Seven Year Itch

I don’t know when I fell for her, all I remember is she had always been my dream girl. And no it was not love at first sight, it was love at first mention. From the moment I heard of her, I wanted to make her mine.

I wooed her unlike any other girl I wooed – after all she was the one. I spent nights pining for her, I took advice from people experienced in the matters of heart. I rehearsed my lines, I learned to tie the perfect knot, I pressed my clothes, I polished my shoes, and I was ready to meet her. In total it took two chat sessions and four dates for me to win her heart. I even remember the date when we got engaged – 19th July, 2004.

Nearly a year later, on 11th July, 2005 I took the vows. We had a rocking relationship. The nights were as passionate as the days, if not more. The weekends were spent together. The romance was alive and kicking. Of course we had our ups and downs but then who doesn’t? We stuck through each trough to celebrate the peak.

There were times when the ebbs were more and the highs kept coming further apart. Maybe that was the reason, maybe we had just crossed the expiry date of our relationship, maybe the declining romance was the reason, maybe it was because now I preferred to spend my weekends with myself, or maybe it was a collection of all these that pushed me to look for gratification outside the wedlock.

I wooed many, most trampled my heart; but I did find love again. The other girl and I professed our love for each other and decided to get hitched. But I had to set the past free. It was not an easy task, you do not take a relationship of 75 months and just flush it down the drain. It wasn’t easy, but it had to be done. After few long discussions we decided it was for the better and filed for separation. Thankfully it was an amicable separation and I would like to believe we are still friends.

I had heard of the 7-year itch, I got hit by the 7th year itch. Coming Monday, I will be getting hitched again.

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And so a 6+ year long journey with my first company comes to an end.

Tale of a Marriage…

… in the form of subjects of emails to a community forum.

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filter - from:"K. Ravi" label:community-forum

Sender	Subject	Date
K. Ravi	Pointers to travel agents who manage foreign trips	Jun 08
K. Ravi	i10 vs WagonR vs UVa – any opinions?	Oct 08
K. Ravi	Weekend getaways around Hyderabad?	Feb 09
K. Ravi	Need contact of good astrologers in Hyderabad	Jan 10
K. Ravi	Need information regarding Birth Stones	Feb 10
K. Ravi	Any place where we can go for a day-trip from Hyd?	Jun 10
K. Ravi	Looking for a priest who can do Gruh-Shanti Pooja	Sep 10
K. Ravi	Looking for a priest who can do Satyanarayan Pooja	Oct 10
K. Ravi	Pointers to good Marriage Counselors in Hyderabad	Dec 10
K. Ravi	How to transfer ownership of car from wife to husband	Feb 11
K. Ravi	How to convert a joint home loan to single person loan	Feb 11
K. Ravi	Need pointers to lawyer specializing in Marital Cases	Mar 11
K. Ravi	Selling household stuff	Apr 11
K. Ravi	Looking for roommates	May 11

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P.S.: This is a purely experimental format of writing a short-story. Inspired by an email I received in a community forum.
And obviously, this is pure fiction

Hunter

There he was. Finally I had found my prey. But he was moving fast, and to hit a moving target is always difficult. Ask anyone who has played Quake3, and he’ll concur. But what is a kill without some difficulties? It is always easy to hit a stationary target, where is the fun in that? I intoned, ‘Challenge accepted’ and determined his line of motion, his speed, and decided on the specific point where I would take him.

My timing would have to be perfect, a split second difference, or a small hesitation and the prey would get away unscathed.

He was getting close to the kill zone; I would have a window of few seconds to complete the deed. I looked around and found nobody else in vicinity – made my escape a lot easier.

Five steps and he would be in the kill zone; I gunned for it. I revved my bike, hit the top gear, and as soon as he was adjacent to the water puddle my bike screamed through it. In the rear-view mirror I saw his white trousers gain many brown polka dots.

I smiled, that was satisfying! Time to hunt for a new prey.

A Cricketing Tale

He looked determined, ready to prove himself. He had beat me the previous delivery with a ball that came in sharply. He was short in stature, and was using that to his advantage by skidding the ball.

He started his run-up, expertly hiding the ball in his hand, glided to the crease and tried to reach escape velocity as he jumped to deliver the ball. He landed hard, and the ball left his hand with the seam scrambled.

It headed towards the leg stump, and I attempted a flick. The ball beat me for pace and I heard the timber shattering. The leg stump lay uprooted.

The bowler howled in delight and started his customary dance on claiming any wicket. I rearranged the stumps and as he finished his dance, I picked the ball and threw it back to him, pointing to him the start of the run-up. He dejectedly walked back, and I marked my guard once again.

Being an elder brother sure had its advantages.

It’s My Time

How could this have happened? She noticed me! Me? The ravishing beauty of my class is actually seeing me.
Nah, I must have imagined it? Why would I, of all the people, interest her? Leave it.

Nope, I did not imagine it. She looked at me again.
But, that’s not possible. There must be someone else behind me. Ignore it, concentrate on the lecture.

How can I concentrate when my heart is galloping along and forcing my eyes in her direction? Again… she looked here again. And I am sitting near the wall; there is no one behind me. She is surely checking me out.
Damn it! What do I do? I should have read the book “Dating for Dummies” and that article “How to talk to her”

I think I should smile. After all she has been staring at me for a while now. I would be the hero of the college if I can manage to go out with her. I’ll smile.
Why is she frowning? Must be something else. I’ll smile again.

Why is she looking flustered? Why does she seem reluctant to meet my eyes? And why is she pointing over my head?
Ah! The clock.

—–

This is fiction, except for the parts that aren’t!
Inspired by a true incident; the protagonist is a good friend