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| Tuesday, 23 November 2004 |
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Marriage is arranged
"Don't you know uncle I am helping my mother to go through the mail we have got regarding the advertisement we placed in a Sunday newspaper?" "What's it about?" "It's about me" "About you?" "Yes of course they are going to find me a partner, a husband!" I thought my young niece was just joking. But it was not a joke at all. The matter was serious. "So what are you thinking about that?" I asked. "Uncle believe me now that you have raised this issue I am going to tell you that it is a good subject for you to study". "Please tell me more about it" I insisted. "In the first place our advertisement was grossly misunderstood" "Why?" "Because we have mentioned that there will be a grand dowry" "So what has happened as a result?" "Quite a number of parents, especially the fathers seem to be interested in the dowry and not in me or my education". "That's a laughable matter. So tell me more". "So they ask my mother and the father whether they are in a position to invest that money or a part of that money in a business venture. But my parents are not interested in such ventures". "That's quite understandable for how can you agree to that kind of business dealings even without coming to a settlement with the family concerned". "What more have you found out?" "Then there are some parents who so like to send messengers to discuss matters pertaining to our background". "How very idiotic on their part to do such a thing, so what's your response?" "There are several other things as well, as we have inserted our telephone number". "That's too bad for you should never do that" "As a result I go on getting some wonderful calls". "Do you mean to say nonsensical calls or rather harsh calls from strangers?" "Oh my god they are really funny, for I don't really understand what you should call them". "What else?" "Then comes the most interesting part on horoscopes". "What is that?" "Most horoscopes they send never tally with that of mine, and that has created more problems". "So what is your response to that?" "I don't believe in horoscopes. I am collecting all those letters and have realized that we live in a world full of crazy people. I am not sure what I should do now, but I find a certain degree of fun reading all that." "So does it mean to say that you will never find a partner through that method?" "I am certain that I will never find anyone via that method". "So what are you going to do now?" "I want some decent person to come and talk to me, discuss my problems, and I should be in a position to discuss leisurely what we are going to do, and that's the type of partner I would select". "If that's so. These advertisements will never pave the way". "Yes I think so, but what's the alternative?" "That, we got to think twice before we reach a conclusion". Right at that moment my sister came closer to us. "Did the daughter discuss the problem with you?" she asked me. "Yes rather briefly" I replied. |
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Produced by Lake House |
"What are you doing these days?" I asked my niece when she
paid a visit to our place the other day with her mother, my sister, who
wanted some time off to have a chat with my wife. When they were having
the chat in the pantry my niece was seated near to me in a pensive mood.
