One Cutie-Pie Love Story

It was a lovely December morning in the hottest city in theworld. All right, so that was a little unfair. Chennai is not thehottest city in the world. But it certainly is the city with the mostuncomfortable weather among the cities that I have lived in. And I'vebeen around. But I digress. I was in the company bus on my way to work, as usual trying tocatch up with my sleep. On this particular day, a girl got on the bus,came to my seat and sat down. "Good Morning," she said. I looked back ather through half closed eyes, replied "Good Night," and then proceededto return to my half hour nap before the bus reached the office.Unfortunately, I was woken up by a punch in the arm. "Wake up, bozo!" She was looking at me with a big smile on herface. "I'm not sitting next to you to listen to you snore." Half-heartedly, I opened my eyes and turned to her. "What's up?"I asked. Preeti Mehra was tall, good-looking and slightly tomboyish. Shewas also my best buddy. "Come on," she said. "Don't look sodisappointed. You'd rather sleep than talk to me?" "I talk to you everyday, Preeti." "You also sleep everyday." "It's not enough." "So you've had enough of talking to me, eh?" You can't argue with a statement like that, so I had to give up.I grinned and said, "OK, sweetheart. What's on your mind?" "I wanted to tell you what happened yesterday. Can you guess?" "Anurag called you last night." "How did you know?" She was stunned.
"Oh, he asked me for your number yesterday."\\ "And you gave it to him?"\\ "What else could I do? And stop complaining. You\'ve been\drooling over him for weeks now. He must have thought he had a chance."\\ Preeti was the kind of girl who would openly ogle at every other\guy she saw. And yet, she would not respond to any advances of a\romantic nature. She\'d happily join a group of boys to go to a cricket\match, but if asked out to a movie, dinner, or even coffee, she\'d never\say yes. She defined \'Hard-To-Get\'.\\ "You like putting me in these situations, don\'t you?" she said.\\ "No. That\'s not true. I love putting you in these situations!"\\ That invited another punch in the arm.\\ I had known Preeti for a year. We\'d tell each other about our\joys and our sorrows, our victories and our defeats. I\'d tell her about\all my crushes and she\'d scold me for being silly. She\'d drag me to\classical music concerts and I\'d add them to the list of things she\\'owed me\' for.\\ And though I never let it show, I must say that she punched\pretty hard.\\ ~*~\\ It was 12:00 am and my phone was ringing. "Hello," I said, as I\picked it up.\\ "Happy Birthday!" It was she.\\ "You\'re supposed to throw me a surprise party, sweetheart. Not\just call to say Happy Birthday."\\ "Well then open your door, dumbo!"\\ So I did and found her, cell-phone in hand, at my doorstep --\with what seemed like half the population of my company. My roommates\",1]
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"Oh, he asked me for your number yesterday." "And you gave it to him?" "What else could I do? And stop complaining. You've beendrooling over him for weeks now. He must have thought he had a chance." Preeti was the kind of girl who would openly ogle at every otherguy she saw. And yet, she would not respond to any advances of aromantic nature. She'd happily join a group of boys to go to a cricketmatch, but if asked out to a movie, dinner, or even coffee, she'd neversay yes. She defined 'Hard-To-Get'. "You like putting me in these situations, don't you?" she said. "No. That's not true. I love putting you in these situations!" That invited another punch in the arm. I had known Preeti for a year. We'd tell each other about ourjoys and our sorrows, our victories and our defeats. I'd tell her aboutall my crushes and she'd scold me for being silly. She'd drag me toclassical music concerts and I'd add them to the list of things she'owed me' for. And though I never let it show, I must say that she punchedpretty hard. ~*~ It was 12:00 am and my phone was ringing. "Hello," I said, as Ipicked it up. "Happy Birthday!" It was she. "You're supposed to throw me a surprise party, sweetheart. Notjust call to say Happy Birthday." "Well then open your door, dumbo!" So I did and found her, cell-phone in hand, at my doorstep --with what seemed like half the population of my company. My roommates
\ I blew a lot of candles (seemed like much more than 25), cut my\cake, got kicked in the behind, and got painted with the cake\'s icing.\If Preeti had had her way, she\'d probably have preferred to use a\paintbrush and a can of paint. But I bribed her with a copy of the book\"Lord of the Rings". She\'d borrowed it from me three times already. I\thought it was about time I gave her a copy for herself.\\ We chatted for an hour after everyone had gone. "I think it\'s\time I left," she said finally, trying to stifle a yawn. I nodded. I\dropped her home in my roommate\'s car. As she was getting out of the\car, I stopped her.\\ "Hey, Preeti."\\ "What?"\\ "Thanks."\\ "Hey, don\'t get senti on me now!" she smiled. "Are you trying to\worm out of that gift you promised me?"\\ "You know, it\'s interesting how I\'m getting you a gift on my\birthday."\\ "That\'s just because you\'re stupid," she grinned. "And you\better get me that book, or I won\'t return your copy."\\ "Hey, that copy was a gift to me from my dear friend Preeti\Mehra. I can\'t let you keep that."\\ She wasn\'t falling for that. "Your dear friend? And what about\me? Am I not dear to you?"\\ "Very smart. That won\'t work with me. I\'m not one of your Love\Crazy suitors. Why do you need the book anyway? You\'ve read it umpteen\times already."\\ "That is besides the point. You are getting me the book. We both\know that." She smiled that wide confident smile of hers. "Good night."\",1]
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were supposed to be working late that night. Now I knew why. I blew a lot of candles (seemed like much more than 25), cut mycake, got kicked in the behind, and got painted with the cake's icing.If Preeti had had her way, she'd probably have preferred to use apaintbrush and a can of paint. But I bribed her with a copy of the book"Lord of the Rings". She'd borrowed it from me three times already. Ithought it was about time I gave her a copy for herself. We chatted for an hour after everyone had gone. "I think it'stime I left," she said finally, trying to stifle a yawn. I nodded. Idropped her home in my roommate's car. As she was getting out of thecar, I stopped her. "Hey, Preeti." "What?" "Thanks." "Hey, don't get senti on me now!" she smiled. "Are you trying toworm out of that gift you promised me?" "You know, it's interesting how I'm getting you a gift on mybirthday." "That's just because you're stupid," she grinned. "And youbetter get me that book, or I won't return your copy." "Hey, that copy was a gift to me from my dear friend PreetiMehra. I can't let you keep that." She wasn't falling for that. "Your dear friend? And what aboutme? Am I not dear to you?" "Very smart. That won't work with me. I'm not one of your LoveCrazy suitors. Why do you need the book anyway? You've read it umpteentimes already." "That is besides the point. You are getting me the book. We bothknow that." She smiled that wide confident smile of hers. "Good night."
\ I sat there for some time, just thinking. Our conversations were\always like this - a little joking, a little teasing and a lot of\demanding. But somehow, I felt that something had changed since the\moment she had turned up at my door that night. I was still in my\reverie when a paper ball landed on the windshield. I craned my neck out\of the window and looked up. She was standing in her balcony.\\ "What are you still doing there?" she whispered loudly.\\ "Waiting for you to start a paper-ball fight," I whispered back.\\ "We can do that tomorrow. Go home now. It\'s way past your\bedtime!"\\ "Ok, mommy," I grinned back. "I\'m going home now!"\\ ~*~\\ I\'m an extravagant gift-giver, and it is definitely going to be\my downfall some day. I made her wait for it, but finally bought her the\book. That, and half-a-dozen other omnibus collections of various\authors, including a copy each of `The Complete Works of Shakespeare\'\and `The Complete Short Stories of Charles Dickens\'. All I got for it\was an "I told you so."\\ I started spending a lot of time at her place after that. Mostly\because I wanted to read all those books, and she wouldn\'t lend them to\me.\\ "I\'m not as stupid as you, ape-man. I\'m not falling into the\same trap I laid for you. Plus, you dog-ear your books. You\'re not doing\that to these masterpieces. So if you want to read them, you read them\here. And if you want to mark your place, use a bookmark."\\ So that\'s what I did. She\'d even make me wash my hands before I\touched the books. It was as if they were sacred.\\ "Need I remind you that it was me that bought you the books in\",1]
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And she got out of the car. I sat there for some time, just thinking. Our conversations werealways like this - a little joking, a little teasing and a lot ofdemanding. But somehow, I felt that something had changed since themoment she had turned up at my door that night. I was still in myreverie when a paper ball landed on the windshield. I craned my neck outof the window and looked up. She was standing in her balcony. "What are you still doing there?" she whispered loudly. "Waiting for you to start a paper-ball fight," I whispered back. "We can do that tomorrow. Go home now. It's way past yourbedtime!" "Ok, mommy," I grinned back. "I'm going home now!" ~*~ I'm an extravagant gift-giver, and it is definitely going to bemy downfall some day. I made her wait for it, but finally bought her thebook. That, and half-a-dozen other omnibus collections of variousauthors, including a copy each of `The Complete Works of Shakespeare'and `The Complete Short Stories of Charles Dickens'. All I got for itwas an "I told you so." I started spending a lot of time at her place after that. Mostlybecause I wanted to read all those books, and she wouldn't lend them tome. "I'm not as stupid as you, ape-man. I'm not falling into thesame trap I laid for you. Plus, you dog-ear your books. You're not doingthat to these masterpieces. So if you want to read them, you read themhere. And if you want to mark your place, use a bookmark." So that's what I did. She'd even make me wash my hands before Itouched the books. It was as if they were sacred. "Need I remind you that it was me that bought you the books in
\ "So? They\'re mine now."\\ "Well, then. I\'ve been meaning to ask you this for a long time.\Where exactly is my birthday gift?"\\ "It was in your tummy at one point of time. It\'s probably been\washed into the sea by now."\\ "Huh?"\\ "Remember the cake I baked you on your birthday?"\\ "You what? You can\'t bake cakes!" That was a mistake. She looked\hurt. "You baked me a cake?" She didn\'t say a word. She just shrugged.\\ I was stunned. "But you never told me."\\ "You didn\'t ask." That was typical of her.\\ "It was fantastic! And you wasted most of the icing on me!"\\ "The cake was for you, dumbo."\\ "How long did it take you to make the whole thing?" It had been\a two-layered vanilla-chocolate cake with three flavors of very creamy\icing. She had done all that!\\ "Well, the chocolate cake took an hour and fifteen minutes, and\so did the vanilla. Then cutting them up and putting them together took\another 15 minutes. Each flavor of icing took 20 minutes for\preparation, and then putting it on the cake took another half hour.\Cleaning up the mess took an hour."\\ She seldom claimed the credit for anything, but once she started\bragging, there was no stopping her. However, I wasn\'t thinking about\that right then.\\ "You spent over five hours on that cake?"\\ "A little over four hours preparing it, and an hour cleaning up.\",1]
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the first place? For my birthday!" "So? They're mine now." "Well, then. I've been meaning to ask you this for a long time.Where exactly is my birthday gift?" "It was in your tummy at one point of time. It's probably beenwashed into the sea by now." "Huh?" "Remember the cake I baked you on your birthday?" "You what? You can't bake cakes!" That was a mistake. She lookedhurt. "You baked me a cake?" She didn't say a word. She just shrugged. I was stunned. "But you never told me." "You didn't ask." That was typical of her. "It was fantastic! And you wasted most of the icing on me!" "The cake was for you, dumbo." "How long did it take you to make the whole thing?" It had beena two-layered vanilla-chocolate cake with three flavors of very creamyicing. She had done all that! "Well, the chocolate cake took an hour and fifteen minutes, andso did the vanilla. Then cutting them up and putting them together tookanother 15 minutes. Each flavor of icing took 20 minutes forpreparation, and then putting it on the cake took another half hour.Cleaning up the mess took an hour." She seldom claimed the credit for anything, but once she startedbragging, there was no stopping her. However, I wasn't thinking aboutthat right then. "You spent over five hours on that cake?" "A little over four hours preparing it, and an hour cleaning up.
\ I was speechless. I didn\'t know how to react. She hated cooking.\\ "I forgot to mention," she continued, "the hours I spent the\week before that, practicing. Even the birds wouldn\'t touch the first\three cakes!"\\ I couldn\'t help but ask. "Why?"\\ "Because the first one got burnt, the second one was only half\cooked, and in the third one, I forgot to add sugar."\\ It was just like her, to try to divert the conversation. "I mean\why did you spend so much time on baking me a cake?"\\ She looked at me like I\'d asked her why the sun rises in the\east. "For your birthday, stupid. Of course, I also wanted to beat every\gift you\'ve ever got me. Try beating this one." She was grinning like\she\'d won the world championship.\\ As far as I was concerned, she had. I\'d never spent a week\making her anything. I\'d never even spent an hour making her anything.\Getting her a gift normally involved me taking her to the store, letting\her choose and use my credit card. Suddenly, I felt cheap. "Thanks," was\the only thing I could say. "Thanks a lot."\\ "Hey. Are you getting senti on me again?"\\ I was.\\ ~*~\\ I was still mulling over my feelings for Preeti the next day at\work when my boss asked to speak to me.\\ I went over to his cabin and he started with the usual\greetings, asking how work was going and whether I was comfortable. He\then told me that the company wanted to send me to New York for a couple\of years. Normally, this wouldn\'t have made much of a difference to me.\I could work anywhere and didn\'t have too much love for visiting places\",1]
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Yes." I was speechless. I didn't know how to react. She hated cooking. "I forgot to mention," she continued, "the hours I spent theweek before that, practicing. Even the birds wouldn't touch the firstthree cakes!" I couldn't help but ask. "Why?" "Because the first one got burnt, the second one was only halfcooked, and in the third one, I forgot to add sugar." It was just like her, to try to divert the conversation. "I meanwhy did you spend so much time on baking me a cake?" She looked at me like I'd asked her why the sun rises in theeast. "For your birthday, stupid. Of course, I also wanted to beat everygift you've ever got me. Try beating this one." She was grinning likeshe'd won the world championship. As far as I was concerned, she had. I'd never spent a weekmaking her anything. I'd never even spent an hour making her anything.Getting her a gift normally involved me taking her to the store, lettingher choose and use my credit card. Suddenly, I felt cheap. "Thanks," wasthe only thing I could say. "Thanks a lot." "Hey. Are you getting senti on me again?" I was. ~*~ I was still mulling over my feelings for Preeti the next day atwork when my boss asked to speak to me. I went over to his cabin and he started with the usualgreetings, asking how work was going and whether I was comfortable. Hethen told me that the company wanted to send me to New York for a coupleof years. Normally, this wouldn't have made much of a difference to me.I could work anywhere and didn't have too much love for visiting places
be away from Preeti for two whole years. Twenty-four hours before, I\'d\have been disappointed to lose her company. But right then, I was\devastated. That was when I knew I was in love with her. I\'d had crushes\before. Lots of them. But this was different.\\ "Do you have any problem in going?" my boss asked, since I\hadn\'t responded.\\ "Not really," I replied. What else could I say? That I was in\love, and couldn\'t bear the separation?\\ "When do I have to leave?"\\ I had a month.\\ ~*~\\ "Wow! New York! Great! I\'ve heard it\'s a fantastic city! Did you\know it snows there in winter?" Preeti was obviously very excited about\my going. She didn\'t seem to share my disappointment on what I now saw\as \'separation\'.\\ I had not decided then if I was going to tell her how I felt.\We\'d known each other for a little over a year, and we were very close,\but beyond some mild flirting, the relationship had never got even close\to romantic. That was, of course, until I found out she had spent a week\baking me a cake. It\'s funny how small things seem to make such a big\difference.\\ "What happened?" she asked. "You don\'t seem very happy."\\ "Oh," I replied, "it\'s just that it\'s so sudden, that\'s all. And\you know I was never all that interested in going to America."\\ "What an idiot. Go see the place. I\'ve heard the women there are\amazingly beautiful." She had a sly smile on her face. I wanted to tell\her I didn\'t care if I laid my eyes on another woman again, if she\wasn\'t with me. But I didn\'t.\",1]
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foreign. But right then, the first thought that came to me was that I'dbe away from Preeti for two whole years. Twenty-four hours before, I'dhave been disappointed to lose her company. But right then, I wasdevastated. That was when I knew I was in love with her. I'd had crushesbefore. Lots of them. But this was different. "Do you have any problem in going?" my boss asked, since Ihadn't responded. "Not really," I replied. What else could I say? That I was inlove, and couldn't bear the separation? "When do I have to leave?" I had a month. ~*~ "Wow! New York! Great! I've heard it's a fantastic city! Did youknow it snows there in winter?" Preeti was obviously very excited aboutmy going. She didn't seem to share my disappointment on what I now sawas 'separation'. I had not decided then if I was going to tell her how I felt.We'd known each other for a little over a year, and we were very close,but beyond some mild flirting, the relationship had never got even closeto romantic. That was, of course, until I found out she had spent a weekbaking me a cake. It's funny how small things seem to make such a bigdifference. "What happened?" she asked. "You don't seem very happy." "Oh," I replied, "it's just that it's so sudden, that's all. Andyou know I was never all that interested in going to America." "What an idiot. Go see the place. I've heard the women there areamazingly beautiful." She had a sly smile on her face. I wanted to tellher I didn't care if I laid my eyes on another woman again, if shewasn't with me. But I didn't.
I realized that I only had another month with her. She\'d\rejected every guy who\'d asked her out ever since I\'d known her. I\didn\'t want the same to happen to me, and I didn\'t want to make it\awkward between us. I didn\'t want to risk that month. I wanted it to be\the best time I had ever spent with her. After I came back from the US,\I might not even get to meet her again. Two years was a long time.\\ We ate out almost every night. We visited some of the best\restaurants in the city. She also helped me shop for warm clothes,\formalwear, shoes, toothpaste and a million things I\'d never have\thought of on my own.\\ "You need to buy a nail-cutter." My roommates and I shared one.\\ "I\'ve prepared a list of must-have medicines that you should\carry."\\ "Your iron won\'t work in the US. No point buying one here as you\need one that works at a hundred and ten volts and has flat pins. You\can buy one at a K-Mart or Wal-Mart as soon as you get there."\\ "You need at least two pairs of formal shoes and at least ten\pairs of dark socks. The East Coast has a formal dress code. And you\won\'t do your laundry more than once a week or two."\\ "How many ties do you have? And which trousers do your blazers\go with?"\\ "Better get a haircut before you leave from here. Knowing you,\you\'ll postpone the first haircut for too long."\\ She\'d call me up at one in the morning to tell me to add \'one\more item\' to my list.\\ And with every passing day, I was falling more deeply in love\with her.\\ The month swept by quickly. The day I was supposed to leave, I\asked her to come with me to the airport. "Of course, dumbo. You think\",1]
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I realized that I only had another month with her. She'drejected every guy who'd asked her out ever since I'd known her. Ididn't want the same to happen to me, and I didn't want to make itawkward between us. I didn't want to risk that month. I wanted it to bethe best time I had ever spent with her. After I came back from the US,I might not even get to meet her again. Two years was a long time. We ate out almost every night. We visited some of the bestrestaurants in the city. She also helped me shop for warm clothes,formalwear, shoes, toothpaste and a million things I'd never havethought of on my own. "You need to buy a nail-cutter." My roommates and I shared one. "I've prepared a list of must-have medicines that you shouldcarry." "Your iron won't work in the US. No point buying one here as youneed one that works at a hundred and ten volts and has flat pins. Youcan buy one at a K-Mart or Wal-Mart as soon as you get there." "You need at least two pairs of formal shoes and at least tenpairs of dark socks. The East Coast has a formal dress code. And youwon't do your laundry more than once a week or two." "How many ties do you have? And which trousers do your blazersgo with?" "Better get a haircut before you leave from here. Knowing you,you'll postpone the first haircut for too long." She'd call me up at one in the morning to tell me to add 'onemore item' to my list. And with every passing day, I was falling more deeply in lovewith her. The month swept by quickly. The day I was supposed to leave, Iasked her to come with me to the airport. "Of course, dumbo. You think
\ After packing my bags for me and checking the lists for the\hundredth time, she finally pronounced me "Good to go."\\ We reached the airport four hours early to beat the rush,\because it was an international flight. She got a visitor\'s pass to sit\in the waiting area while I went ahead and checked-in my bags. Preeti\had got a spring balance from somewhere and so we knew my bags were well\within the weight limit. I finished the formalities and came to sit with\her. We had only a few hours before I had to go for my security-check.\We decided to get something to eat at the food court. And all the time,\the one thing that was going through my head was that, after this, I\wouldn\'t see her for at least another two years.\\ "Hey, Champ. Why so glum?" She saved \'Champ\' for special days.\Normally, it was just \'dumbo\', \'bozo\', \'ape-man\', \'matchstick man\',\\'weirdo\', or if she was very irritated with me, \'nutcase\'.\\ "I don\'t want to go," I said.\\ "I don\'t want you to go either."\\ "No, you don\'t understand." I couldn\'t hold it in any longer. "I\can\'t stand the thought of living without you by my side."\\ She stared at me. There was a strange look in her eyes. I\couldn\'t read it.\\ "I am madly in love with you, Preeti."\\ At this, a sound escaped her lips that sounded like a cross\between a sob and a laugh. "Well, dumbo, you\'ve picked an absolutely\fabulous time to tell me about it!"\\ A tear escaped her eyes. It was all I could do to stop myself\from wiping it off her cheeks.\\ "How long have you felt this way?" She seemed amused, though she\",1]
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I'd let you go just like that, or what?" After packing my bags for me and checking the lists for thehundredth time, she finally pronounced me "Good to go." We reached the airport four hours early to beat the rush,because it was an international flight. She got a visitor's pass to sitin the waiting area while I went ahead and checked-in my bags. Preetihad got a spring balance from somewhere and so we knew my bags were wellwithin the weight limit. I finished the formalities and came to sit withher. We had only a few hours before I had to go for my security-check.We decided to get something to eat at the food court. And all the time,the one thing that was going through my head was that, after this, Iwouldn't see her for at least another two years. "Hey, Champ. Why so glum?" She saved 'Champ' for special days.Normally, it was just 'dumbo', 'bozo', 'ape-man', 'matchstick man','weirdo', or if she was very irritated with me, 'nutcase'. "I don't want to go," I said. "I don't want you to go either." "No, you don't understand." I couldn't hold it in any longer. "Ican't stand the thought of living without you by my side." She stared at me. There was a strange look in her eyes. Icouldn't read it. "I am madly in love with you, Preeti." At this, a sound escaped her lips that sounded like a crossbetween a sob and a laugh. "Well, dumbo, you've picked an absolutelyfabulous time to tell me about it!" A tear escaped her eyes. It was all I could do to stop myselffrom wiping it off her cheeks. "How long have you felt this way?" She seemed amused, though she
\ "From the day I found out you had baked me a cake."\\ She laughed. "That\'s all it took? Well, bozo, I guess a way to a\man\'s heart is certainly through his stomach! Hold it. A month? You\waited a month? You were the one who kept saying that if you really\liked a girl you wouldn\'t waste a day in telling her!" She was smiling\widely now. It looked funny, with her eyes all wet.\\ "Well, I was confused. How did I know how you\'d react? In fact,\I still don\'t understand your reaction. I thought it would change things\between us. You\'ve rejected every guy who ever proposed to you!"\\ "That\'s because I\'m in love with you, you overgrown idiot!"\\ "What?" Somehow, I\'d never expected her to say that. She was in\love with me? "How long have you been in love with me?"\\ "Ever since the day you offered to carry my suitcase for me."\\ "But that was the first day I met you!"\\ "I guess I was always a sucker for chivalry."\\ "All this time you\'ve been in love with me and you never said\anything! Then you go and complain that I waited a month!"\\ "You guys are so bad at reading a girl\'s mind."\\ "You women are so good at keeping your thoughts a secret! Even\Einstein couldn\'t figure you out."\\ "Einstein was a nerd. Casanova, on the other hand, understood us\very well."\\ "I love you."\\ "I know."\\ That moment, my dear friends, was magic. I looked into her eyes\",1]
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was definitely crying. I didn't know what to make of it. "From the day I found out you had baked me a cake." She laughed. "That's all it took? Well, bozo, I guess a way to aman's heart is certainly through his stomach! Hold it. A month? Youwaited a month? You were the one who kept saying that if you reallyliked a girl you wouldn't waste a day in telling her!" She was smilingwidely now. It looked funny, with her eyes all wet. "Well, I was confused. How did I know how you'd react? In fact,I still don't understand your reaction. I thought it would change thingsbetween us. You've rejected every guy who ever proposed to you!" "That's because I'm in love with you, you overgrown idiot!" "What?" Somehow, I'd never expected her to say that. She was inlove with me? "How long have you been in love with me?" "Ever since the day you offered to carry my suitcase for me." "But that was the first day I met you!" "I guess I was always a sucker for chivalry." "All this time you've been in love with me and you never saidanything! Then you go and complain that I waited a month!" "You guys are so bad at reading a girl's mind." "You women are so good at keeping your thoughts a secret! EvenEinstein couldn't figure you out." "Einstein was a nerd. Casanova, on the other hand, understood usvery well." "I love you." "I know." That moment, my dear friends, was magic. I looked into her eyes
until then, to a punch in the arm, a slap on the back of the head, or\giving each other a \'high five\'.\\ "You realize, don\'t you," she said, "that this is our first\date?" Leave it to her to notice the little things.\\ "I really don\'t want to go." I\'d always maintained that love is\a bucketful of emotions. I wasn\'t exactly delighted to be proved right.\\ "Don\'t worry. I\'m coming there in a couple of months."\\ "How? On a dependent visa?"\\ She laughed. "For that, I\'ll have to wait, won\'t I? I\'ve got a\project in New Jersey."\\ I couldn\'t believe my ears. "What? When did that happen? You\never even told me!"\\ "Well, I wasn\'t sure you\'d propose before you left. And I\couldn\'t exactly sacrifice you to those New York women, could I? I had\to watch out for myself. So I went on a project-hunting spree. There is\an opportunity coming up for a project in about two months. Someone is\coming back to India, so I\'ll be taking his place. They want me there\for a little less than two years." She was beaming. "I realized I had\struck gold!"\\ "And if I\'d not told you how I felt? When were you planning on\telling me about it?"\\ "Around a month before I reached there. I had to make it look\natural. Or you\'d think I was desperate."\\ "Well, you are desperate!" This was incredible. All I\'d done in\the past month had been to mope around, listen to sad songs and write\her letters that I never intended her to read. "You\'ve been scheming all\this while! How come you didn\'t lay a trap for me a year ago?"\",1]
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and took her hands in mine. Physical contact for us had been limited,until then, to a punch in the arm, a slap on the back of the head, orgiving each other a 'high five'. "You realize, don't you," she said, "that this is our firstdate?" Leave it to her to notice the little things. "I really don't want to go." I'd always maintained that love isa bucketful of emotions. I wasn't exactly delighted to be proved right. "Don't worry. I'm coming there in a couple of months." "How? On a dependent visa?" She laughed. "For that, I'll have to wait, won't I? I've got aproject in New Jersey." I couldn't believe my ears. "What? When did that happen? Younever even told me!" "Well, I wasn't sure you'd propose before you left. And Icouldn't exactly sacrifice you to those New York women, could I? I hadto watch out for myself. So I went on a project-hunting spree. There isan opportunity coming up for a project in about two months. Someone iscoming back to India, so I'll be taking his place. They want me therefor a little less than two years." She was beaming. "I realized I hadstruck gold!" "And if I'd not told you how I felt? When were you planning ontelling me about it?" "Around a month before I reached there. I had to make it looknatural. Or you'd think I was desperate." "Well, you are desperate!" This was incredible. All I'd done inthe past month had been to mope around, listen to sad songs and writeher letters that I never intended her to read. "You've been scheming allthis while! How come you didn't lay a trap for me a year ago?"
"I tried giving you hints, dumbo, but you just wouldn\'t pay\attention!" She was laughing. "You\'re the only guy I ever spent any time\with. Wasn\'t that a big enough hint?"\\ That was true. She would happily join a group of boys to go to a\cricket match, but I now realized, only if I was one of them.\\ "What if I had rejected you?" I was extremely flattered that\she\'d been crazy about me for a year. My ego was swelling.\\ "You must be kidding!" she was clearly amused. "I get proposed\to every few days. You are the one who\'s been rejected more times in the\last year than I can count on two pairs of hands!"\\ She really knew how to burst my bubble.\\ "Hey," she said softly, "don\'t look so dejected. I said \'Yes\',\didn\'t I?"\\ I grinned. "Yes, you did. And you\'ve made me a very happy man.\But you know what would make me even happier?"\\ "What?"\\ "If you learn to cook as good as you bake cakes."\\ So she punched me in the arm again.\\ The End Beginning\\ Note:\\ Senti = Indian slang for \'Sentimental\'\\******************************\******************************\**************\This email (including any attachments) is intended for the sole use of the\intended recipient/s and may contain material that is CONFIDENTIAL AND\PRIVATE COMPANY INFORMATION. Any review or reliance by others or copying or\distribution or forwarding of any or all of the contents in this message is\STRICTLY PROHIBITED. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact\the sender by email and delete all copies; your cooperation in this regard\is appreciated.\******************************\******************************\**************\",1]
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"I tried giving you hints, dumbo, but you just wouldn't payattention!" She was laughing. "You're the only guy I ever spent any timewith. Wasn't that a big enough hint?" That was true. She would happily join a group of boys to go to acricket match, but I now realized, only if I was one of them. "What if I had rejected you?" I was extremely flattered thatshe'd been crazy about me for a year. My ego was swelling. "You must be kidding!" she was clearly amused. "I get proposedto every few days. You are the one who's been rejected more times in thelast year than I can count on two pairs of hands!" She really knew how to burst my bubble. "Hey," she said softly, "don't look so dejected. I said 'Yes',didn't I?" I grinned. "Yes, you did. And you've made me a very happy man.But you know what would make me even happier?" "What?" "If you learn to cook as good as you bake cakes." So she punched me in the arm again. The End Beginning Note: Senti = Indian slang for 'Sentimental'