by Ajay Patel
“I guess,” Vijay said doubtfully. “Whatever, I could never go back anyway.”
“Why not?” Mona asked.
“Well first of all, it’s like you were saying. I’d probably just be settling,” Vijay said.
“Probably. But you never know. All I was saying was that if you were going back just because you feel like you’ve met everyone and you’re picking the best of the lot, well then, that’s settling. But if something inside of you or if something about her has made things different since you first met, then going back could actually get you to the end of the road.”
Vijay thought about it for a second, as if almost mentally determining whether something had indeed changed. “But how weird would that be? Telling someone I had said ‘no’ to that I would like to try again. That couldn’t work. She’d never be up for it!” Vijay said with a wistful sigh.
“But if it’s right, because things changed, it could happen. Besides, think about it. You’re assuming you’re going back to some woman who really liked you. It’s just as likely that she had some doubts too. Maybe now she’s changed how she feels about you as well.”
“Maybe,” Vijay said doubtfully. He was reluctant to even think of the possibility.
“You once told me that finding the right person was a matter of timing. Maybe the timing wasn’t right the first time. But it doesn’t mean that the timing can’t be right later. Maybe the right time is still ahead with someone you’ve left behind during your journey.” Mona said philosophically.
“All I know is that it’s about time I find someone,” sighed Vijay.
“You will,” Mona promised.
“Or maybe I already have,” Vijay said after thinking things over for a moment. It was as if he had come upon the solution to a puzzle, but he just couldn’t put his finger on it. Every time he reached for it, it just moved beyond his reach. “I’d better go. Thanks for everything. Good-night,” Vijay hung up the phone. He was sleepy finally. He looked at the alarm clock. Just as slowly as the minutes had dragged by earlier, they had flown during their call. The minutes always did when they spoke. It was now three in the morning, midnight Pacific Standard Time. As he pulled the covers around him, he felt just as perplexed and confused as he had when the evening had started. He hoped answers would come to him while he slept.
The next day at the wedding, Vijay, as the best man, sat in a chair next to Rocky in the mandap. The ceremonies were just about to start. An initial attempt had already been made to wrest the shoes away from Rocky and attempts were continually being made whilst he sat there barefoot with Vijay by his side. Several cousins of Rocky had taken on the responsibility of keeping the shoes away from Komal’s side of the family. Vijay thought with a smile that Rocky’s cousins didn’t stand a chance.
Several of the initial ceremonies between Komal’s parents and Rocky had been completed. Komal had not yet made her entrance and neither Vijay nor Rocky had seen her. As in Amit’s wedding, two of Komal’s brothers held up a sheet of fabric dividing the mandap in half, preventing Rocky and Vijay from seeing Komal enter into the room. As they sat in the chairs waiting for her, Rocky took Vijay’s arm and pulled him closer to whisper, “You know, with both of us in the mandap like this, we could make this a double wedding with Komal and Megha if you wanted to! Your dad would love it! He’d get a free wedding!”
“Let’s just concentrate on your wedding for now, okay?” Vijay grinned. Evidently, the Megha campaign still had some life but for the first time, Vijay was not so vehement in his discouragement of the nomination.
At that moment, music started to play. Komal had entered into the room. No longer was there talking amongst the guests or laughter between people. The atmosphere had been transformed, with her entrance, into something electric and different than what existed before.
The music stopped and Rocky and Vijay waited for the sheet to drop. A few more ceremonies took place. All the while Rocky and Vijay stared ahead, waiting for their first glimpse of what was on the other side. The priest then motioned for the sheet to be dropped so that the groom could finally see his bride. And as the sheet dropped, Rocky looked ahead to find Komal and Vijay looked straight ahead and found Megha. But for a second, Vijay had been caught up in the emotions and feelings invoked by the marriage gods. Perhaps his feelings were strong coupled with his desires. But in that split second, when the sheet had been dropped, Vijay could almost imagine himself getting married along side with his friends, to a friend.
Evening had come. The marriage had lasted a good two and a half hours and had gone smoothly. Fifteen minutes had been spent negotiating the return of Rocky’s shoes. As Vijay had predicted, Rocky’s cousins were no match. Two hundred dollars later, the reception was now in full swing and what at a quick glance might have seemed like six hundred new guests, on closer inspection revealed that it was the same cast except with a wardrobe change.
Dinner was just beginning and the wedding party was sitting in a row on a long rectangular table facing the guests. The table was a rather long one with Komal and Rocky in the middle, flanked on either side by their parents and close family, with Vijay and Megha on the ends.
Just before the food was being served, Vijay rose and walked around to the front of the table where a microphone was waiting for him. As best man, Vijay had been given the responsibility to make a speech and to toast the newly married couple.
“If I could have everyone’s attention, please,” Vijay started off projecting loudly. He always was annoyed when people were shy with a microphone, speaking softly and not directly into it, thereby making it impossible to hear what was being said. The room fell silent as everyone turned their attention to him.
“Hello, ladies and gentlemen, uncles and aunties, friends and family. My name is Vijay, not Rocky. I just wanted to say that up front because I was in the mandap during the whole wedding so I didn’t want anyone to be confused as to who really got married!” The crowd laughed.
Rocky joked loudly in the background, “He just wants all the girls to know he’s single!” The comment drew additional laughter.
“Seriously, though,” Vijay continued as the laughter died down. “I know there are many people here that are friends of Komal and her family. People who have only met Rocky for the first time at this wedding. That’s the way it works sometimes when people who live far apart from each other fall in love. And so I wanted to take a few moments to formally introduce you all to Rocky. So that you, too, can know Rocky as I have had the pleasure of knowing him for the many years that we have been friends. But you know, as I sat down trying to put together a list of things describing him, I found it to be no easy task. I wanted to describe him properly. I wanted to describe him just like he would have described himself. And I thought to myself, what better way to do this then to share with you the information he has in his bio-data!”
The crowd laughed again and Rocky groaned in embarrassment as Vijay walked towards him pulling out a folded white piece of paper.
“I could go into how he describes himself as ‘the perfect blend of Western and Indian culture’ and how he loves to ‘go on long walks on warm summer evenings,’ but I think that it, as with most information in a bio-data, doesn’t really give you a good picture of who Rocky is.” Vijay then flashed a picture of Rocky that was attached to his bio-data. Vijay joked, “Actually, this picture doesn’t even really give you a good picture of who Rocky is.” The crowd laughed again.
Vijay continued, “The reason that even his bio-data is not good enough is because Rocky’s great qualities far outnumber anything that could be listed on a piece of paper. He is everything, he does everything, and now, with Komal, he has everything.” The audience clapped.
Vijay then moved over to Komal. “As for Komal, I can’t say that I have spent nearly as much time with her as I have with Rocky. In fact, I probably have known her for no more than four days counting yesterday. But let me tell you, I feel like I’ve known her for years as well. The reason I believe
this is because there were so many nights when Rocky and I would just talk, sharing with each other what we were looking for in a soul mate. What characteristics we thought made up our perfect wife. He had wanted someone he was attracted to, someone fun and compassionate. Someone who was caring, to him, to his family, and to people in general. He didn’t want someone whose life would revolve around his. He wanted someone his equal. A best friend and more. These were all the things that Rocky had said he was looking for in his perfect wife, and so I know that Komal has all these characteristics. Because all Rocky can do is talk about how he had found his perfect wife when he met Komal.” The audience clapped again.
“And so I wanted to say to Komal, congratulations. You have found a wonderful husband. And to Rocky. All I can say you are my hero. You knew what you wanted and you waited and you persevered. No compromises. No settling. And I know the ride was tough. But look at you now. You have your perfect wife to share the rest of your life.” Vijay went to the table and picked up a glass and turned to face the audience. “Everyone, please join me in a toast to Rocky and Komal, the married couple. May they have a life full of prosperity, love, and happiness.”
Everyone in the room stood up with glasses held high and joined the toast. As Vijay turned to face Rocky and Komal, he smiled. He could see that every word he had said was true. How, as much as neither of them would ever admit it, from the first drunken night at the convention, some spark had existed between them. And that spark had culminated into fireworks for them. Of that, Vijay was certain.
A cake cutting ceremony followed dinner. After close family members laughingly fed the couple, another hour was spent as each guest joined in a receiving line to wish Rocky and Komal best wishes and to have pictures taken. All the while Vijay and Megha ran around herding relatives from Komal’s and Rocky’s family throughout the room so that appropriate group family photos could be taken. The permutations involved were numerous with pictures having to be taken with each of Rocky’s and Komal’s mother’s and father’s families and assorted combinations amongst these groups.
As the last of the pictures were taken, the deejay announced for everyone to come to the dance floor. Vijay, no longer herding relatives for pictures, followed the crowd to the center of the room.
“And now, the bride and the groom will start us off with the first slow dance,” the deejay spoke over the sound system. Vijay stood with the others on the edge around the dance floor and listened as the song Somebody by Depeche Mode started playing. “I want somebody to share, Share the rest of my life,” the song started. It was Vijay’s favorite song, one of the few he knew the lyrics to.
Although he had been busy running around at the wedding reception, as Vijay stood there watching Rocky and Komal dance, an overwhelming wave of emotions engulfed him. He wondered again if just as Rocky and Komal were destined to be happy together, like so many other of his friends, if he was destined to be alone. Would he be left behind as everyone else moved on with their lives? Was he ever going to find his Somebody?
It had been a while now that he had been looking. For the first time in his life, as he stared onto the dance floor, Vijay genuinely felt that his situation was hopeless. He closed his eyes. Before, he had been very logical about it all. Trying to keep emotion out of the process, he was always able to make himself feel better by confirming that he was doing all that he could to find someone. How by doing all that was possible, he would logically end up with the person he had been looking for since the first day he had started his search. That’s how it was all supposed to work. It was in the brochure. It was like every parent said. Eat your carrots and you’ll have good eyesight. Drink your milk and you’ll grow tall. Be a nice person, and good things will happen. But the reality was, kids who ate carrots still grew up to wear glasses, kids who drank milk still grew up to be short, and people who were nice, who played by the rules and did all that they could do, still didn’t win the race. After all, nice guys finished last, didn’t they?
The song continued to play. “Someone who’ll stand by my side, And give me support, And in return, She’ll get my support…” He felt so alone. Emotion now had completely replaced logic. He opened his eyes and looked around the room. As he scanned the faces around him, he stopped when he came to Megha. She must have felt his stare, for at that moment she looked up at him, smiled weakly and nodded in understanding. He could tell that she was feeling the same emotions that he was.
“…I want somebody who cares, For me passionately…I want somebody, Who will put their arms around me, And kiss me tenderly” As he stood there facing Megha, it suddenly hit him. Clarity. It was as if the fog had finally been lifted. He knew who is Somebody was! The answer having come to him out of nowhere so suddenly almost startled him, but it was so obvious! Was it possible for him to have these feelings? Now? Was he deluding himself? Was he settling by thinking of the possibility?
As he thought about it more standing there, he became more convinced that he was not taking the ill-advised settling shortcut on the journey to finding the right person. His feelings were real. Did this make sense considering everything? He thought about it some more. It did make sense. After all, hadn’t things changed? Much had happened and had been learned since the first time. Things were different; more importantly, things now felt right. At least for him. Maybe one could go from being friends to lovers.
And that led to even bigger questions. Could it work? Was it still possible? Could one go back? Could someone take one back? By answering some questions he had come up with a host of new ones. He didn’t have all the answers. But he knew he had to ask all the questions. He had to find out. He just hoped it wasn’t too late.
THE PERFECT ARRANGEMENT
The sheet was raised in front of Vijay. The pandit had finished the first ceremonies and everyone was now waiting for her to come in. Behind and to the left of him sat Amit and to the right was Rocky. Vijay no longer had any close single friends to sit with him in the mandap so he had asked his two closest friends to sit by his side. The two friends who had helped him get to where he was now—his wedding.
His wedding. It still seemed unreal. As if it were all some dream concocted out of years of fantasizing about this day. Vijay discreetly pinched himself as he sat in the mandap just to make sure it was all really happening. Later, every time they replayed their wedding video, Vijay always pointed out to her when he was pinching himself. How even on the day of their wedding he couldn’t believe such a wonderful thing had happened to him.
She had arrived. Vijay could tell. The room had grown silent. His heart raced even quicker and his excitement grew. From the night of Rocky and Komal’s wedding, when all became clear to him, Vijay had never felt desire, attraction, and longing as strongly as he felt when he thought, talked or was with her. It was as he always dreamed it could be, but always afraid to ever hope or think possible. He had never dared to aspire for these feelings, fearing only disappointment, pain, and failed expectations would result. But he no longer had to be afraid. These emotions and feeling could exist, as he always suspected. But even more importantly, they did exist. They were real. For him. Then, now, and forever.
Vijay looked straight ahead. The sheet dropped and his heart stopped. He saw fireworks, as he had since the first time they had met. He looked lovingly into the eyes of his soon to be wife. His perfect wife. His soul mate. But he had also come to know her as Mona.
After Vijay’s revelation at Rocky and Komal’s wedding, he took an immediate trip to visit Mona. He asked her the very questions that he had raised in his mind that evening and she answered that things had changed, they had grown close, and it could work. She realized that with the right person who understood her, the timing could become right.
And what followed happened quickly. Delay for the sake of delay seemed foolish. And so, almost like a Hindi film where days and months and the happy ending are compressed into ten minutes of footage at the end of three hours of story development and musical interludes, t
heir wedding became a reality.
But for them, it made sense. Because as two pieces to a jigsaw puzzle, they were not being forced together. They had grown to know and love each other. They were a perfect fit. Just as it should be for any two people seeking arranged love.
Table of Contents
Arranged Love
All Rights Reserved © 2002
Contents
Preface
PRE-ARRANGED
1
The End of the Beginning
2
Madame-Ex
3
Love at 21st Sight
4
Love at First Sight at Last
5
A Las Vegas Indian Wedding
6
Lost Shoes Blues
7
A Proposal for a Proposal
8
Einstein’s Theory of Indian Relativity
9
Gentlemen, Start Your Mothers!
MAKING ARRANGEMENTS
1
Looking for Ms. Perfect
2
Looking Good on Paper, it’s all Bio-Debatable
3
Mind, Body and Soul
A RANGE OF OPTIONS
1
An Introduction to Introductions
2
First Contact
3
Progressing to Progress
4
She Could be a One in a Hundred
5
The Perfect Imperfect Person
6
Order Disorder
7
The Rules vs. The Code
8
