had met along his journey. Knowing now what he didn’t at that time, he replayed whether his decision to move on past each one was a decision that had changed, one that he now regretted. And as he replayed it all from the very beginning, he began to wonder. Had he made a mistake? Just like a star that might not have seemed the brightest or the most brilliant in the early evening sky, as the darkness grew stronger, its shine could only grow. Had he also failed to see the brilliance of someone he had met earlier on in the process? He wondered.

  Vijay slipped under the covers in the motel bed and tried to go to sleep. He tossed and turned for what felt like was an hour, only to peek at the alarm clock to realize just five minutes had elapsed. He picked up the phone in the darkness and dialed a number he now knew by heart.

  “Hi Vijay. So nice of you to call at a decent time for once,” the voice answered.

  “That’s because I’m in your time zone now Mona,” Vijay smiled in the dark. They had been talking often lately, and in the darkness, in a strange motel room in a different city, hearing her voice made him feel like he was comfortably back home again in bed.

  She asked how the wedding was going and Vijay told her that as nice and large a wedding as it was, it was kind of lonely because so few friends of theirs had been able to come from home.

  “But that’s good isn’t it?” Mona responded. “There must be all kinds of new potentials for you to meet.”

  “You’d think so. But maybe I’ve been doing this search thing for too long. It just feels like, even clear across the country, I’ve in some way already been introduced to everyone without anything coming out of it.” Vijay sounded like a child, who after dutifully eating cereal every morning, one bowl at a time for over a week, only now found out that there would be no prize at the bottom of the box. “And then I see Rocky, he’s so amazingly happy. It’s like, I see what’s waiting at the end of the road when I someday find that someone. I can almost reach it, but when I get there, there’s always just more road ahead.” There was a moment of silence. “It’s tough s
ometimes,” Vijay confessed to Mona.

  “There’s an end to it somewhere,” she said reassuringly. “We might not see it yet, but it’s out there.”

  “That’s why I was calling. Let me ask you something. What if I missed the turn off for the end and I kept driving down the road, going farther and farther away from my perfect person?” Vijay asked.

  “What?” Mona asked.

  “Look, I’ve been going through this journey hoping it will end with the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. But well, what if she was someone I had met early on and I just hadn’t realized it at the time?” Vijay theorized out loud.

  “What makes you feel like you’ve passed by that right person?” she inquired quietly.

  “I don’t know,” Vijay answered pensively. “Maybe it’s because I feel tonight that I finally got to the end of the road and there’s nowhere further to go and she’s not there. And well, if that’s the case, I must have passed her by earlier on,” explained Vijay.

  “And you think you can just make a u-turn and go back to her? Why would it be any different than the first time?” Mona asked.

  “At least now I know more. I’ve met a lot of women. I know what’s out there and that it doesn’t get any better. Maybe that’ll make the difference the second time around,” theorized Vijay.

  “But you’ve got it all wrong! You make it sound like it’s some comparison shopping thing. Now that you’ve gone through the whole store, you know one of the earlier offers is the best deal, so you’re ready to commit to it, whether or not it’s even something you want? Remember, finding your soul mate is not like shopping at Costco!” Mona said emphatically, trying to drive the point home.