Lord of the Rings

'Hey , Can I ask you a question ?'

'Sure , go ahead.'

'Is proposing that significant?'

'Proposing what ?'

'Sorry...didn’t I say marriage...proposing marriage.'

Oops...The FMS Deja Vu feeling struck again. I think I had forgotten to tell her.

'Are you marrying Anuya ?!?! You didn’t tell me. GRRRR ' She just hung up.

I forgot to tell my close friend (who also happened to marry to one of my pals) & not telling her such an important milestone of my life spelt F-A-T-A-L. I called up my friend,

'Hi! Whats up ?'

'Nothing dude'

'How are you?'

'Can I call you later...I m in the middle of something ...all of a sudden she is pissed of because I didn’t propose to her. Trust me , have all the logical life you want to have before marriage. Rules change later. Now where on earth did the proposal come in between making breakfast? I'll talk to you later'

An important lesson learnt....'not proposing' will keep haunting you.
After ruining his morning breakfast , I thought of consulting Raju on the grave problem.

'Come on , You know what to do...'Catch her offgaurd & Go down on your knees'

'From 20,000 miles ???? It isn’t normal....Thats crazy. C - R - A - Z - Y ' I spelled it out.

After I uttered 'C-R-A-Z-Y' Raju took a long pause , which experience told me , he was going to give me something right into my face after 10 secs. I began my countdown will he was silently loading the verbal bullets into the shot gun ..ready to blast...3...2...1...

'Kapil , They call you the 'Lord of the Rings' because at the end of your engagement you had both the rings.'

I was silent.’ Lord of the Rings' - There were no rings exchanged, but you wouldn’t be entirely wrong if you said I got engaged and we were NOT in close proximity (Ya....it was 20,000 miles). Dont ask me how did it turn out to be an engagement-like occassion...it was supposed to be meeting the relatives before I went to Australia...and then it took a formal form and there I was...the LORD OF THE RINGS.

'So , Sell C - R - A - Z - Y someplace else , we are all stocked up here.' Raju gave the finishing touches.

I hate to admit it , whoever came up with Lord of the Rings...Good One !

The Devil You Know

A week later , I came to Melbourne , Australia. It is beautiful. People are nice too.
Queens Street on a chilly weekday noon will show you a crowd mostly in the conventional black business dress hurrying for/from lunch . The ancient trams still run royally through the Central Business District alongside their latest X-series substitutes. Cafes and multicuisine restaurants are packed in the afternoon. Walking out for lunch alongside these people is something I look forward to.There is no interaction , but I feel the spirit.

Day used to end with a walk alongside Yarra River , the walk is supposed to be romantic.So I take the other way through Flinders Street now , I reach home faster ;)

We were returning back from my office on Queens Street.

'Raju , You were right'

'About?'

'About going down on the knees'

'Cool , This is going in a good direction'

'Yup , I am definitely thinking on those lines'

'And if I may ask how do you wish to arrange it?'

'Havent thought abt it...Probably will google '"Mills and Boon" proposals' tommorrow'

'Preposterous'

'You think this is preposterous?'

'Yes, Indeed'

'How else do I beat Hugh Grant from Notting Hill?'

Raju smiled.

'So when is this supposed to happen ?'

'After I get married'

Raju laughed.

'I am serious'

'?'

'Gives me more time...'

'??'

'Plus...I reduce her options...She cant say NO'

'???'

'Everything works fine this way'. I added.

'So , what do you ask her...Can you even frame the question’?

'The way I thought about this....What better way to catch her offgaurd??'

'WHAT?"

'She will be totally offgaurd'

'Are you crazy?'

Crazy ? I didn’t answer that one. He didn’t expect an answer either.

I was the Lord of the Rings.