It was a breezy Saturday evening. I was lying down on my bed.

Having a pillow below my chest and

arms, with my heads up, I was browsing through my laptop. An Indian news paper stated that almost
25% of the Indians online time goes in social network. You can consider it is more than 50% for IT
professionals like me. Ramesh my buddy friend was staring at my scrolling friend lists and comments.
Whats up? Why do you stare-da? I enquired.
You seem to be peculiar in browsing these status update in FB. Could you read the status and
comments so soon or are you just juggling between pages.
Yep! I was just aimlessly browsing. In fact, I have read all the comments and status updates. I pointed
to the top left panels message updates.
Hey! If you dont mind, can you open up Shruthis profile.
I just turned up my head, gave him a smile. He understood and said, Hey, I just wanted to see her
picture boss. In fact I wanted to ask you last night after hearing her love story, but then it was too late.
So I am asking you now. Do you mind? He asked.
No. Not at all I said and started browsing to Shruthis profile. I know. It is not only Ramesh, but
anyone who listens to her story would love to see her photo. May be it is because the way I narrate the
story, or because of the crush I had on her in my college days, to anyone I narrate her story, the very
next thing would be an obligation from them to see her snap. May be I am narrating to Ramesh about
this story for the first time, but for me, I believe, it should have crossed more than umpteen times.
Before I open up the Shruthis profile for Ramesh, I wanted to narrate the story to you. I was too
studious on my college days. After my college, I went to a renowned computer center as they have
promised for placement. The computer course followed a syllabus and it was almost like college
curriculum with 6 semesters. Our batch students were regrouping for our first class of 3rd semester after
our 2nd semesters holiday break. It was Navin, who informed that there was 3 new inclusions to our
batch and all the 3 are girls. I hugged him and said, that it was the most good news he has shared with
us over time. Your guess is right. One among the 3 is Sruthi.
Shruthi was a small built, thin and fair, cute little Brahmin girl (mark it as Maami). She was the only girl
to come in half-sari in the entire computer center, were every others were in Jeans and some in their
shots and night pajamas as it was a late evening 7.00pm to 9.00pm batch. The very moment I saw her, I
felt like proposing. In fact, it was not only for me, but for couple of my friends. We all had the same
feeling. With formal introduction, just before grouping into class, we were all well acquantainsed, with
the help of few of our old semester female friends (caring not to call them as girl friends). When it was
time to get in, I went behind her. In fact I was pushing others and rushing along, as I wanted to sit next
to her. But then my mentor understood my moves and he asked Sruthi to sit in a row just before me. He
was explaining on a algorithm. Sruthi was taking notes. Before I could copy the content on board, my
master erased. I just peeped into Sruthis note. God.. her handwritingtoo horrible. In fact I too was
under the conception that all girls had very good handwriting, but this one was too horrible that I

couldnt make out a sentence. I still remember that it started with m and ended with m. I couldnt
resist asking her, if that was maximum or minimum. She smiled and said, figure out. I then asked her,
if she was a practicing medicine. She said Yes! I am an ophthalmic assistant. I then asked.. so, what
does an ophthalmic assistant got to do with computers?. She said Just curious to know what it is.
God.. I wondered. How you girls get so much time to spend in studies yaar. I joined this course out of
compulsion. Except for the fact that these centers promise for assured placement, nothing draws me to
this ****ing computer I said. Could you please sit down and listen interrupted a voice. By then I
realized I was standing and leaning over to the front bench. The entire class giggled at me. She said,
Lets meet after the class, in a low voice that only I could hear. I sat down like a lion in front for a ring
master.
May be I was too fast or I should blame on the competition among our boys to propose to Shruthi, I
decided to propose her in our 3rd class (our very 3rd meeting). I got a Dairy Milk chocolate bar and a
single red rose. I came a bit early to my computer class. I was waiting for Shruthi to come. But then fate
has its own play. On that particular day, she came just 2 minutes before our class time. Everyone started
moving to the class room. I just ran behind her and whispered near her ear, Shruthi, one minute
please. She turned, smiled and with a question in her eyes, she asked Yes da.. whats it? I just handed
over the chocolate and rose. She took the chocolate and returned the rose and said, Let me have this
alone, will discuss after the class. Saying this she entered into the class. I just kept the rose in my long
size note and followed her. Before she moved to her place, which is in my front seat, I took the rose and
placed in her seat. My goodness, she was talking to one of her friend and without noticing the rose, she
sat on it. Ouch! screaming out loud, she stood up. I remembered that I didnt churn out the thorns
from the rose I placed there. Any problem asked my mentor. She cited a fake reason and pushed the
rose aside stealthily and sat on the bench. I said sorry. She again whispered, Let us discuss after the
class, period. I couldnt listen to the class. I was worrying about the after hours of class.
When the class was over, I was waiting for others to go. Shruthi said Lets go. I leaned, picked up the
rose (with the thorns) and placed it again in my long size note, followed her to the portico. That was the
longest silence I have ever faced. Reaching portico, she asked me, Suresh! I got your intention. I would
like to talk to you on this. But before that, I should say thanks for the chocolate. Come on, let us eat it
now. She started opening it and gave me a piece. Seeing me hesitant to eat at the moment, she insisted
and I started having it. When it is chocolate, I crave for it more than girls. Tasted a little, I couldnt
control myself. I got few more pieces from her. I was mouth full. When I was munching like a monkey,
she knew that I couldnt talk for a while. At that moment, she wrapped the chocolate back in her hand
and with the other hand she pulled out a chain that was concealed inside her tops. I was awestruck. The
far end of the chain was connected with a yellow thread and Mangal Sutra in it. I couldnt resist asking
sorry a thousand times even with my mouth full of chocolates.
Back to the present, this is not the story which made Ramesh curious to see Shruthis profile, but it was
the story of Shruthi that she narrated on that same day after that to me, which in turn I narrated to
Ramesh, made him to adore her. When I felt sorry and shy for my deeds, she just held my hands and
asked me if we can walk for a while and collect my two-wheeler later from the Center. I nodded and we

started to stroll on the road side. She started narrating her love story even before I asked. She said that I
should know her first as I was interested in her.
Her love story began as every normal love story of Bollywoods 80s film. She met her boy when she was
going for her type-writing institute after her board exams of 10th. He had come in his Bullet with king
size collar and large framed coolers. In spite of many cautions from Shruthi, the boy didnt stop chasing
her. Shruthi had no other go other than to inform her brother about this irritating chap. Shruthis
brother wanted to prove his growing adolescent and manliness. He had hit him so strong, that Shruthi
felt sorry for what had happened. Shruthi met the boy again in hospital and the boy recovered to be
friend with her. The boy then shifted back to rent a house opposite to Shruthis house. After many
failure attempts, the boy managed to win her heart. All these had happened in two years, before Shruthi
could appear for her board exams of 12th grade.
In spite of all these circuses, Shruthi was smart enough to be topper of her school. For unknown
reasons, girls 12th grade marks never cheat their parents expectations. When she wanted to join the
Womens arts college in her home town, her parents had no clue about her love and they thought it was
because of Shrutis attachment to them and her consideration of familys finance position, that the pity
girl skipped joining Medical or Engineering studies. By then, Shruthi understood that the boy was deeply
in love with her as like her. But still the boy continued to impress with letters written on blood,
scratching her initials on his fore-hand and all sorts of gimmicks and worthless efforts to prove his love
again and again. One main thing to mention here is that the boy had approached her many times with
motives of touching and kissing her. Our girl being so orthodox would not allow the boy even to touch
her shadow before their marriage. One fine day, the couple decided to meet in a temple nearby (worst
spot for lovers). When the boy was bit late, the girl went to pray and when she returned, saw the poor
boy discussing about starting up a mechanic shop on his own in next few months. On further probing,
she understood that the boy didnt even complete his 8th grade and is good for nothing.
A wise decision would have been to dump that boy and choose another one. But our heroine was so
true to her love that she wanted to bring this boy up in his career and life. She wanted to revolutionize
and bring glory in their life. Both dumbose went back to temple again, took resolution to come up in
life. As a first step, to make things clear and truthful, Shruthi wanted the boy to meet her parents and
inform about their love. It was early 90s and people were not open-minded to accept love marriages.
Even if it was 2015, no dump ass would want his daughter to get married to a job less, illiterate, want to
be mechanic. But something (is that fate?) had made the couple to decide that it was the best decision.
The very next day, our boy dressed in dhoti, went to Shruthis house with his friends and relatives,
asking Shruthis parents to get their daughter married to him. I wonder how the boy managed to
convince his friends and relatives for such a ridiculous act. Shruthis parents were annoyed. They started
to yell at the boy for blaming nonsense on their kid. But then, when Shruthi too revealed her interest
over our boy, they were out of their brains that they started to hit and attack all of them gathered. Our
hero stood up there, didnt want to fight back, took ahimsa on his hand, stayed calm, sitting in the
street, and started his Satyagraha, stating that he wont move without Shruthi. Shruthi decided to pack
her belongings and to go with the boy. When she stepped out of her home with the boy, her mother

cried and yelled at both. While cursing , she scolded Shruthi that it was purely lust and adolescent itch
that made her to take such weird decisions.
Something pricked Shruthi a lot. May be the countless moves our boy made to kiss her or her orthodox
sentiments that made her to deny him at his every steps. Something pricked her to take a strong
decision that changed her entire life. She couldnt take up her next step. She stopped. Turn around.
Pulled the boy and enquired aloud if it was lust and adolescent itch or pure love that he wants to take
Shruthi with him. The boy to impress more said it was love and love only. In the height of this emotional
scene, Shruthi took a promise from our man that he wouldnt touch any girl in his life time (including
Shruthi) and there would be no sex life for them both from then on. Period.
After my engagement with another girl, I happened to meet Shruthi in her home to give my wedding
invitation. She was working as a teacher in the nearby school for a 4 digit salary. I enquired about the
boy her husband. He was in his duty as MTC driver earning a descent 5 digit salary. I enquired about
their married life and plans for their future. Shruthi was stubborn. She doesnt even want to have an
adopted child for reasons known to her. Before I leave, I was blessed to see this man, who rose up from
nowhere, who has completed his Masters in Business Administration through distance education and
who was earning more than an engineering graduate with his government job and part time multi level
marketing businesses. As promised, both of them enriched my marriage party with their gracious
presence and after a while we lost contacts because of my busy schedule. Lately, when I enquired about
Shruthi, almost 15 years after my computer course completion, I heard that she was still stubborn about
her decisions. Other than that both were leading a happy life, consoling one another, that each of them
is a child of other.
When I completed this story, most of feminine friends wanted to see the profile of the boy and most of
my male friends wanted to see Shruthis photo. Its a boon from technology that it brings together the
lost relationships. It was by yesterday, I came in contact with one of our common friend Navin and had
send friend request to Shruthi. Today morning, I got a message from FB that Shruthi has accepted my
friend request. I went up online immediately. Myself and Shruthi had a brief online discussion and then
we shared our phone numbers and of course, I dialed immediately. We spent about an hour discussing
our life and life styles. In fact, it was this conversation that had made me to switch channels in the TV
and browse aimlessly in the FB. Now, it is for the sake of Ramesh, I am opening up the Shruthi profile
again.
I opened up Shruthis profile. It stated that now Shruthi is working in a MNC as Senior Executive. She still
hadnt loosened her charm. When I opened her profile photos, she was posing in her western outfit.
Ramesh was awestruck. This time not for her photo, but for her status stating, Single again. Some of
her corporate friends comments congratulated her on her divorce. Some went ahead and commented
that men cannot survive without sex. Some even commented that she could file her X for trying to
manhandle her against her wish. Whatever said and done, I couldnt comment or even click onLike for
an unhappy ending of a love story.