She was 29 almost touching 30, working and UNMARRIED. She had recently just broken up with her boyfriend because he had cheated on her again. No worries at all, she was fine and happier in her life to have finally chucked him out of her heart.

Marriage? That wasn’t something in her cards but yes she was almost 30 years old. What happens normally, happened to her too: her parents telling her every day to get serious with searching for a guy and that she needed to get settled soon.

With her recent break up, she really was hardly in the mood of finding someone. Yes, she heard about arranged marriage before and that it wasn’t so bad. So she thought to herself, why not give that a shot since she was anyway not ready to find someone by herself.

One day when she got a call from her mother she finally said, “Okay mom, I’ll see the guys who you have chosen for me.”
Her mom replied excitedly, “Okay, so tomorrow you are going and meeting one of them! I like him the most but I won’t force you so you see him. Tell us what you want afterwards.”

“Alright”, she answered but unable to match her excitement.

She just couldn’t figure out what arranged marriages meant. How do you force yourself to fall in love with someone?

The next day she dressed up and went to a restaurant. He must have probably seen her picture because as soon as she entered, he approached her.

“Hi! I’m Abhiman. Tanvi right?”

“Oh hiiii, I was looking for a guy in a white shirt as mom had described but I entered and saw so many guys in white shirts.” She smiled and continued, “YES! I am Tanvi”.

Now she did feel the excitement. She thought to herself, not bad. He was this Irish-looking guy. Of course he was Indian. She’d be very surprised if her mother actually picked out a gorgeous Irishman. She had watched the movie P.S: I Love you so many times and always fantasised about an Irish husband though she never went any close to Irishmen. But this guy, he was a well chosen one.

They sat down, but there came her first disappointment. She would have loved it if he had pulled out the chair for her or may be just waited for her to sit first. But that’s okay, she thought. Maybe I’m expecting too much. She was happy that this handsome guy, 6 feet 2 inches tall, well built body (may be there was a six pack hiding under his shirt). He had a dimple when he smiled and as a bonus he even looked Irish. Here he was in front of her to be that, what do they call it? “The One”. How easy could life get?!

She thought that maybe she should have just let her mom search for guys all her life.

“So how was your day?” He asked.

“It was a busy start, I had to convince my boss that I’ll do all the work I had for the day in 4 hrs, so that I could get here in time for lunch.” She answered. “How was yours?”

He replied, “Same thing everyday. I work for a company abroad so work starts at 8 pm and by 3 in the morning, I’m back home. So I sleep by 5 and get up when it’s lunch time for everyone. So my day actually just started now.”

She knew this wasn’t a life she particularly wanted. Who would want a husband who is out the whole night and is sleeping when you are awake?

“Okay, so how long are you going to work for them, any plans of shifting jobs?” She asked curiously.

“No, not atleast for the next 7-8 yrs.” He answered.

“So what’s your plan otherwise, like work-wise?”

“I’m happy with this job, I don’t really have any plans. Even after we get married this is how it’s going to be.”

Wait, she thought, what did he just say? Did I even mention that I’m okay with the marriage thing with him?

The waiter took their order, the food was served. It wasn’t bad so she had a good distraction and the conversation continued like a normal chat that two new individuals would normally have.

Suddenly, “Hey! Waiter!” he called out. But he did not just stop there. He snapped his fingers too and when the waiter didn’t answer, he continued, “Oi! HEY! Oi! Bring the salt!”

What the hell was that! But it only got worse. Her eyes went to his plate. He was shabby. He had probably not ever learn to hold his fork and knife. She looked at him once again when he spoke to the waiter who was taking the order for desert. He was eating, speaking and chewing with is his mouth open, all at the same time.

If she hadn’t realized it by then, she surely at that point she knew this was the first and last time with this guy. After that she didn’t care how the rest of the meal was going to go. She just knew that she had to eat, drive home and take a fiesta and enjoy the half day that she got off from work after so long.

As soon as she said bye to the guy whose name she had forgotten already, she started her car and instantaneously got a call from her mom.

Before her mother could say hi, she blurted out “Hello, disgusting choice, he was horrible! Oh my god, he was really horrible ma, I can’t believe this was your choice!”

“What happened?” Her mom asked.

“Cow happened!” She answered.

“What?”

“Cow! He chews like a cow! He calls out to waiters like a cow! He is dazed in life like a cow! Wait, I’m just going to drive. I’ll call you when I reach home. By the way, did you even meet him before?”

Her mom answered feeling like a victim to mockery, “No, not really. I saw his snaps. He earns quite a lot and he is from a good family. Very good parents and ….”

“And disgusting child! Ok, ok, bye I’ll speak to you later.”