Valentines Week, from a different perspective

One of my friends updated his fb status “sucks being single espcly ven flavr of the month is love...” Well, amen to that!

It is really that time of the year when one can sense romance and excitement in the air. It's the second week of February and the sales of soft toys have rocketed, restraunts and malls are more crowded than they usually are, there is a house-full signboard even for a run-of-the-mill movie, an obvious spurt in the sales of Archies cards, chocolates, gifts … (and condoms). People are revelling in the romantic vibes all around them.

Valentine’s Day in Delhi starts much before 14^th February. Boys start saving since mid-January or borrow money from friends to buy their girlfriends that costly black dress she obliquely demanded or that earring he always wanted to gift her, even if it means sacrificing entire month’s salary. Ahhh... maintaining a "delhi girl" is never easy! Those who have decided to take their chances with someone do the same, with the hope that an expensive gift will give a thrust to their love proposal. The adept ones know that ‘when’, ‘where’ and ‘how’ matter more than ‘what’. Girls, on the other hand, wait anxiously for those expected surprises from their boyfriend (hopefully singular) or from the cute boy at their school/college who they know has been eyeing them for sometime. Girls who carry the epithet of “single” feel that the world revolves around them..... and it kind of does ;) call it the effect of dwindling gender ratio or simply less number of beautiful girls available for large number of not-so-good-looking guys; the competition is cut throat. And thus the rule- you gotta be smart, you gotta be fast!

But that is not the central idea of this article. My protagonist here is that poor chap (let’s say Pappu), sitting on the steps of the amphitheatre of the Central Park at Cannaught place, who wonders- as he watches other couples walking around hand in hand, sitting, some more than just sitting (wink wink), sharing jokes, taking snacks….lost in each other’s eyes- Why am I the only loser in the world who doesn’t have a girlfriend? How is it that I am the only person who is not good enough to have a girl beside me? What is it that I lack, or worse, what is it that I have that repels girls away? Ok I am not a stud, fine….i don’t have a heavy pocket either but that can’t be the reason....... there still are girls who like boys for who they are. Ummm…maybe I am not too confident with girls..yeah that could be it. Yeah so that’s the reason.

The introspection does reach a conclusion followed by a dishonest condolence to self that being single is after all not that bad...I mean I have my space, I get the time to read my favourite book, watch the movies that you can never watch with a girl (not porn), watch all the football/cricket I want to, spend all my money on myself…plus no one cavils to me for not having messaged them in 3 hours, I don’t issue explanations to anyone for why I did not take their call in first 2 rings, my monthly phone bill is less than my weight and most importantly- I don’t have to come up with creative stories to questions like “Where were you this evening?” 
…. “Do you know her?”....and the INEVITABLE …“Do you still love me?” I don’t have to lie to “Does she look better than me?”…..”Do I look fat?”And “Would you leave me for her?”….And I don’t have to discover non-existent virtues in her when she asks in an innocent tone “What all do you like about me?”

And somehow he manages persuade himself into believing that the formalities and technicalities of a relationship far outweigh the sweet rosy feeling that it imparts. Though not all Pappus have such strong convincing power over themselves:-( . There are so many such Pappus in Delhi and elsewhere who feel left out during the Love Week. Some make their peace with the despondency and stigma of being single, some turn to latest computer games and television series/movies, a few even ring the temple bells and bribe the omnipotent. Nothing really works. They turn to their friend circle or best friend- but no luck here either; no one’s available….every one’s dating and our Pappu is back to square one- Why god. Why just me?

Or maybe the Pappu is not that luckless, his best friend is caring or maybe just out of shear courtesy he invites Pappu to join him and his gf at a movie/dinner/walk, and as desperate as Pappu is to get a break from the solitude, he jump in. Pappu finally has an evening of respite where he would have some company. But while he is actually at the walk/dinner/movie, he realises that he has gone invisible! The love birds are so into each other that it makes him feel virtually imperceptible and he blabbers to himself “Man, I don’t exist.” Pappu silently slips out and walks down to steps of the amphitheatre of the Central Park of Cannaught place………..and he wonders….

Friends, like I always request, do drop a few words of appreciation/criticism or just empathize with Pappu, in the comment box below. Remain blessed. :-)