Till Death do us apart... Can it?

"Some people never grow up.. As a kid, they have this ability of conjuring false stories around them.. And they keep holding on to it, even after they have grown up" ,said Pradhyumna to his young friend Swasthee. Swats was surprised and she queried, "Whom are you refering to..."
Prads didn't had to answer. All he did was point his finger at the cafe's entrance. There was Spandana, Swats good friend. Though she was intelligent, it seemed that she just told hard to believe real life experiences. And that day also she had a tale to tell.

Swats tried to make the environment a bit romantic and broached up a topic, "I love the atmosphere at the cafe. There are so many beautiful pairs.They seem to be made for each other..."
Prads rebuked the statement, "There is no such thing as 'made for each other'.All of them are 'mad for each other'. And you just can't say by looking at them that they are made for each other. You have to see their entire life as to how they live their life for each other"
Spandana agreed on that one, "That reminds me of my uncle Sudeep and his wife Ragini..."

Prads just smiled and whispered to Swats, "Shatabdhi express suro hogayii..." And no one dared to stop Spandana, "My aunt Ragini and uncle Sudeep came to the big bad city some five years back to settle down after they got married. Uncle Sudeep had got a job in the RTO. They were looking for a home to be called their own." As if to irritate Prads, Spandana broke into a song, "Do deewane sheher mein... abudhana dhoondthe hain." Prads chose to remain silent after observing her very long polished nails.
Spandana's story suddenly turned mysterious after the song, "At the first house,my uncle experienced something very strange. He felt as if he was being smocked by some invisible forces. He felt it hard to breath.My uncle felt some extreme heat inside the building. The broker got them out of the apartment and into the open air..."
Prads had to comment, "May be... he got the premonition of his wife choking him to death on his failure to gift her on their first wedding anniversary"

Spandana was totally absorbed in the story, "A minute after they walked out of the apartment, the whole apartment went up in flames. The broker was shocked and thanked my uncle for saving his life and also commented, 'You are gifted and able to foresee the danger...' But my uncle thought otherwise and said that it was just a coincidence."
Prads smiled at the way she was building up the story, "And you too are gifted...."

Spandana continued her 'real' story, "If a strange thing happens once, it should happen again. So it did...My aunt and uncle were showed another apartment which was still at the construction stage...And this time my uncle felt something sharp and heavy fall on his head and that too from great heights. There was no injury marks, but my uncle just couldn't explain the pain he was going through. They took him to a side tea stall. Before even they could take a sip of their tea, they heard a deafening sound. They looked across the road and saw that a huge pane of glass which was being lifted by a crane to be fixed on the eleventh floor fell onto the ground crushing some bystanders"
Prads. criticized Spandana's story, "Are you are just telling the story to entertain us? or does it really have anything to do with the statement 'Made for each other'?"

Spandana cleared her thought, "Listen completely!!! My Uncle thought that this was far more than premonition. His mind started giving him crazy ideas. He got the feeling that maybe death was after him.If this went on, then his life would be hell and so would be the life of his dear wife ragini who has to bear with it all."
Prads knew the next part, "And so he decided to make the sacrifice and leave his wife... Love triangle hain kya? I mean... tumhare aunt ka koi purana boyfirend tha..."
Spandana, "No! For her uncle was the world.. But my uncle refused and left her and started staying alone.And then one day he got the news that his wife has met with an accident and was in a critical condition. He immediately run to the hospital. There he saw a blackish apparition that no one else present there were able to see...It was death himself... And it talked to my uncle..."

Prads couldn't control himself laughing, "Spandana! Thank you very much. Though I am thirty two, many say I just look like sixteen years. You must have taken them seriously"
Spandana was more focused on the climax of her story "Death like any typical bollywood villain had to tell my uncle his scheme, 'You are such a fool... I was always after your wife... but because of your selfless love, your soul was able to foresee the danger and save her life every time I came close to her... but your mind ditched you completely by depicting the picture that you could bring her some harm... and you believed it and deserted your wife making my job very easy...Why can't u be like that hero who said 'Ek baar jo maine commitment kar diâ...uske baad toh main khud ki bhi nahin sunta!' You shouldn't have listened to yourself"
Prads laughed and slowly whispered to Swats, "The movie 'Wanted' released just a year ago...as far as I know"
Spandana didn't hear it as she had completely lost hold of the real word "Just then doctor came in and with a dull face showered the bad news to my uncle that Ragini was showing unexpected changes in her health conditions and it was impossible to treat her. At that time my uncle began to experience some changes in health and he got suddenly ill and started sweating profusely as if his blood pressure rose...My Uncle maintained his pose and said to the doctor, "Gosh! Please put me on observation... by observing me, you will know what dangers await her in advance and accordingly you can treat her. As you have no other alternative, you need to agree on this one"
Prads started loving the crazy story, "And the rational doctor believed it and started treating Ragini by observing changes in your uncle . Must be first such case in medical history ..."
Spandana smiled, "Yes... and then they saved her... Death put his tail between his legs and departed from the scene..."
Swats put an end to the story ,"And they lived happily till death did them apart...
err I mean.. It can't..."

Prads paid the bill and prepared to leave, "Spandana, I don't know what you will become in life. But one thing is for sure.. U will be a great mother who will put her kids to bed very easily with some very 'real life experiences'"

Sajjanre Jhoot Math Bolo...

"Don't wait for things to happen.. make them happen"
Swats believed in the quote and she wanted to bring love into the life of her good friend Pradhyumn or Prads. She was trying her best though providence didn't seem to support her.The girl she had in her mind was her senior Spandana. Their first meeting was disastrous (Read here). But Swats was not to be dejected by such incidents . So she whisked away Prads once again and this time to spandana's home to meet her family.

Prads opened the heavy gates to her home and kept his left foot first. And then a frantic young man came running out of the house and fled past them, all the time yelling like a madman, "I thought I was going to see a angel. But there is a devil inside which feeds on human parts.." Swats felt a little odd and sensed that it was very bad timing. Looking at the young man who was happy to see the open gates, Prads crooned humorously (from the eagles hotel california) pointing at the house, "You can check out any time you want, but you can never leave..."

It definitely was not a Ghost House as they found worried parents on the Sofa and a full-bindas girl who has come of marriagble age, Spandana, in front of the computer. Prads who was neither young nor old was able to read the plight of the parents, "Another proposal rejected by your girl?" Before they could answer, Angry voice of Spandana filled the entire house, "I didn't reject him.... You will never believe as to what happened here before you guys moved in... " and she narrated the story

"When I was told that a boy called Sajjan was coming to see me, I was confused. As a young girl, I also dreamed of love and marriage. But I also dream of being independent and being self sufficient. So I turned to the net for help. And exactly on the strike of twelve, a fairy god mother appeared....on my google chat window and after hearing my story handed me the first edition of Pinocchio and like our family priest, advised me, 'Light a lamp in front of this book and read this story 12 times before next day morning and see the results' I didn't question her and did as I was instructed to do...

Next day, the bridegroom appeared and he failed to sweep me off my feet. I kept my mouth shut and eyes fixed on the clock hoping to see his back at the earliest. But my good parents vacated the room allowing us much unwanted privacy to speak our hearts out. And it seemed, whenever he opened his mouth, he said only things in his praise and that too, lies, 'I did my Ph.d In Economics from Win-Cheaters University and now working for the logistics department for a health-care facility in States. Though I am working abroad for a long time, I have not picked up any bad habits like smoking and drinking.' Suddenly Sajjan's nose began to shrink. And I began to laugh out aloud realizing that fairy god mother was working her spell. The spell was a newer version and with some modification - whenever the guy lies, his nose would shrink rather than grow.

Seeing me smile, the modern day Pinocchio started making confessions,'Hmm... I do smoke but not more than 2 smokes a day... I do drink but only when there is a occasion to do so..." The nose shrank further and that had me in complete splits. Cupid struck the boy as he admitted, "You have a beautiful smile. I loved those dimples. I have never seen a girl with such a beautiful smile..." And I laughed more not for his silly romantic lines but for his fast shrinking nose. I wanted to see them disappear

So I put forward my feelings, "I am not expecting a perfect boy with no vices whatsoever. All I want from my boy is not take the name of his old girlfriends in front of me and to be at home before the sun sets and be faithful to me..." And the boy dropped to his knees and proclaimed and it looked to be taken directly from his curriculum vitae, 'If I get appointed as your husband, I promise to serve you with utmost faith and love and so on... ' and I went 'Wow' as I saw his nose nearing to its extinction from his face.

I had to reject the proposal and did it in a cool manner,"Don't take me wrong. But I feel you are desperate and isliye lying all the way. I want someone who is more truthful and one who speaks his hearts out without being afraid....I hope you are not hurt' Sajjan was really hurt yet lied, 'No! Its okay. Your life and your choice.'...."
And before Spandana could complete the story, Prads interrupted with a stern voice, "And his nose completely disappeared. He realized this as he went to the washroom to wash his REAL tears. The frightened guy just let out shrieks and ran out of the house...Rite???"

Spandana was dipped in the pleasure she was deriving from the story, "Yups! Exactly!"
Spandana's mother had prepared a cake for the occasion and Spandana wanted to celebrate and she started with the outer cream. That's when Prads bluntly said, "Do you think I would digest this stupid story of yours? Why it couldn't be that you got tired of his lies and just landed a punch on his face?"
Spandanda looked at him with the cream filled hand which stopped midway to her mouth, "No! I didn't do anything like that...."
Prads laughed and said, "Look! your nose has already started shrinking"
Spandanda placed her cream filled hands on her nose and she looked no different than a buffoon from the local circus.

Is this called 'Falling in Love' ?

Swasthee or Swats had promised her friend Spandana that she would come down to pick her up. So even if it was eight o clock she was there at the station. Very courageous. Any girl would be when she has a elderly friend like Pradhyumna or Prads besides her. And when the train finally arrived, Swats had a wise comment to be made which was definitely picked from somewhere,"Now I know what does IST mean... Indian Stretchable Time..." As soon as the train arrived, Prads was made the coolie and the luggage got shifted from the train to the bus. They still had some sixty kilometers to covered by the bus.

Spandana looked still energetic and instead of taking a little nap, she took up another book and started reading it.Definitely the book was not some paper back novel.Rather it had such heavy words like finance and commerce that made Swats jaw drop and eyes feel sleepy. She turned towards Prads and saw him selecting some songs on his music player.

Girls sometimes get strange ideas and what is even strange is that the Lord Almighty says yes to it. Looking once at Prads and then at Spandana, Swats started dreaming of prads falling in love with Spandana.And like the witch in the old siticom bewitched, she twitched her nose. And it seemed to work though not as Swats would have liked it. Prads felt that music could be better enjoyed with lights switched off and asked the driver of the bus to do ao.

When the lights got switched, Spandana's moods also got switched. Now anger was written all over her face as she shouted at the conductor, "Abhe Andhe! Can't you see... I am reading...#@^*&%~ "
Prads was amazed by the language of Spandana. Swats looked at Prads' dumb-stuck face and expressed to herself, "Don't tell me that he is falling for her selection of abusive words"

Prads was a gentleman and said very gently "Madam! It is not at all healthy to read in a moving bus... and besides tat, I thought you must be really tired from the train journey... You should take some rest"
But Spandana was not the type who liked being told what was wrong and what was right, "Even in computers, I don't ever click the help button..."
Swats immediately gave a angelic smile and thought, "Dialogue maar rahi hain... is she trying to impress my handsome friend"
Spandana continued, "I know what's best for me... Keep your advice in your own pockets...Mind it, Idiot!!!!"

Prads who didn't raise his voice till now lost his cool, "Gosh! Why am I unnecessarily getting into a brawl with you, egoistic girl! Read a novel or do whatever you wish... I don't mind at all!!! Burn in hell!!!"
Swats was disappointed, "In the first rendezvous itself, they are cursing each other. Even those MLAs in the parliament are slightly better. How will love bloom in such a atmosphere. Oh God! I thought you said yes to my wish.."

Then she heard a voice in her mind.She was not sure it was her atma-sakshi(inner conscience) or the almighty himself answering her. But She felt it was God's voice because she heard a male voice answer her, "Haven't u seen those romantic bollywood movie.When somebody hates someone they think more of them... more than they would have had they loved them. And in the first rendezvous there should always be a war of words. Now they go home and yearn to see each other so that they can curse once again and would be waiting for the next time...This yearning would make them definitely come together once again and then see for yourself what would happen!!!"

Swats didn't like the waiting game but she couldn't do anything, "Damn You! God! You leave me with no choice."

She deserves better

Pradhyumna's parents were at Karthika's place discussing as to how the marriage proposal was to be finalized. Swasthee, being Prad's good friend should have been present there. But she was at the local beach with Prad's best buddy Surendra.

Surendra felt betrayed by his best friend Pradhyumna. He found Pradhyumna guilty of stealing his girl Ksrthika. Swasthee thought surendra may be suffering from a severe heartache and may need some consolation.

But Surendra was a strong person and said with a angelic face, "She got what she deserves..."
Swats still pricked him, "But don't tell me you are not mad at your best buddy"
Surendra said. "I think she deserved some one better than ma and Prads is the best choice..."
Swats was surprised by the words. At the same time she felt sad that her task was cut short.She loved the task of consoling muscular men who wept buckets in front of her.

Surendra carried forward the conversation, "A panchathantra story helped me to come out of this." Swats may have been transformed from a playful child to a beautiful girl a long time back but she was still a child in her heart and wanted to listen to the story. Surendra sat down for his story telling session,"There was a sage living near the banks of a river. Once he found a small rat and took some special care of it. The care turned into liking and he got the rat converted into a cute baby girl. The sage brought it up like his own child and gave it all the love and education. Soon, it turned to a beautiful girl and it was the time for its marriage. That's when sage decided that she had to get the best"

Swats was enjoying this story where the girl was the center of the attention, "Girls should be given all the attention. Did the sage arrange a swayamvara for her?"
Surendra shook his head, "More than that! The sage decided that the strongest one in the world should get the hands of his adopted girl. So he asked Adithya to make his presence felt there"
Swats good a bit confused, "Adithya chopra? maker of dilwala dulhaniya le jayenge... how is he powerful? He only makes young girls weak by making them dream a lot."
Surendra continued, "Adithya, the maker of days and nights. The largest of the stars, the sun himself. But the rat-girl refused vehemently saying 'he is too hot to handle'...."
Swats smiled, "She's right. Being hot is the quality of a girl not of a boy... she very well knew that..."

Surendra continued, "Adithya, the sun god thanked his stars and advised the sage on the powerful one he knew, 'It is the Megh-Raj, (Lord of clouds) who is the strongest... before him I am nothing... when he shows up on the horizon that too in his darkest form, he makes me go into hiding like Bush did to Osama..."
So Megh-Raj was summoned immediately. Megh-Raj came down and the rat girl's face showed her dislike, "He is too dark, Daddy!"
Swats broke into a song, "hum kaale hain tho kya hua... dil waala hain... Megh-Raj must have said something like that na..."
Surendra smiled a bit, "No! He is not a nautanki like you. Rather he was happy on the proposal getting quashed and advised the sage, "Dear learned one. I am not the strongest. When the winds come,I am nowhere to be seen... "

Surendra allowed the cool breeze to brush through his hairs before continuing the story, "But the girl refused the wind lord too saying, 'He is too chanchal...He doesn't stay at one place... how can I make him dance to my tune all the time... NO!... papa... No!. The wind lord looked at the girl and suggested the bride's father, "I think you have misjudged me. There is someone stronger than me. That is Parbath Singh (The Mountain Prince).When a mountain shows up on my path, I just bow down to him. Only poets say 'hum chatton ko heela saktha hain' I definitely cant."
Swats didn't disturb the flow of the story and was eagerly waiting to know the var the rat-girl had selected.
Surendra started the parbhat singh's tale, "Parbhat singh came on to the stage. The rat girl instantly took a dislike to him,"Father, look at him! His belly is showing up.If this is the state now, just think what would happen ten years from now. How can I go to parties with him without getting embarrased."

Swats found the girl a bit too choosy, "If she goes on rejecting offers like this, she may end up being a kuvari..."
Surendra was nearing the end of the story, "Parbhat singh was sad, but he decided to help the old sage and dispensed his advice, "She is right...I am big and fat and i am also not the strongest. I should be humble enough to accept this. A creature which is much much smaller than me makes me cry a lot.He makes thousand holes inside me and digs mud out of me... in a way he is taking the life out of me". The sage without even thinking spoke, "Who is that guy?" and sprinkling some water onto the air, he made the creature appear in front of him. And there was no bounds for girls joys as the creature appeared before her. The girl liked him immediately and instantly choose him as her husband, "Small, Short and simple. Nice eyes.. Nice teeth.. I love him" It was a male rat!!! The sage learned his lesson and with a sigh declared, "Whatever one does, one can't change the destiny. He will get only what he deserves. You deserve a rat and you got it."

Swats was not at all happy on hearing the climax of the story and she chased Surendra all aroung the place cursing him and shouting out loud, "How dare you address my good friend prads as a rat?"

I want to live....

Prads was traveling along with Swats to the place of Karthika, the new girl in his life. The public transport vehicle they were traveling in was much like a ghost vehicle with the driver at the wheels and the conductor at the other end and there were hardly ten passengers including Prads and Swats.
There was no music playing inside the vehicle.Yet Prads was lost in his own world. From the small coastal town, he went to the big bad city to the girl who had said goodbye to him. Swats realized this from his sober face and immediately got up and instructed the conductor to bring the vehicle to stop.

As Swats got down and the bus prepared to move,a speeding lorry came from the corner and just smashed the bus from the behind...reducing it to smithereens. Swats was left speechless by the site of the destruction. She just prayed that nothing would have happened to her good friend Prads.

But at the moment of collision, All thoughts came running to his mind. His life got replayed in front of him... specially the moments with the girl from the big bad city... the meeting, the exhange, the breakup and etc and etc and he yelled out "Gowthami...."
From heavens above and on the newly constructed four lane to the earth was coming, a white sedan with Yamadhoothas(Agents of death). They were driving smoothly and they were not aware of the vishnu doothas(guardian angels) who were just behind them in the bLUE maruthi omni. Yamadhootas didn't seem to take the warning, "objects appearing in the mirror may be closer than they appear" very seriously. But after some time, they realized that vishnudoothas were gaining speed. Yama dhootha's didn't want to lose a prey this time around and stepped on the gas and the chase ensued. Though they didn't had a advanced vehicle, the vishnu doothas had their lords name in their favor. One "jai shri raam" and their maruthi moved like a lighting and they touched the base. Before the yamadhoothas could even lay their fingers on Prads, vishnudoothas had formed a vyuha around the young man with their semi automatic weapons pointed at the yamadhootas

One of the yamadhootas spoke out, "Comon!!! Why this time around?.This guy is a not a ardent devotee of the almighty. He is just a wastrel.He wastes his time thinking of a girl who doesn't even care for his existence..."
Vishnudoothas spoked out, "That is selflessness,a good quality... loving someone without expecting to be loved back. And our lord is present in all good qualities" Swats who was nearby swung into action and shouted out, "That's not selflessness.. that's stupidity... yearning for something that cannot be achieved"
Yamadhootas loved it and asked her, "You should have been with us when we went to pick the souls of Savithri's husband, markendeya and ajamila.Gosh... its time Yama, recruited such bright youngsters.. directly from the campus"

Yamadhootas said very bluntly to the vishnudoothas, "Whatever it is... We were just instructed not to touch a guy who remembers god during his final breaths... here he has not done that na... so how come you are obstructing our job?"
Vishnudoothas smiled and said, "Naa... you have wrongly misinterpreted our lord's words.Our lord hari is everywhere.. and when a human acknowledges it, it is like remembering God... This guy Prads saw God in his girl Gowthami...and that way he has remembered our lord"
Swats could not control herself laughing out aloud at this statement and pointing finger at the vishnudootha who made that statement she commented, "And this guy must have seen Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi last night and must have fallen in love with the song... tujh mein rab diktha hain... yaara mein kya karoon..."

Yamadhoothas loved it and looked at their new 'recruit' for more guidance and to help them out.Swats gave her opinion in favour of the yamadhoothas, "If that is the case, no one in the world can be taken... Everyone is living for someone. A mother sees God in her new born baby. For a loving husband, his wife is the goddess, A devoted son would serve his parents and treat them at par with Gods. And I am one who believes in Acharya devobava... If what you say of seeing god in someone as the criteria for not touching a soul, then Japan should have been left untouched..." and then Swats thought practically and continued, "If you really stick to that dogma, What would happen to the world? It would become frozen with no deaths hardly happening..." Vishnudoothas were speechless and looked at each others faces.
Suddenly Prads rose up from his slumber and shouted at Swats,"Are you hell bent on seeing me dead... TEEK HAIN... MERI MAA... I will do as you say."
Everybody in the bus turned to Prads who suddenly had brought the bus to a halt...
Swats was embarrassed as everyone in the bus was looking at them, "Were you seeing a bad dream?"
Prads looked at her and replied, "No! Was just realizing that there's no escaping from a good friend like you..."

Angry Young Woman

Unintentionally Prads had become the cause for Surendra's misery. His girl fell for Prads' charisma and prads's gud friend Swats was doing the damage control exercise. She tried to get the new girl Karthika out of Surendra's mind, "She is so fickle-minded... if she can so easily change her mind, think of what will happen to you, if she had met Prads after the marriage.. Every thing happens for good, baba"

Surendra fell for it very easily but put forward his fear, "But she looks like an angel. How can I let her go. And mother says, girls would easily forget everything once they get married..."
Swats felt like laughing, "Your mother still reads you bedtime stories. You should listen to the old elvis pressly song. He had advised boys so beautifully, 'she looks like a angel, she walks like a angel, she talks like a angel. But I got wise. She was a devil in disguise."
Sweet words of Swats made Surendra forget the lessons his mother had taught him.

Just then Prads entered and he was very mad and yells at Surendra, "That girl Karthika has gone mad. She came to my house and asked my mother for my hand. My mother first thought the girl was asking her son's hand to push some vehicle which had got stuck... She has left me confused!!!"
Swats suddenly turned to Prads, "What! A girl had come to your doorsteps and standing on her toes she had asked for you as her life partner and you have sent her away dejected.. Great! what kind of a fool you are?:"
Surendra couldn't believe what he was hearing, " You are two tongued... Gosh! All girls are confusing,,,"

Prads agreed with him, "Agreed ! After many days I got in touch with the girl from the big bad city and she messages me back, 'May I know who is this'"
Swats felt like slapping her friend Prads, "What! You tried to open a closed chapter....You very well know that you should stop looking backward and start moving forward" Prads answered her very slowly, "I know when to stop. I know when to let things go. I know when to move on. But “I know” is different from 'I can'",
Swats got really mad and she fired her anger at Surendra, "And you Mr Surendra! Listen! Don't do the mistake made by Prads... This girl Kathika is a closed chapter for you...Forget her!!!"
Surendra felf very strange, "Swasthee! First make up your mind, whom do you want to scold! Me or Prads!"

Swats felt very tired, "I think all boys are alike! All boys need to be put before the firing squad and shot at..." Leaving the sentence unfinished she starts departing from the place."
Surendra couldn't understand what was happening in Swats mind and remarked to Prads, "She is so wrong... naa...?"
Prads thinks about it and says, "No!She is very strong..." saying so, he proceeds to stop her and bowing down his head, "Tell me, my majesty! what should I be doing next? Proposing to karthika..."
Surendra left another shriek which no one would care to, :"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

Conditions Apply

The old man at the reception counter in the hotel looked with curiosity at the man in his thirties sitting with two girls in the late teens.It was Prads and his two good friends Swats and Jeevs.
Prads was called to the hotel by his friend Surendra who said it was urgent. But Surendra had not yet arrived. Prads kept looking at the entrance and a beautiful lady in the late twenties arrived and marched straight towards Prads table. The old man at the reception counter just thought "Lucky Bustard..." and continued with his work.
The young lady extended her hand and made her introduction, "Hi... I am Karthika... Mom told me I can meet you here,,,,"

Prads was surprised and quickly guessed that this girl had come to meet Surendra and had mistaken him for Surendra. Without waiting for Prads to make his introduction, Karthika continued, "My mother must have told you about me. Still before you give your opinion on the alliance...I need to tell you about some conditions"
Swats and Jeevs were loving it and widening their eyes, cried out, "Marriage Alliance!"
Karthika was curious about the teenagers, "Who are these two girls... Mom told me you didn't had any sisters"
Jeevs answered, "We are his bodyguards. In this Gor kali yug, it is difficult for a single handsome bachelor to roam the streets freely. So we are here for his security. But you can talk... we will not interfere"

Swats made the introduction with just two words "Good Friends." Karthika didn't question them further and looking directly into Prad's eyes, put forth her condition, "I don't want to have kids for at least next three years..."
Prads' jaws dropped down and he again tried to interrupt the girl. Swats coughed a little,hinting Prads not to stop the fun. She tried to give a glimpse of Prad's dreams to Karthika, "You know... My Good Friend was just talking about how he would like to gift his wife with a baby girl - a miniature version of herself on their first wedding anniversary... Am I right, Prads"
Prads with a smiling face nodded his head, "Completely... Definitely...." and in a filmy tone added, "I want to make my mom and dad, grandparents at the earliest"

Karthika tried to talk some sense into him, "Hmm... Its our life... We need to set our life and get our priorities right and then only we can think of starting a family...Don't you agree"
Jeevs didn't want to be left out of the fun, "You need a year and more for setting priorities. I believe you can do it before the dosa we ordered comes"
Swats also discouraged Karthika's view, "You know my grandparents had ten children. They never bothered about how to take care of them or give them the best. My granny used to tell me that grandpa always said, "God is there... He will show a way""

Karthika was literally fuming with anger, "Mr Prospective Bridegroom!!! I have not come for a group discussion here with some silly teenagers. Is my condition very clear to you???"
Prads found her conditions somewhat unethical as he reasoned out, "Why are you marrying anyway? If you put such a condition, wouldn't it be wrong. Think about it ethically. I feel that such a condition would make one look like selfish. It seems the one making such a condition wants just the fun out of the marriage and not the responsibility arising out of it. Remember a quote from Kahlil Gibran, 'Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.' So why interrupt such a natural process. Its my view and I would like to stick to it. I am not asking you to agree with it. But I don't want to argue any further..."

Karthika was taken aback when the polite Prads ended his thought with such a statement.
Prads made it clear that he was not being impolite, "I don't want to argue any more because here comes the man of the moment. Your prospective bridegroom!"
Prads friend Surendra made his entrance and extended his hand, "Sorry! Got stuck in traffic.. "
Karthika looked at him for a moment and then turned towards Prads, "But I like you... I like a man who sticks to his viewpoint strongly... however silly and absurd it might be. That's what I want in a man." Saying so, she walked away without even giving Surendra, another look.
Swats immediately quizzed Jeevs, "What was the song in Sangam that Raj Kumar croons when his best friend steals his girl?"
Surendra himself started singing that song very emotionally and the girls gave him the chorus, "Dost Dost Na Raha... Pyar Pyar Na Raha..."