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Source: The following is an e-mail forward and I am not the ORIGINAL writer of this post. *****************************
In the days when you couldn't count on a public toilet facility, an English woman was planning a trip to India. She was registered to stay in a guesthouse owned by the local schoolmaster She was concerned as to whether the guesthouse contained a WC. In England, a bathroom is commonly called a WC - or Water Closet.
She wrote to the schoolmaster inquiring of the facilities about the WC. The schoolmaster asked the local priest if he knew the meaning of WC. Together, they pondered possible meanings of the letters and concluded that the lady wanted to know if there was a 'Wayside Chapel' near the house... A bathroom never entered their minds.
So the schoolmaster replied:
"I take pleasure in informing you that a WC is located nine miles from the house. It is located in the middle of a grove of pine trees, surrounded by lovely grounds. It is capable of holding 229 people and is open on Sundays and Thursdays.
"As there are many people expected in the summer months, I suggest you arrive early There is however plenty of standing room. This is an unfortunate situation especially if you are in the habit of going regularly It may be of some interest to you that my daughter was married in the WC as it was there that she met her husband.
"It was a wonderful event. There were 10 people in every seat. It was wonderful to see the expressions on their faces. We can take photos in different angles.
"My wife, sadly has been ill and unable to go recently It has been almost a year since she went last, which pains her greatly You will be pleased to know that many people bring their lunch and make a day of it...
"I would recommend your ladyship to plan to go on a Thursday, as there is an organ accompaniment. The acoustics are excellent and even the most delicate sounds can be heard everywhere...
"We are holding a bazaar to provide plush seats for all since many feel it is long needed. I look forward to escorting you there myself and seating you in a place where you can be seen by all."
The woman fainted reading the reply - and she never visited India!!!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
AN EVENING IN IRISH CAFÉ - a short story
Rohan Kapadia was enjoying his morning tea one beautiful Saturday morning when his mom called him into the living room.
“So, beta, what have you decided about the girl I told you of yesterday?”
“Mom, this is difficult! Please give me some time to think about it,” replied Rohan.
His mother was exasperated. “How long do you want us to wait? Your cousins and other friends are married already, and look at you; you don’t even have a girlfriend!”
“Mom, please don’t ruin my Saturday,” Rohan pleaded. “And Krish is still single. So please don’t fret about me.”
“Krish? You think a guy like Krish would ever marry? Anyway, think about this girl and let me know your decision. I will inform the girl’s family accordingly.”
“Fine!” agreed Rohan. “And I might come in late tonight. Don’t stay up for me.”
“Take care, beta, and have a nice day,” wished his mom.
Rohan was employed as an accounts executive with Cadus Consultants. While driving to work, he always thought of work and planned his schedule for the day. Today, however, his thoughts were on the girl his mother had spoken of. He wanted to discuss all of this with Krish, his partner at work. They shared the same cabin and worked together on similar projects. Krish, unlike Rohan, was an extrovert and never shied of an opportunity to strike a conversation with a girl. He had recently split with his fifth girlfriend and was on the lookout for another.
Krish was already in office, which was a departure from his usual tardiness. “Well, this is a surprise! What brings you in so early today, Krish?” asked Rohan, with a wicked smile.
“Well, since I split with Roma, I have a lot of free time. So I thought I should come in early and help my dearest friend, for a change,” Krish winked. “Anyway, you look unsettled. What’s the matter?” Krish was concerned.
“Boss, I received a proposal for marriage last night. My parents approve of the girl and want me to marry her. I am very confused.”
Krish was indignant. “What do you mean, they want you to marry her? Are they forcing you into it?” he asked.
“No! I will decide whom to marry,” Rohan assured him.
“In that case, where is the problem? Agree if you like her; else, just reject the proposal. Don’t think about it so much.”
“She is quite a nice girl, but I am not sure she would like me,” replied Rohan. “Rohan, I dislike this about you. Why do you always underestimate yourself? Now listen to me. Let’s not go for a movie tonight. Let’s go to a pub instead and then go clubbing. You had better come; else, I will…” Krish left the threat unfinished.
“But…,” Rohan hesitated. Then, seeming to think this a good idea, he conceded. “Alright, let’s have a blast!”
“That’s my boy! Now, unless you want us to join the country’s unemployed, let’s get back to work.”
Rohan was looking forward to going to the pub. Finally, they left around 7:30 pm and reached Quilla an hour later. After their second round of beer, Krish was euphoric.
“Rohanbhai, look out for your girl, I mean, any girl who is single and ready to mingle.”
“Krish, I am here to enjoy myself. Besides, I don’t want to marry a girl who goes clubbing.”
“What the !@$%! You are a typical MCP! It is guys like you who give the rest of us a bad name. If you can go clubbing, can’t your wife go out with you or her friends? Who knows, you might even find your love in one of these clubs.”
“Oh alright, I’m sorry,” said Rohan. “Now shall we order another pitcher?”
After ordering the third pitcher, Krish asked Rohan, “Do you know the new girl who has just joined our creative team?”
“Do you mean Natasha?” asked Rohan.
“Bingo! That means you know her. Let’s call her and ask her to join us. What do you think?”
“I hardly know her, yaar. We were in the same college, but never spoke to each other. She was the rose queen during our college days.”
“Man, you seem to know a lot about her. We have a secret admirer over here, huh?” teased Krish.
“Nahin yaar, she won’t even remember me. Yes, I admit we acted together in one of our college plays, but…”
“Wow! Which play? Romeo-Juliet or Laila-Majnu?”
“Nah! Not one of those classics but a simple drama called ‘The Betrayal,’ in which she played the main lead and I was one of the waiters,” said Rohan.
“So what, dude? Just give her a call and try to revive those good old memories. You never know, she too might be interested in you,” encouraged Krish.
Rohan was sceptical. However, Krish somehow succeeded in convincing him to call her.
Just as he was about to dial her number, Rohan realized that he didn’t have it.
“Hey, I don’t even have her cell number!” he said to Krish.
“Did you think I wouldn’t have it? Here it is—98674 69902. I would have called her myself, but I want you to be a little bold in such matters and take the initiative,” said Krish.
Emboldened, Rohan took the number from Krish and called Natasha. A sweet voice from the other end answered “hello, yes?”
“Hi Natasha, this is Rohan. Do you remember me?”
“Rohan? Well, I can’t really remember. Have we met before?” asked Natasha. “Well, yes, we were in the same college; in fact, we worked together in a college play. I was one of the waiters and you were…”
“Listen, I don’t remember any of this nonsense. Now will you please tell me who you are or shall I hang up?”
“No, no, please listen to me. You know what…”
There was silence at the other end. Natasha had hung up.
“Hello, hello, are you there? Hello?” continued Rohan, in a daze.
Finally, he stopped and returned the phone to Krish.
“So she hung up on you, huh?” asked Krish nonchalantly. “Rohan, is this how a guy introduces himself to a girl? C’mon yaar, I was sure you would crack it this time.” Saying this, he loudly mimicked Rohan’s attempt at introducing himself to Natasha, much to the amusement of the people seated at the neighboring tables.
“I had warned you, yaar, that I am terrible at these things. I’m sorry I let you down,” said Rohan, ruefully.
“And I’m sorry I lost my head! But buddy, you need to be more confident about yourself.”
“But I do try!” protested Rohan. “And I will keep trying until I succeed. Don’t worry, Krish.”
“That’s the spirit, my friend! Now cheer up! What would you say about going to Irish Café for some more drinks and catching up with some blonde?”
“I’d say that’s a very good idea! Let’s leave. But you will not drive my car.”
“Theek hai yaar, let’s get out of this place,” agreed Krish.
They paid the bill and left for Irish Café.
It being a Saturday night, Irish Café was packed. Almost all the seats were taken; however, they were lucky enough to find a place in a corner. They ordered some drinks. Krish met some of his girlfriends and was pulled onto the dance floor. Rohan was also invited, but was too shy to join them, especially after his experience with Natasha over the phone a short while ago.
Rohan was sipping his favorite vodka and reflecting moodily over his lack of success with women. As his eyes wandered aimlessly around the room, his attention was caught by the sight of a pretty girl sitting alone in another corner. He said to himself, “Rohan, this is your chance to prove that you can do it! It’s either now or never!”
He got up and was about to reach her table when he saw a guy sitting next to her, along with a blonde girl. Rohan immediately changed course and grabbed a place next to their table. He observed that the guy accompanying the girl was trying to kiss her, but she was pushing him away. Rohan was confused and wondered whether the guy was her boyfriend or was trying to molest her. The guy was still trying to get close to her when she suddenly turned around and slapped him hard across the face.
“How dare you hit me, you b***h…” the guy yelled at her in rage. “You have been a big mistake. You are simply not fit to be my girlfriend. You don’t like to party, you hate mingling with people, and you don’t let me touch you. Is this what you call a relationship?”
“Alekh, why do you say such things?” she asked, tears brimming in her eyes. She was obviously shaken by her action and Alekh’s subsequent outburst. “I agree I don’t like partying, but I like being with you. Why do you want to be with your other girlfriends?”
“Oh, really? Neha, I have had enough of your nonsense! Now just get the hell out of here and don’t show me your face ever again!”
Alekh then walked out with his blonde girlfriend.
Neha simply sat there, crying softly. Rohan had heard the entire conversation and didn’t know how to react. He said to himself, “This is the right time to strike a conversation with her.”
However, Neha suddenly got up and began running toward the door. Rohan followed her. When he reached the porch, he saw that Neha had stopped running and was standing alone there, crying. He hid himself behind the door.
Finally, he mustered up the courage to approach her.
“Excuse me! I’m sorry I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation with your friend. I hope you are alright?” he inquired gently.
“P-please leave me alone,” sobbed Neha, who was still in tears.
“Ma’am, I know I shouldn’t interfere, but I must say I didn’t like the way your friend behaved with you. I am heading out and wonder if I can drop you home? Believe me, I have no other intentions; I just thought I should help. Anyway, I stay in Bandra, and it would be no trouble to me at all to drop you wherever you wish to go. I will wait another 10 minutes in my red Indica parked just across the pub.” On saying this, he left the pub and got into his car.
Rohan found it difficult to believe that he had indeed spoken so confidently with the girl. He waited for her in his car with his fingers crossed. Five minutes passed, but there was still no sign of her.
Suddenly, he heard a knock on his window. It was Neha.
“Can I get in?” she asked.
“Yes, of course, please get in. Where would you like me to drop you?”
“I live in Bandra too, next to Amarsons,” answered Neha.
“Oh, Amarsons! That’s pretty close to where I stay. By the way, I am Rohan and I work with Cadus Consultants as an accounts executive. What do you do, ma’am?”
“Please call me Neha. I’ve just completed my master’s in mass media. Anyway, thanks for your help and concern. May I ask why you felt like helping me?”
“Well, Neha, I don’t really know. Look, I’m sorry I overheard your conversation with your friend, but I really couldn’t help it. I honestly can’t bear to see a guy humiliate his girlfriend in public,” said Rohan.
“Thanks, Rohan, that’s really sweet of you. But listening to other people’s conversations is simply bad manners.”
Rohan looked at her, startled. However, when he saw that she was smiling, his heart skipped a beat. She was really sweet and had a beautiful smile. “I know, and I’m sorry,” he mumbled. He drove the rest of the way in silence.
When they reached Amarsons, Neha asked him to stop the car outside the store. “Thanks, Rohan. I really appreciate this. I don’t know whether I should ask you this, but anyway, will I see you again?”
“Me…you…I…yeah sure…I mean, we can definitely meet sometime next week.” “I need a good friend, Rohan, and I think you can be that friend. Here, take my number. It is 98888 00000. Do keep in touch. See you soon!”
She got out of the car.
“Neha, my number is 98216 69902. And I will surely keep in touch.” Almost as an afterthought, he added, “You have a very beautiful smile, so keep smiling. See you!”
She smiled in reply, and they parted ways.
This incident left Rohan feeling like a warrior who had won a great battle. He was feeling extremely confident about himself. He called Krish the next day and narrated the entire incident to him. At first, Krish refused to believe him, but finally gave him the benefit of the doubt. He congratulated Rohan and asked him to sms Neha. Well, after that, Neha and Rohan began meeting regularly and enjoyed each other’s company very much.
Three months later, Rohan told his mom about Neha and confessed his love for her. His mom was really happy to know about this and prayed that Neha too would accept Rohan.
Rohan planned to take Neha out for dinner and then propose to her. They met each other at 7:30 pm outside Mainland China, where Rohan had already reserved a table for two.
Neha looked lovely in a green salwar kameez. Rohan, too, looked smart in a black stripped shirt and black trousers.
“You’re looking gorgeous today,” said Rohan.
“Hmm…so are you jealous?” asked Neha, with a mischievous smile.
After placing the order, Rohan decided to go ahead with his confession.
“Neha, I have something to say to you.”
“Yeah, sure, go ahead.”
“Well, I have never been through this before, so forgive me if I make a mistake. I really like you Neha. So I…so will you…ma…”
Neha cut him mid-sentence. “Before you say anything, I want to tell you something. Alekh called me sometime back. He wanted us to get back together as his “girlfriend” had dumped him. You remember the blonde girl with him at Irish Café? She was the one.”
Rohan was alarmed.
“So…uh…what did you say?” he asked.
“What do you think I might have said?”
“C’mon, how would I know?”
“Well, I told him that he deserved to be dumped. I also told him that he could have no place in my life and that I was better off without him. And I said this because I think I have found the man I have been looking for.”
“Huh! Which man and where did you find him?” asked Rohan, who was now feeling quite faint.
“Of course it’s you, you idiot. Now, don’t stare dumbly at me. Aren’t you going to propose to me?” asked Neha, with a touch of impatience in her voice.
“Oh my God, you almost killed me with anxiety! Can I propose after dinner or would you rather I did it now?”
“Rohannnn!”
“Hahahaha! Neha, will you marry me? Would you like to spend the rest of your life with me?”
“Well…umm…let me think…I think I can grant your wish!” she replied, eyes twinkling. “Jokes apart, I really love you. And I want to spend my life with the man who changed it three months ago at Irish Café. I think it would be a good idea to visit the place that brought the two of us together. Do you think we can go there after dinner?” she asked.
“Yes, sweetheart, let’s do that.”
It was the best evening of his life. After dinner, they left for Irish Café. They sat there for a good half hour, thinking and talking about the past three months and planning their life together.
Krish was really happy for his friend as he had finally managed to get himself hitched. And Rohan and Neha were happy with each other and were looking forward to their wedding in December that year.
This has been taken from “AN EVENING IN IRISH CAFÉ”, a story written by me which is featured in my book - “Known devil or Unknown ghost - a collection of short stories”
“So, beta, what have you decided about the girl I told you of yesterday?”
“Mom, this is difficult! Please give me some time to think about it,” replied Rohan.
His mother was exasperated. “How long do you want us to wait? Your cousins and other friends are married already, and look at you; you don’t even have a girlfriend!”
“Mom, please don’t ruin my Saturday,” Rohan pleaded. “And Krish is still single. So please don’t fret about me.”
“Krish? You think a guy like Krish would ever marry? Anyway, think about this girl and let me know your decision. I will inform the girl’s family accordingly.”
“Fine!” agreed Rohan. “And I might come in late tonight. Don’t stay up for me.”
“Take care, beta, and have a nice day,” wished his mom.
Rohan was employed as an accounts executive with Cadus Consultants. While driving to work, he always thought of work and planned his schedule for the day. Today, however, his thoughts were on the girl his mother had spoken of. He wanted to discuss all of this with Krish, his partner at work. They shared the same cabin and worked together on similar projects. Krish, unlike Rohan, was an extrovert and never shied of an opportunity to strike a conversation with a girl. He had recently split with his fifth girlfriend and was on the lookout for another.
Krish was already in office, which was a departure from his usual tardiness. “Well, this is a surprise! What brings you in so early today, Krish?” asked Rohan, with a wicked smile.
“Well, since I split with Roma, I have a lot of free time. So I thought I should come in early and help my dearest friend, for a change,” Krish winked. “Anyway, you look unsettled. What’s the matter?” Krish was concerned.
“Boss, I received a proposal for marriage last night. My parents approve of the girl and want me to marry her. I am very confused.”
Krish was indignant. “What do you mean, they want you to marry her? Are they forcing you into it?” he asked.
“No! I will decide whom to marry,” Rohan assured him.
“In that case, where is the problem? Agree if you like her; else, just reject the proposal. Don’t think about it so much.”
“She is quite a nice girl, but I am not sure she would like me,” replied Rohan. “Rohan, I dislike this about you. Why do you always underestimate yourself? Now listen to me. Let’s not go for a movie tonight. Let’s go to a pub instead and then go clubbing. You had better come; else, I will…” Krish left the threat unfinished.
“But…,” Rohan hesitated. Then, seeming to think this a good idea, he conceded. “Alright, let’s have a blast!”
“That’s my boy! Now, unless you want us to join the country’s unemployed, let’s get back to work.”
Rohan was looking forward to going to the pub. Finally, they left around 7:30 pm and reached Quilla an hour later. After their second round of beer, Krish was euphoric.
“Rohanbhai, look out for your girl, I mean, any girl who is single and ready to mingle.”
“Krish, I am here to enjoy myself. Besides, I don’t want to marry a girl who goes clubbing.”
“What the !@$%! You are a typical MCP! It is guys like you who give the rest of us a bad name. If you can go clubbing, can’t your wife go out with you or her friends? Who knows, you might even find your love in one of these clubs.”
“Oh alright, I’m sorry,” said Rohan. “Now shall we order another pitcher?”
After ordering the third pitcher, Krish asked Rohan, “Do you know the new girl who has just joined our creative team?”
“Do you mean Natasha?” asked Rohan.
“Bingo! That means you know her. Let’s call her and ask her to join us. What do you think?”
“I hardly know her, yaar. We were in the same college, but never spoke to each other. She was the rose queen during our college days.”
“Man, you seem to know a lot about her. We have a secret admirer over here, huh?” teased Krish.
“Nahin yaar, she won’t even remember me. Yes, I admit we acted together in one of our college plays, but…”
“Wow! Which play? Romeo-Juliet or Laila-Majnu?”
“Nah! Not one of those classics but a simple drama called ‘The Betrayal,’ in which she played the main lead and I was one of the waiters,” said Rohan.
“So what, dude? Just give her a call and try to revive those good old memories. You never know, she too might be interested in you,” encouraged Krish.
Rohan was sceptical. However, Krish somehow succeeded in convincing him to call her.
Just as he was about to dial her number, Rohan realized that he didn’t have it.
“Hey, I don’t even have her cell number!” he said to Krish.
“Did you think I wouldn’t have it? Here it is—98674 69902. I would have called her myself, but I want you to be a little bold in such matters and take the initiative,” said Krish.
Emboldened, Rohan took the number from Krish and called Natasha. A sweet voice from the other end answered “hello, yes?”
“Hi Natasha, this is Rohan. Do you remember me?”
“Rohan? Well, I can’t really remember. Have we met before?” asked Natasha. “Well, yes, we were in the same college; in fact, we worked together in a college play. I was one of the waiters and you were…”
“Listen, I don’t remember any of this nonsense. Now will you please tell me who you are or shall I hang up?”
“No, no, please listen to me. You know what…”
There was silence at the other end. Natasha had hung up.
“Hello, hello, are you there? Hello?” continued Rohan, in a daze.
Finally, he stopped and returned the phone to Krish.
“So she hung up on you, huh?” asked Krish nonchalantly. “Rohan, is this how a guy introduces himself to a girl? C’mon yaar, I was sure you would crack it this time.” Saying this, he loudly mimicked Rohan’s attempt at introducing himself to Natasha, much to the amusement of the people seated at the neighboring tables.
“I had warned you, yaar, that I am terrible at these things. I’m sorry I let you down,” said Rohan, ruefully.
“And I’m sorry I lost my head! But buddy, you need to be more confident about yourself.”
“But I do try!” protested Rohan. “And I will keep trying until I succeed. Don’t worry, Krish.”
“That’s the spirit, my friend! Now cheer up! What would you say about going to Irish Café for some more drinks and catching up with some blonde?”
“I’d say that’s a very good idea! Let’s leave. But you will not drive my car.”
“Theek hai yaar, let’s get out of this place,” agreed Krish.
They paid the bill and left for Irish Café.
It being a Saturday night, Irish Café was packed. Almost all the seats were taken; however, they were lucky enough to find a place in a corner. They ordered some drinks. Krish met some of his girlfriends and was pulled onto the dance floor. Rohan was also invited, but was too shy to join them, especially after his experience with Natasha over the phone a short while ago.
Rohan was sipping his favorite vodka and reflecting moodily over his lack of success with women. As his eyes wandered aimlessly around the room, his attention was caught by the sight of a pretty girl sitting alone in another corner. He said to himself, “Rohan, this is your chance to prove that you can do it! It’s either now or never!”
He got up and was about to reach her table when he saw a guy sitting next to her, along with a blonde girl. Rohan immediately changed course and grabbed a place next to their table. He observed that the guy accompanying the girl was trying to kiss her, but she was pushing him away. Rohan was confused and wondered whether the guy was her boyfriend or was trying to molest her. The guy was still trying to get close to her when she suddenly turned around and slapped him hard across the face.
“How dare you hit me, you b***h…” the guy yelled at her in rage. “You have been a big mistake. You are simply not fit to be my girlfriend. You don’t like to party, you hate mingling with people, and you don’t let me touch you. Is this what you call a relationship?”
“Alekh, why do you say such things?” she asked, tears brimming in her eyes. She was obviously shaken by her action and Alekh’s subsequent outburst. “I agree I don’t like partying, but I like being with you. Why do you want to be with your other girlfriends?”
“Oh, really? Neha, I have had enough of your nonsense! Now just get the hell out of here and don’t show me your face ever again!”
Alekh then walked out with his blonde girlfriend.
Neha simply sat there, crying softly. Rohan had heard the entire conversation and didn’t know how to react. He said to himself, “This is the right time to strike a conversation with her.”
However, Neha suddenly got up and began running toward the door. Rohan followed her. When he reached the porch, he saw that Neha had stopped running and was standing alone there, crying. He hid himself behind the door.
Finally, he mustered up the courage to approach her.
“Excuse me! I’m sorry I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation with your friend. I hope you are alright?” he inquired gently.
“P-please leave me alone,” sobbed Neha, who was still in tears.
“Ma’am, I know I shouldn’t interfere, but I must say I didn’t like the way your friend behaved with you. I am heading out and wonder if I can drop you home? Believe me, I have no other intentions; I just thought I should help. Anyway, I stay in Bandra, and it would be no trouble to me at all to drop you wherever you wish to go. I will wait another 10 minutes in my red Indica parked just across the pub.” On saying this, he left the pub and got into his car.
Rohan found it difficult to believe that he had indeed spoken so confidently with the girl. He waited for her in his car with his fingers crossed. Five minutes passed, but there was still no sign of her.
Suddenly, he heard a knock on his window. It was Neha.
“Can I get in?” she asked.
“Yes, of course, please get in. Where would you like me to drop you?”
“I live in Bandra too, next to Amarsons,” answered Neha.
“Oh, Amarsons! That’s pretty close to where I stay. By the way, I am Rohan and I work with Cadus Consultants as an accounts executive. What do you do, ma’am?”
“Please call me Neha. I’ve just completed my master’s in mass media. Anyway, thanks for your help and concern. May I ask why you felt like helping me?”
“Well, Neha, I don’t really know. Look, I’m sorry I overheard your conversation with your friend, but I really couldn’t help it. I honestly can’t bear to see a guy humiliate his girlfriend in public,” said Rohan.
“Thanks, Rohan, that’s really sweet of you. But listening to other people’s conversations is simply bad manners.”
Rohan looked at her, startled. However, when he saw that she was smiling, his heart skipped a beat. She was really sweet and had a beautiful smile. “I know, and I’m sorry,” he mumbled. He drove the rest of the way in silence.
When they reached Amarsons, Neha asked him to stop the car outside the store. “Thanks, Rohan. I really appreciate this. I don’t know whether I should ask you this, but anyway, will I see you again?”
“Me…you…I…yeah sure…I mean, we can definitely meet sometime next week.” “I need a good friend, Rohan, and I think you can be that friend. Here, take my number. It is 98888 00000. Do keep in touch. See you soon!”
She got out of the car.
“Neha, my number is 98216 69902. And I will surely keep in touch.” Almost as an afterthought, he added, “You have a very beautiful smile, so keep smiling. See you!”
She smiled in reply, and they parted ways.
This incident left Rohan feeling like a warrior who had won a great battle. He was feeling extremely confident about himself. He called Krish the next day and narrated the entire incident to him. At first, Krish refused to believe him, but finally gave him the benefit of the doubt. He congratulated Rohan and asked him to sms Neha. Well, after that, Neha and Rohan began meeting regularly and enjoyed each other’s company very much.
Three months later, Rohan told his mom about Neha and confessed his love for her. His mom was really happy to know about this and prayed that Neha too would accept Rohan.
Rohan planned to take Neha out for dinner and then propose to her. They met each other at 7:30 pm outside Mainland China, where Rohan had already reserved a table for two.
Neha looked lovely in a green salwar kameez. Rohan, too, looked smart in a black stripped shirt and black trousers.
“You’re looking gorgeous today,” said Rohan.
“Hmm…so are you jealous?” asked Neha, with a mischievous smile.
After placing the order, Rohan decided to go ahead with his confession.
“Neha, I have something to say to you.”
“Yeah, sure, go ahead.”
“Well, I have never been through this before, so forgive me if I make a mistake. I really like you Neha. So I…so will you…ma…”
Neha cut him mid-sentence. “Before you say anything, I want to tell you something. Alekh called me sometime back. He wanted us to get back together as his “girlfriend” had dumped him. You remember the blonde girl with him at Irish Café? She was the one.”
Rohan was alarmed.
“So…uh…what did you say?” he asked.
“What do you think I might have said?”
“C’mon, how would I know?”
“Well, I told him that he deserved to be dumped. I also told him that he could have no place in my life and that I was better off without him. And I said this because I think I have found the man I have been looking for.”
“Huh! Which man and where did you find him?” asked Rohan, who was now feeling quite faint.
“Of course it’s you, you idiot. Now, don’t stare dumbly at me. Aren’t you going to propose to me?” asked Neha, with a touch of impatience in her voice.
“Oh my God, you almost killed me with anxiety! Can I propose after dinner or would you rather I did it now?”
“Rohannnn!”
“Hahahaha! Neha, will you marry me? Would you like to spend the rest of your life with me?”
“Well…umm…let me think…I think I can grant your wish!” she replied, eyes twinkling. “Jokes apart, I really love you. And I want to spend my life with the man who changed it three months ago at Irish Café. I think it would be a good idea to visit the place that brought the two of us together. Do you think we can go there after dinner?” she asked.
“Yes, sweetheart, let’s do that.”
It was the best evening of his life. After dinner, they left for Irish Café. They sat there for a good half hour, thinking and talking about the past three months and planning their life together.
Krish was really happy for his friend as he had finally managed to get himself hitched. And Rohan and Neha were happy with each other and were looking forward to their wedding in December that year.
This has been taken from “AN EVENING IN IRISH CAFÉ”, a story written by me which is featured in my book - “Known devil or Unknown ghost - a collection of short stories”
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