Rendezvous!
The Anticipation Of The Thing Is Greater Than The Thing itself! In my case, the Thing was better than Anticipation!
After talking for 23 days, it was the time to meet in person, the person who has been on the other side of the screen constantly texting and talking to you! It was finally the time to meet that person behind the profile picture.
I’ve never met any girl alone, even in public, and here I was not only tasked to plan the Rendezvous but the only thing I knew about her is that she loves coffee and wanted to be a child! There were a million things that went though my mind: What, How, when, where, why! With additional questions, what if she doesn’t like it, what should I get her, what if I screw up, fyr I did, add the anxiety to see her for the first time nervousness and excitement was through the roof!
I decided to buy her a coffee machine and 4 fancy cup set after I received them, I realized, was too much for first meeting! So I decided to buy her a Parker Pen with refill! Seems okay for the meet and the coffee machine can be gifted in next few meeting! At least I thought so!
She has a blog, fiction and probably fantasy, on first meet which I went through at least a hundred time! To make sure I do better! Blog mentions she reaches the coffee house earlier and wait for him! Plus she told me that she met a guy, in a mall, who has stranded her for at least 40 min. Noted, You will reach first and wait for her and will not let her wait anyhow. Next point, Who will pay, him or her! I make the ATM withdrawal to make sure I had plenty on the D-Day! I went to office , yes we meet near my office, a day earlier to check everything and see if any changes are required in the plan!
Night before the D-Day, She texted me are we meeting tomorrow? To which I replied, “YES”! At Areocity, Blue Tokai Coffee house! I ran and reran the entire scenario in my head and I could not sleep! Probably the Anticipation to see her was building up! I decided to trim my beard since she asked for it! I took my trimmer and was ready to trim it down! But I decided otherwise, I wanted to show her who I really was not something which is not real me, she took it as an act of defiance, and I promised myself, I will shave next time we meet, something I’ve not done in my 30 years of my life yet, a sharp blade touching my face makes me really uncomfortable ! But for this time let her meet the guy I was! So I put my trimmer away and went to bed! It was a very big night and sleep was no way near!
I wake up early around 6, took bath! Got ready and visited Krishna bhagwan and sat there for one hour, I told him please give me a clue weather or not she is the one! When I was about to leave, I said, I love him and please show me the way, like I always do! I came back home! Talked to mom, she was not happy with me for not trimming my beard! She has also ordered some table accessories for her which was supposed to delivered yesterday but was postponed! My mom asked me to pay and do not let her pay any how!
I left the home at around 8:30 AM and decided to buy her favorite sweet “Cheena Toast” but the all the sweet shop were closed. Took the Metro to Areocity, while in Airport metro, she messaged me is the plan still on! Wow! My mind wanted to write something sarcastic but I replied with “I’m in metro and will reach in next 10 minutes!” I reached Aerocity at around 9:45 AM and called her, he was boarding the metro! So, with a lot of time, I decided to dry run the plan one more time, I visited the all places and went back to metro and stood outside for 30 minutes for her! Thank God it’s not other way around!
While, I was in metro and she messaged me, my brain flashed one of the memories of the her, very first status I saw of her, she at a small coffee house, and my heart said she will come in same outfit! fast forward an hour, there she was in the exact same outfit! I could not believe me my eyes and for a moment thought it’s a dream! I asked in my head, Krishna Bhagwan is this a omen? Is she the one? Is the search over? Is she the better half?
She comes out
There are few memories in our life that are imprinted on our brain forever, for me this was — The moment I lay my eyes on her, she was walking out of Aerocity metro station in the same outfit that I just imagined few hours back! not a Bollywood fan, but when I first saw her it was like when a camera focuses on object with everything else fading, I could only see her and everything else has faded away, I was completely mesmerised. She was wearing a yellow hoodie, that has earphones attached to it, blue jeans and blue shoes! Her hairs were open and she was carrying a side bag and her eyes were looking down. She look beautiful with red “Tika” on her forehead. She has also visited temple, just like me. For the moment, my brain shuts down and only focuses on looking at her with utter disbelief and still trying to process what just happen and trying to soak the moment.
I literally wanted to bend down on my one knee and wanted remove my kada, doesn’t have the ring, and pop the question! But rationality took over, looking back on it now I should have done it. The very first words she said, “oh you haven’t shaved!”. God dammit, I should have! I should have! I should have! My mind keep screaming, you are an idiot!
The Day well spent and my plan in dustbin
She move passed me and I was still standing there like a statue, trying to process what just hit me! I turned and started walked along her! Our first conversation for that day started with, a photo for her having Sambhar party at her neighbor! My mind was trying to soak the voice to face combination that she was! I looked at the photograph but focuses only on her! While walking, I could only noticed, how tall she is! She is reaching up to my shoulders, being 6 foot tall and lean, there are guys who can’t even reach my chest and I could talk to her with a straight angle without looking down! When we reached near Lemon tree hotel, she told me very interesting fact that staff at lemon tree hotel are deaf and bind people that’s why she prefer to book this over any other hotel. You live and you learn everyday! I stayed at lemon tree for 2 days, in past , but never knew their cleaning staff was deaf and blind people! My brain was still trying to process the moment: the charming voice, happy face, hand movements, her walk facing me and excitement to talk to me! Wow! Am I dreaming or this is real! I was on cloud nine! Generally, in majority of situation, good or bad, my mind always plans the next move thinking what to do next — next target, next problem, or next place! Here, my brain decides to sit quietly and listen and shut down, when I needed him the most.
We entered the world trade mark and went down, because the coffee house was underground! We entered the coffee house and sat down on a table looked at the menu, I’ve had there coffee before and decides to order hot chocolate she told me, she doesn’t like hot chocolate and has tried everywhere including Starbucks with Sharma ji Zomato wale, but doesn’t like it all! So she decides to order a “Kambucha”. For a moment, my brain was like — you are crazy about coffee, and loves to convert people from tea to coffee person, and boast about it on WhatsApp statuses, here we are in a really fancy coffee house and you decides to order “not a coffee”. Wow, probably because she was full? Not sure, We stood up to pay and a fight broke off who’s gonna pay! The bill was around 550 INR, I had cash ready and she took out her card! I wanted to pay but she grabbed my hand! There, the touch barrier was broken. A electric current went through my body and I stood there 4–5 sec just looking my hand that she has grabbed! Her fingers holding my wrist tight! I completely, forgot what I was doing and what is going on? I came back to my sense and put all the money on counter for cashier but cashier, a girl in early 30s, decided to use her card and she had her victory and said “Yes, girl power”! I didn’t like that my prospect is paying for me for the first time we are meeting! Cashier gave us the bill and went went to sit on other table and she said “I don’t like when someone pays for me and I always and always pay!”. Neither do I madam, I never like when people pay for me! It is one thing that I hate the most! It’s a very strong reason for me to hustle harder in life. She took out her phone and decides to take a photo of bill for Magicpin, an app that gives you cashback!
She then reached out to her bag and grabbed two chocolates and gave it me, one almonds and another crackle, I also gave her the pen I bought and she just start reading the box of the pen and read “not for sale” instead of “only sale in India and Nepal”. She was also nervous. She then handed over her phone to me, it was an iPhone X 256GB. She have told me that she has bought it for 89k when everyone was expecting her to buy a cheap phone, something I wouldn’t do but I was impressed that she do stuff that make her happy. Something for me to consider, do things that makes you happy. When I clicked on power button, the screen lit up and there was the second omen, Krishna bhagwan with Radha rani a wallpaper with only lines but one can construe that is Krishna! My brain, to Krishna bhagwan what is it that you are doing to me! My eyes lit up and I looked up in her eyes, there were happiness and a sense of calm in her eyes! I don’t know what to say or do! So, I take out the back cover of her phone and started cleaning it and told some random crap about how I love the design and other features of her phone! My brain to me, Dude she owns that phone come on! She showed me her second phone a pixel, what are you trying to do mam run for president, who owns both Android and iOS! Typical me, took out the cover of the Pixel and said something even stupid, “I love the screen size and accent color power button of pixel”. She told me that her father is after pixel and wanted to her to give it to him!
She owns two phones, one for professional and one for personal use, to be precise iPhone for professional stuff and android for personal stuff. Our order arrives my hot chocolate and her “Kombucha”! Even before starting, she got so excited and decided to take a photograph, which she did. I tried my hot chocolate and my initial reaction was she was right, this is not good! She tried her Kombucha and her face was worth looking, like she drank some horrible witch portion and she said “Abe yaar, ye kya order kar diya mene”! I decided to take a sip of her drink, being courageous! I did take sip and believe me cough syrup tasted better that this. I told her she can leave it if she doesn’t like it! But she decided to drink it! After few sips, She told me, She has built a taste for it! After we were done, she took the menu and jumped from her chair to ordered Affogato, something I’ve never heard or tried before. I asked her about it and she told me it was expresso shot with vanilla ice cream! That’s when I realized, she loves Italian food. It was exactly what it was! A glass with a small scoop of vanilla and a expresso shot and before eating she decides to took a picture! I added a little expresso and she tried it first and asked me to try it! I did try it and the flavor of expresso and vanilla was complimenting each other perfectly! I loved the combo! While I was eating it, she said — you are only eating ice cream and poured entire expresso in the glass and never took another bite!
I imagined my life, she will order all the food will try it and pass it on to me to finish! My brain told me, you will be 150 Kgs Ganda (Rhino) while she will be tall, lean and fit! Buddy, it’s high time to start hitting the gym if you want her to remain married to you!
After Affogato, we were done and move out of the coffee shop and went up! She immediately got too excited and walked into Café Delhi Height and told me she went there with her very close friend and told me you are having “Numbu Anar Shikanji” and ordered it without waiting for yes and no from me! My mind wanted to snatch her card and keep it with me and tell her, you will not pay from now on but heart said if she doesn’t like it don’t be a jerk! You have all you life to pay for her and you will! Let her pay for this and suck it up your insecurity! While, we waiting she told me she had ordered it before and her friend has ordered something else she end up drinking her drink. She also told me, she is good with looking at the food combination and tell what will work and what doesn’t! She said and I quote “You have to imagine the taste in your head”.
While we were waiting for the drink, we sat down and she told there are free complimentary bread and butter, she asked one of the waiter to bring the bead and we started having it! The drink came in go to cup and we left the restaurant. With me a cup in my hand, I offered her the first sip and she said “No, I bought it for just for you!” I was touched for a moment! No one has ever said it to me, other than my parents of course! The Drink was really good, girl has a great sense and talent with food. We then went on to explore some stands selling random stuff inside Worldmark! We went to a stand that was selling earrings and started looking at some and I asked her do you like earrings and she told me she loves buying earrings and asked me to take a guess of the price. I was flabbergasted, out of nervousness I said 700, she asked the price and it was 1400. She said earrings are expensive and put it down. My mind, she like earrings and Payal noted.
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We then went to a stall selling stationary stuff and she told me about her nephew and many things about him. we did look at some cool stationary product which was fun to look at. Sharper shaped as bus, rubber shaped as elephants and pencils. Out of the blue she turned around and saw “Farzi Café” and got too much excited and walked to the menu written on the blackboard, out of the café , and told me she went to the café with one for rich friend who is preparing for UPSE and tried “Ras Malai Tres leches” and pulled her phone out and fetched that photograph and told me about the price and photo. I first looked at her face which was more excited then ever, more charming than ever and her voice, you could feel the happiness in her voice. I could sit down and listen to her voice for rest of my life with zero complaint whatsoever.
We then walked Worldmark from start to finish multiple times and she just keep talking and telling me stuff with such enthusiasm — she likes light, she has the same flowerpot holder which her father bought. She keeps talking with her hands, she talks to me facing her body towards me and while I was walking straight. My Mind was completely engaged and has decided, it is out of service until she is around. I didn’t care where we were, what we were doing and what is the outcome. I was simply present there and was grateful for the day. Out of the blue, she saw one cool desert cart and jumped in and asking about menu and checked out few stuff and found out the the stuff she like has egg in it. I asked if she want something and the look on her face was something I could never forget. We then walked to see some more earning, I asked, do you want it? No, was the answer and we moved on.
We went down again, and she jumped into “Sugar and spice” cake shop again looking for something which she doesn’t find and came out with same energy. She then told me how she have a mastery of French language and how her French teacher doesn’t like her at first but she started liking her after she started performing well. She pulled her profile on Instagram and showed me French’s teacher profile and her pictures. I said the word croissant and she started correcting me with the proper accent. It’s kra not cro! Multiple times she literally signaled me to try again, with proper accent. My mind, if you ever visit France, she is all set. She then looked at “Krispy Kreme” and she jumped in and ordered a chocolate filled donut, she is so fast with payment and ordering things and my mind has decided to not to process information whatsoever and wanted me act like a scumb bag. She then took the photo of bill and donut. She said dig in! I did tried it, but I don’t like donuts and so was the case here. I ate a small bite and left the spoon and continued what I had been doing for the entire day! Look at her, She didn’t have any makeup on or anything special for the day! I was completely flabbergasted by the simplicity but I wanted to confirm so said something really stupid! “You should try some makeup! You will look beautiful”. After few days, she did took it as an insult. But I don’t want to insult her! How can I? Disrespecting a girl is the biggest sin in the eyes of Krishna! I never meant too and I will never disrespect anyone!
After finishing the donut, we went up with the accelerator stairs and on the left was my office and I showed it to her and asked her if she wanted to come in and see my office! She said no and on the right was Social café, she got so excited and told me that “Social offer free fries if we submit our phones”. She then rushed inside and asked from a waitress “Is disconnect offer still on ?” Waitress responded negatively and the offer has been discontinued. I said if she wanted, we can have something here but she replied no and we went out. My mind said, ask her the plan — ask her to travel to a nearby garden for boating. Tell her we can talk about anything there! She went inside another café which offer some drinks and cold salads. She did looked at the menu and asked me weather I want anything! While I wanted to ask her for the boating she wants me to pick a cold sandwich or a cold Salad! Thank God! This time she didn’t bought anything from me, because everything at display looked horrible! We went out of that café and my brain was screaming in my head, “Do something you goddam idiot, she want her man to lead! Ask her for the boat ride ?”
This time I mustered the courage to ask her and she saw “Chaayos” and told me her family has visited it very often and she gets free tea every now and then. Before I knew, She was inside at the counter asking me do I want some tea? I replied no because, I was feeling uncomfortable with her paying for everything and I was not in the mood to drink anything. I already had so much liquid, my bladder can only hold so much! She asked the waitress weather the taco has onion, because I don’t eat anything that has onions. Cashier replied otherwise and she placed the order, I was having a Taco now instead of paddling the boat and munching on things she paid. We stand down on a table where she first sitting right next to me, unit the order arrives, she showed me pictures from her phone of Diwali celebration with her family and holi celebration. Oh, she has created a ton of email-ids just to store photographs and her videos! She also showed mr How iPhone can animate few selected photos with press of a button and showed me ton of reels that she created using the feature.
She then showed the video of her nephew when he was about to born, which is also created by her, on youtube. She told me that how she use to tell new Sister in law tummy, her unborn nephew, to not to come on 31 because that’s her birthday and she doesn’t want to share it with anyone. FYI, Her birthday are a big deal and she wants all the fuss for her birthday. The order came and she went on to receive it. It was a taco which did have onions in the filling! I told it to her and did not wanted to eat it further but she just said, “Bhagwan ji meri koi galti nahi hai, mene pucha tha”! My heart melted and I finished it, only because of her, sorry Krishna Bhagwan but gave a lot omens today. We talked about some more random things and it was already 4:30 PM. We walked out and she told me the people behind our table was pitching for funding! I did noticed that it was funding for some crypto wallet. We walked towards Starbucks and she said we are having Starbucks. I did what I had been doing for the entire day! Walked right after her and every time she pays, I wanted snatch her card and say I’m done it is me who it paying or I’m leaving! But how can I leave the girl who has put a mark on me like no other. I’ve been hypnotized and my mind was not in control of my body it was my heart who was!
She ordered the most expensive coffee for me in the Starbucks that costed 430 INR, I was like what 430 on coffee! I just bought a coffee machine that costed me 3900. She ordered her self a Pink lemonade! She also asked the cashier to add 1000 INR to her Starbucks card and she was talking to the cashier like they are friends forever! She looked me and smiled, a memory that I could never forget that face, that happiness! We went inside and sat down on a corner table.
I asked her about school days and if she is the most successful girl in the class to my surprise she said no, and name a girl Kriti from her class that is currently an Angel investor and has went on to do MBA from Harvard and went to IIT Bombay and is married to a AIIMS doctor. She quickly showed me her profile on LinkedIN and said something which I could never forget. “I could have done more if I was more confident”. She also told me that there was a girl in her class that told everyone that she is studying into the EWS quota and she self confidence crumbled for years. Even though, she was capable to take on everyone but couldn’t due to the trauma.
I looked at her and she was looking somewhere else probably lost in her thoughts. I wanted to change the topic so, I said “ I could have achieve the gold medal in INOI if I had someone to guide me! I believe, I need to sit with our kids , my mind: our kids is this mean she’s the one?, and do the JEE/NEET/Olympiad with them. Study JEE/NEET/Olympiad with them to be that mentor that I never had. She nodded and said, she will ask her kids for the medal and she doesn’t care weather academically or sport. She wants medals in her home. Which I was totally impressed by, Like I was already not enough. She went up and said she wanted to use the restroom and will be back in 2 min. She went up and moved to restroom, my mind was like you have made such bad impression on her. You should have asked her for the boat ride, their you could have talked about your future together rather than you trying to munch off on her money. God, I hate it when someone pay for me!
She came back with her hairs open and I was looked at her when she opened the door and walked in. Wow! she is pretty on all side, Physically, mentally and spiritually! She came and took her seat and I could now look at her face without saying anything. But my bladder was screaming on top his strength and need to be emptied out ASAP. So I excused myself and went to relieve myself, I went to the bathroom and all I was thinking was — There goes my plan in dustbin you wanted to walk with her in park and do the boating! Guess what, not gonna happen. I came out and went to the table, after washing my hands of course, to see she was texting someone, as soon as I sat down she put her phone away and folded her hand on the table and looked at me. She was not that happy or excited anymore. My mind to me — you see, you have screwed up dude. I asked her weather everything is okay! She asked me to let’s go and We went up and left the coffee house. I really though she was done for the day and will ask me to leave for the home! Oh boy! I was so wrong.
We walked and went down and all of a sudden the energy was back the girl I’ve been seeing for the entire day is back she jumped to “Bikanerwala” and order “Aloo tiki” and “Papdi chat” and two pastries Chocolate Truffle and Ras Malai Pastry, my mind to me: she loves ras malai take a note of it. She asked the server to warm the pastry, what warm a pastry never seen or heard this before. I was waiting for a shock. I helped her this time to bring all the food to the table and I only took few bites of Tikki and chat! She devoured them like she has not eaten for hours, which make sense because she didn’t for the entire day. But the magic happened when I tasted that Truffle pastry, it’s warm gooey, chocolate pastry. Wow! Never had this before, it was fantastic! I didn’t hesitate to tell her so. She then, told me the story how she used to fulfil her desires by giving tuitions and how a cake shop actually asked her to warm the truffle pastry! Very well then!
We then finished our meal and left for the metro. All the time back to station she keep saying how I’m not 6 feet tall, What proof do you need lady! You are wearing sports shoes and I’m wearing flat sneakers! You are already 5.8 add 2 inch of shoes height you are already 5.10. How Am I suppose to look tall to you! She also told me that the uncle, who live next to her home, is 6.1 and super tall. Okay, I’m not 6 is that what you want to hear!
When we reached metro station she told me, her mom will kill her if she does bring the photograph of us together. hO, I offered to ride with her till Dawark Sec 21, opposite route for me, just to spend some more time with her.So she took her phone out and asked one stranger to click the photograph. Just outside the metro, she stood next to me and put her hand in pocket, I followed through and guy took multiple photos, handed over the phone and left immediately, probably doesn’t want to take more photos.
Metro arrived and we sat down together, she was sitting on the inside seat and I was on the outside. She bend down on her legs and was looking at me. I got so nervous that I said she has moustache, she doesn’t like that. But I do and say stupid stuff all the time, what new here. She then handed over the phone and asked me to take few more photos. Which I did. The station arrived and we both stood up to leave, I walked her till blue line and while climbing up she said, she has ordered Kumkumadi Tel for her skin and has ghee soaked with rosemary for the benefits. That has nice. I dropped till the stairs, but my heart said to go sit with her and travel to Rajiv chowk from blue line, read 1.5 hrs! I could have totally done that but I backed out because of decency. I’m meeting her for the first time, what will she think of me, well she now does think to good either.
I really really wanted to hug her that day, but she offered hand and we shook hand for some 5 seconds and then she started walking down. I stood there for some time and when she reached down I left my way.
While in my metro, My mind was re-running the entire day in my head and I was smiling a mile wide and thinking, How I could not execute what I planned for the day. I also calculated all the money she shelled for the day and messaged her the amount. My brain is crazy when it comes to money. She asked me not to tell it to my mother that she spend this much money. I also told her that I didn’t like when people pay for me and joke about how I munched on her money all day and sending a message at the end of the day that It’s not okay! But to be honest, I don’t like when anyone pay for me, other than if it’s a corporate party.
Checking all the boxes
She once told me that her pervious prospect told used to talk to her because she checks all the boxes, earns well, want to live with parents, is religious, have not dated and much more.
Does she checks all my boxes, yes she does! I don’t want money, I already got plenty and my wants are reduced to nothing, more money can not make me happy, is religious to be honest, it does make a different not that much. have not dated much, not a big factor if she is not hung on them.
What really checked my boxes are — her simplicity, her child like behaviour, her enthusiasm, that charm in her eyes. Her strong will that whatever she puts her mind to she can do it. She nature to go get it. She kindness and willing to live the life that god has blessed with. Most importantly she enjoys and do things like a child, she talks to everyone like they are their friends. Wow! I was bold, after a very very very long time. I really found someone whose company I really enjoyed.
Just like that the rendezvous ended! Not with a bang but with a lot of memories for life and a day for the books!
I thank Krishan Bhagwan for such a beautiful day! May he bless us with more such coming days, at least I thought so!
