I was working in Ghana and happened to come for a vacation in Feb '97. My mother was worried (my cousins had been telling her) I'll bring back a Black beauty and she had hastily arranged for a bride (to be) from a relative's family. This girl too had studied in India like me, but we never got to meet each other. My father picked me up at 5am from the airport and the first words he uttered were that we'll be visiting the girl's house. I literally pleaded with him as I was too tired due to 2 days of travel and jet-lag, but nothing worked. I was met by the girl's in laws and father during the course of the day and at 5pm was virtually dragged to 'see' the bride.

Pleasantries were exchanged and then the girl offered coffee to the gathering. Before I could see her face, she vanished. (My cousins had terrified me she was dark, plumb and bespectacled) Someone asked me whether I liked the girl. I sat like an ass, not knowing what to say about something I didn't have the faintest of idea. Luckily, my B/L stepped in and when I told him of my sorry plight (?), he spoke to the elders and decided to let us see each other in private (!) But, it was conditional, I was given 5 minutes to decide, if I stayed longer than that it would be presumed I liked the girl and the marriage would be through.

Nervous is not the word, I stepped in with a stop-watch (?) and when I saw the girl smile, literally lost my off stump. We spoke about so many things, most of them seem quite meaningless now, and when I glanced at my watch (how I had forgotten such a thing even existed till then) it was well past the 5 minute barrier. This was fate, I thought to myself.

When I emerged outside, only one question was asked by all (you know what) and I was nodding and grinning at the same time.

I spoke to her from the airport later in the week just before flying off to Ghana again, this was the longest call I have ever made and still it seemed too short.

I used to call her every week-end for 5 minutes throughout my stay till November '97(then too the stop watch was in play!), this happened to be the happiest time in our life, more appropriately the 'butterflies in the tummy' days.

p.s : Indra and Umesh are married for 10 years with kids Tharshika(9) and Ishanthan(3)