Romance….. with a pinch of salt.

The wedding was grand, it seemed like the most happening place in the city. The women in their exquisite silk sarees, adorned in their prized jewelery walked around with a spring of arrogance in their steps, some indulging in hearing and spreading the latest in family gossip. The men as always dressed in dhotis or kurtas or strictly formal attire, in sharp contrast to their wives, were having heated debates on politics and the Indian economy. Once in a while they were giving those angry glances at the grandiloquence of the whole setting. The children were the happiest creatures in there, lost in their innocence,immune to the pride and prejudice of the older generations. They were having a lot of fun, playing hide n seek.

I was sitting there in a corner, feeling quite lonely unable to indulge myself in any gossip nor finding any interest in discussing politics with the men. I was looking around, desperate to find a familiar face with whom I could strike an interesting conversation. It was then I saw her smile, give a fleeting glimpse which made my head go blank ,my lips dried, heart fluttered in joy, expressions failed to appear on my face, eyes transfixed at her, unable to look beyond, probably not wanting to look anywhere else. For a shy introvert, who- given a choice would always look down rather than the girl in front , I was acting totally different. Infatuations they say happen in a second, it was so true. She was not just beautiful, but ethereal.

I liked the way she gave a glance,her smile, her walk, the tiny black mole on her cheek, that was so cute. Oh! the poet in me seemed to burst out of seam , I could go on forever.

Now I had a Mt.Everest to climb. How would I ever go there and say Hi. That two letter word was imprisoned in my mouth, hanging there in suspended animation. Just then I met her brother, It was a fortunate co-incidence. The next one hour I spent chatting with him, mind wandering always to the latest infatuation. He was a nice, funny guy who kept on coming up with one story after another. All of a sudden, as if lord Krishna himself had answered the prayers from deep inside my heart, she appeared. Her brother introduced her to me – ” Hey sis, meet my friend here.” I looked up and said with a funny smile “Hi.” Life seemed to stand still, it seemed like utopia, that perfect feeling you yearned all your life for. And then her brother gave the final twist ” Hey man, you sure should come to her wedding, its 3 months from now.” With a face turned blue in shock I mumbled ” Sure, why not.”

Like they said Infatuations happen in a second, but nobody warned they come crashing down in a second too.