Soon!

8^th of the May , Simran welcomed her birthday with enough- is- enough ultimatum from her family, she turned 29 and it was time of no more waiting, it was time for her to settle down, with good boy of their choosing, they have already given up on caste barrier, since 29 is already late by the societal standards.

She said “Sure! Why not”

She was pragmatist. She didn’t care for reckless pursuit of love. What was the point? Right.

Instead she trusted her family especially the brother to find her a man who would be a loving partner for life. After all marriage is about family not just individuals. ”My family’s opinion is all that counts.” She reassured.

The family got to work. They activated the premium memberships of the all matrimonial portals and apps. Filters were applied, caste, family, degree, money, looks, city, country blah blah blah!

Initially the results were unsatisfying. Every day, dozens of email matches would pop-up in her inbox. She was introduced to approx. 30 guys in a year.

 At first she said she was game. ”This is how it’s done,” she thought. 

Numbers exchanged. Text or whatsapp conversations started with basic questions. Favorite movie? Song? Food? On a couple of occasions, family meetings arranged but they were strained affairs. She found it awkward to orchestrate. The introductions were almost stilted. Several of the men seemed emotionally stunted, not knowing how to start small talk with someone of opposite sex. One suitor after getting not a quick reply to his texts declared that she had a boyfriend. Another prospective groom is too busy for a meeting. With other the starts didn’t aligned.Some other would send a insta follow request later.

In totality it didn’t worked out with any.

Months passed by. The family became desperate. Why couldn’t they find a suitable boy? What was wrong with their daughter? What was wrong with the stars? 

And a year later, it had begun to feel like torture to her. The repetition.

The things starts to get to her nerve. She needs to sort this out. So she googled a astrologer called her and set up a meeting in a coffee shop near her workplace.

She was seated in the coffee shop.Sitting across from her was a young woman  with lot of rings on fingers and a big necklace with different coloured rocks in it, she was Reenu Chopra a well known astrologer who charges a hefty amount for her consultation.

Simran had sought Chopra out to ask the one question on her mind.

“Am I ever going to get maried” she blurted out. “Because if I am not then just tell me now. I am exhausted I keep meeting the wrong men”

Chopra was peering into her laptop screen where she had complied Simran’s horoscope using the exact date time and location of her birth.”Yes there is man in your destiny” she pronounced a coy smile appearing her face.

“What? Really? What is he like?”

Chopra, continuing to interpret   from the chart in front her, began to describe what she envisioned. The man Simran would marry would be tall broad shouldered and settled in India.

Chopra continued with a string of descriptions continue to stare into her computer:: ambitious, knowledgeable,mentally stable not religious .

Simran mulled this over and thought that would be an improvement over the people she was meeting so far.

When would they meet? How?

To this Chopra could not divine a precise answer ”Soon she replied”, uncertain but reassuring “Soon.”

And we all are waiting for the “Soon” to come soon.