Chapter 13: chapter 13

Aman – Wow! It’s an amazing idea. But I liked Amit’s idea as well. His idea is really very cheap. I don’t have to spend much. Hehe. Paras – Pal! Pal! Buying a paid membership of such matrimonial websites is also not expensive. You can buy it for three thousand rupees for three months. Aman – Still, Amit’s idea is much cheaper than your idea. Amit smiled and his chest got widened. Paras – Huh! You miser. Can’t you spend even one thousand per month for finding your soul mate? Aman – Yes, I can spend but only if I have no other way. (Giggled.)Paras – I heard right, government teachers are very miser despite getting a fat salary every month!Aman – Being miser is not a crime. And you know what why employees from other departments are very generous, in my language squanderers because they earn much more than their salary under the table. And we teachers, don’t take even a single rupee as a bribe. We are misers but not criminals. Amit – I guess Aman, you have become serious. Don’t take him seriously. He himself is a joke. Haha!We all laughed. The next day, I got up early in the morning and went to the bus stop because there I could easily buy newspapers. Luckily, it was Sunday. I bought a English and a Punjabi local newspaper and came back home.My mom asked me, “Where did you go early in the morning? Did you go for a morning walk?Aman – No, mom, I went to buy newspapers. Mom – As far as I know, you were never interested in news.Aman – Yes, mom. You are right. I was never interested in news. I’m not even interested in news right now.Mom – Then newspaper?Aman – It’s for marriage, mom. Mom – Oh, I got you. Matrimonial ads.Aman – Yeah, you are right.  Please make a cup of tea for me. Mom – Yeah, sure. I opened the newspaper. The first few pages were of national and international news. I kept on flipping the pages until I found the matrimonial ads page.I was amazed to find so many matrimonial ads. There were more than 100 matrimonial ads in a newspaper. I said, “Wow, I can easily find my match here. More than 100 ads in a newspaper! I never thought it was going to be so easy to find a match. I literally wasted my money in the Marriage Bureau. Spending ten rupees on the newspapers were sufficient.”I started reading matrimonial ads. “26/5.3” MBA Hindu arora female working in MNC looking for a 25-32 year well-qualified male earning a decent salary. Interested please write into [email protected] or whats app 9545547451”“24/5.1 gaur brahmin female, home maker looking for a well settled boy. Dowry seekers stay away. Interested please write into [email protected] or whats app 8345554254”I said to myself, “Oh, wow! I am qualified for every match. That’s why people say that I am in a government job so I need not worry for my marriage. I am a well-qualified and well settled boy. In matrimonial ads, phone numbers are given directly. Means I can call them directly. It’s so easy. No need to wait for anyone. Just call and know the results.”“But hey hey! How will I talk to them? I have never talked to anyone for my marriage before. What if I call them and they start scolding me! Uff! It can also happen. They will feel very odd when they find that a boy is directly calling them. I can’t even make my mom call them. My mom doesn’t know how to talk to them. If anything went little bit wrong, my mom may start shouting at them and then they may shout at my mom too! No, no! I can’t make my mom call them. I have to call them.”My mom brought me a cup of tea. I took one sip from my cup and still, I was thinking deep. What should I say to them as they pick up my call? Which are the things that I should talk about first? And which are the things that I should talk later on? Much turmoil was going on in my brain. “Whom should I call first? The girl with M.B.A. or the girl with M.Sc. Both are good matches for me. Hmm...First of all, I should find a girl with a government job. Yes! It is the best decision. I am a government employee, if my wife is also a government employee then we will never run short of money. Moreover, both us will have free time to spend together.”“I guess in total there are 300 ads, hmm... I have to read all ads and find out a government job match for me.”I took another sip from the hot steaming cup of tea and started reading all the ads one by one. In my left hand was the cup of tea and in the right hand was a pencil. When I finished tea, I had also ended up marking the government job matches. I was shocked to find that I marked only one match!I said to myself, “From 300 matrimonial ads, I found only one government job match! The rest of the girls with government jobs are very old. Their ages are plus thirty five. My age is twenty five and the match I found, her age is 27. Still, two years older than me!”“The difference of two years is not that much. I can manage. I have to keep in my mind she is also a government employee.”I read  ad again, “27/5.3 government teacher Hoshiarpur, Sharma family looking for government teacher. Interested please whats app or call 9282747474.” I said to myself, “Perfect match for me! I should call her first.”I called her. Somebody picked up the call and said, “Hello.”I was shocked to hear the male’s voice. I thought the girl would pick up the call but that was a man!He said again, “Hallo”A chill ran down my spine. I got confused. I didn’t know what to say now. Out of bewilderment, I disconnected the call. (It will be so nice of you, if you leave at least a single word comment 🌺❇️🌹🌺❇️)