The Correct Answer

Whoever told people that dreaming was good? Dreams can sometimes leave you exhausted.

Her eyes opened unwillingly and the brain willed the muscles to move towards the kitchen. As usual, there was no food in the fridge - just milk. Coffee was made and consumed on her favorite easy chair. She started contemplating on life.

She decided to break the usual routine of watching TV and decided to go for a run. Or a jog. Or a jumpy walk. Or a casual stroll. Well, let's say she managed to get herself out of the house.
It was summer and the birds were chirping. There were flowers all around. Children playing, grandparents sitting on park benches. Balloon sellers were selling balloons. There was a mobile cotton candy stall and many children clamoring for the attention of the vendor who was smiling at all of them. A policeman was helping a blind person cross the road. 

That last image should have warned her.

*Honkkkk Screeeeccchhhhhh*

"HEY watch yourself lady!"

"These things just walk down the street as if they own the road! Pah!"

"Get off the road, you! I wonder whose face I saw when I woke up thi morning! Grrr!"

Her eyelids flew open and she nearly fell off the easy chair.

"Damn! I dozed off while drinking coffee?? What is wrong with me?!"

Well, she told herself - "I really have to get out. Get a life, girl." Her mind shot back "Whose life?" and laughed.

"This is my problem - living in my own world", she thought.

It was raining outside. She took an umbrella and went out. She walked on the road for some time, observing cars. There were not many people to observe and she did not particularly crave for human company. People can be really boring. They can be really interesting to themselves and to other people, but sometimes she just found it tiresome to be around people.She decided that not being a "people person" was her problem. 

"I need to cultivate an interest in people. Everybody is talking about people, whoever they are." She took out her note taking app on the phone.

To do
------
1. Become a people person

"OK, what else is my problem?" She thought long and hard. "Ah, yes, I am single. It is widely believed by people that it is not good to be single. And it is important to value peoples' opinion, if one wants to become a people person. Being single loses its coolness quotient once you cross a certain age. Then you become the old lady with the cats."

"No" she corrected. "I'll never own cats. They have an attitude problem. I will most probably be the old lady with the dogs."

"Huh? You are supposed to not get to that point, idiot. Add it to the list."

To do
------
1. Become a people person
2. Do not become old lady with dogs

"Well, what sort of an aim is that? Make it a positive statement. Those things have a greater probability of happening, according to scientific studies made up by popular personality coaches. OK."

To do
------
1. Become a people person
2. Find a guy

"Find a guy? Too open ended. Find a guy to go on road trips? Find a guy to take selfies with? Find a guy to marry? Find a guy to carry heavy grocery items? Be specific."

To do
------
1. Become a people person
2. Find a guy to marry

"Good. What kind of a guy do I want to marry? Well, that is a question without merit. I do not want to get married, people want me to. So I should probably ask them. They know what is best. Not necessarily for themselves, but for me."

To do
------
1. Become a people person
2. Find a guy to marry
3. Ask people whom to marry

"What next? One's problems are over if one gets married. One becomes two, you see."

Her mind started laughing at the absurd joke and stopped itself. She was a woman with a mission now. She turned back and walked home. She was going to get married and solve all her problems. Who said 42 was the answer to all problems? The correct answer is marriage.

The "Marriagesoon" season

Every year, I dread the onset of the "Marriagesoon" season, but the past 2 - 3 years have taken a heavy toll on my tolerance levels. I shall take the time and pen down an explanation of statement number one, don't worry. This post is all about that.

I shall go about answering the questions I anticipate from the reader, and also talk what I want to, in the guise of "answering" your questions. Note: Did you notice what a novel story telling methodology I propose? Hence proved, I am good.

About the Marriagesoon season - The onset of this season has not been identified exactly, but it usually starts around late October - early November. People start calling you up with starters like "hey there is something big coming up..." "Hi...guess what..."..some folks come to the point, no nonsense "Hi, I am getting married, finally!". There is an unmistakable tone of victory in their voices, be it the brides or the grooms. Well, congrats, I say, from the bottom of my heart.

Now, why do I dread it? Well, to be frank, it is the most amusing experience to listen about the "one", but after a point, the stories become repetitive. Even that is fine, I read the same novel a 100 times, this is no big deal. The difficult part to skirt around is, one is put on the spot sometimes with "opinion" questions like, "what do you think of him/her?". You have to agree with me, that is a precarious position. I always feel like saying, "Does it matter? Are you going to change your decision because of what I say?". But I am the sweet friend, I smile, hum and haw and non-committedly manage to utter general pleasantaries and escape. phew!

I love shopping but its a totally different affair when it comes to shopping with a soon-to-be bride. The doubts and second thoughts are a 1000 times worse. I never know what to do when their "sweetheart" calls them while shopping. I can't stare at her while she is on the phone, that would be rude. I can't move away, she would ask, "why did you just go off? That was rude." or worse, some people extend the phone to me and ask me to talk to my "brother" (sly, I know).

The part that personally affects me the most is, I am so used to being the "official-assistant-of-the-kalyana-ponnu", that I have the almost perfect algorithm to orchestrate a tam-bram wedding, but no, the mamis and mamas are not content with that. They assume that me being in the "right age" gives them the license to refer me as a prospective bride to their numerous relatives/acquaintances. I have exhausted myself, trying to come up with plausible answers to the question - "When are you getting married?"

I don't know about their parents, but I sure am happy that most of my friends are married now. No more weddings in the pipeline for some more time. Thanks for the break folks!

Disclaimer: The characters and events depicted in this post are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.