It’s our first date. I dressed
up. I even bought you a bunch of lilies, the ones you like. I went an extra
mile figuratively to find out your preference from your friend who doesn’t like
me, and an extra mile physically because I could not find them anywhere closer.
I even put some gel in my hair and carefully hid my receding hairline. I shaved
again and got in my recently serviced car. Before knocking on your door, I once
again looked at myself in rear view mirror, pressed my hair and checked if
something was stuck in my teeth. I took a deep breath and knocked on your door.
Every passing second felt like hours. And then you opened the door, clad in
yellow, looking all perfect as you ever were. I didn’t think you had to go
through all the trouble I had to, for looking this amazing. At the most maybe
you just washed your face and got into this off the rack dress which fits you
like it was custom tailored. I was so nervous around you. Dinner was usual.
Table pre-booked, waiter tipped generously, no eating off other’s plate, hold
the fork in left hand and all other etiquette. I parked the car few blocks
before your home and walked with you. We didn’t talk. We just kissed good
night.
When I was walking back, it
struck me, why did I have to impress you? What was special about the night?
Every guy does it. Well, maybe not every guy; every guy who has means and has a
willing girl to impress. Why did this impress you? Didn’t you know it’s going
to be like this? Why did you want this so much? It is not as if you would spend
your entire life with a version of me that impresses you. It would mostly be
routine, mundane life wherein I will eat out of a bowl most Saturday nights sitting
on the couch and watching some stupid TV channel oblivious of your presence.
The same presence which makes me forget everything today. The night looks so
amazing today, as if there is an added fragrance to the flowers, or maybe added
brightness to the moon. You are gone inside, but I kept standing there, hoping
that you would come to the window. I felt your hands still holding mine and
taste of your lips still lingering on. I could still hear your laughter, or the
way you said my name.
What’s the point? Maybe I dressed
up a little too gaudy for you. I got lilies when your friend actually said daisies;
or she said lilies knowing that you like daisies. After all, she didn’t like
me. I drove an extra mile to save some money. What could I have done? The
vendor was overcharging me. The gel came down my forehead along with the sweat.
I was nervous, I said that already. I cut myself while shaving and forgot to
remove part of the tissue that I used to soak the blood. My car smelled like
garlic and onions, because that’s what I sell for a living. I could not locate
the leaf in my teeth because the rear view mirror was broken. Every passing
second felt like hours because I had to pee so badly. There was no reason for
pre booking the table at McDonalds; there was no need to tip the waiter because
there wasn’t any and there was no need to use the fork either. We ran out of
gas so you offered to walk. We couldn’t talk since it was raining. There is an
added fragrance to flowers after rain stopped and so is the brightness more
since the clouds disappeared. You never came to the window, because there
wasn’t any. Your hands were sweaty, I still feel what it was like to hold them.
I can still feel the taste of your lips because they tasted like the fish
burger you had. Your laughter gives me nightmares and so does your inability to
pronounce my name properly given that you lisp.
Why did you marry me?
You saw me standing on your door
and waiting impatiently for you to open the door. You liked lilies after all. I
could only get these lilies next town and you knew that I drove extra to get
these for you. I was wiping my forehead and you knew I was nervous around you.
Tissue on my face and leaf in my teeth, you thought it was cute that I was
clumsy. You love garlic and onion smell, who could have thought? Your parent
never took you to McDonalds, fearing you would never fit in that dress. You
thought that I didn’t care whether you will get fat. I wanted to walk with you
in the rain so I pretended that we ran out of gas. Really? Oh my girl, you are
so sweet and innocent. You saw me standing there in front of your door hoping
that there was a window you would see me from. You saw me looking at my hands feeling
your touch. You saw me lick my lips and thought I liked taste of yours.
God is so kind.
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