A date to remember : Part 1

“Everybody needs somebody sometime” – Dean Martin

When we think about it, some moments in life are better when shared with the right people.

Nukkad ki dukaan ka samosa tastes even better when shared with a friend. An evening tea means nothing if it is to be enjoyed alone. The long walk back home seems shorter with some company.

When you have someone to share anything with, life automatically gets better. You look forward to every new day and start enjoying the little things. That’s one of the many changes that occur when you get in a relationship.

Speaking of relationships, a considerable chunk of people out there do believe that they're better off single. According to them that it is better to spend their life in solitude rather than to share it with someone else. A stupid idea really if you ask me.

It feels nice to have someone with you with whom you can share almost everything ranging from the foods you like, the events of your day, the annoying co-worker you want to slap in the face, that one cute dress you saw at the mall today, a new dish that you want to try etc.

As for me, I've always considered myself bit of a cross between Ted Mosby and Ross Geller. Always willing to go the extra mile, be a little crazy in front of a looking audience just to make my girl smile. Yes, I am a hopeless romantic.

(img source http://valentineday.fsylb.com/how-i-met-your-mother-love-quotes-tumblr/ )

Now before I go any further, I suggest you get comfortable in whatever chair or bed you are on. Grab your coffee and pay attention. I am about to tell you the first time I saw my future wife.

I happen to be a software engineer by profession, which involves sitting in a cubicle, staring at the computer monitor for like 8 hours a day, and typing in some code and charging the client billions of dollars for this. Crazy, right?

Anyway so one fine day I was at my seat, trying to make it through the day, when she appeared. A new girl in my development center. Her face white as snow, her cheeks red giving her face a naturally cute look. She looked like one of those small Kinnaur apples.

As she was crossing the passageway to make her way to her seat, she passed by me, exchanging glances as I could not help but notice that this girl was beautiful. She was fairly tall, incredibly thin and a skin complexion that would make Yami Gautam jealous. Given her appearance I was not the only guy who was noticing her. She had managed to catch eyes of almost every guy on her way in. Well lucky for me, most of the guys in my field are either married, fat, bald or all of the above. So the list of potential suitors for this girl was quite low.

Furthermore, she happened to me my junior and yet was involved single handedly in a complex business project. Which would surely mean that this girl had a sharp brain too.

Beauty with brains, a rare combo in today’s world. And I say this for the boys as well. I have seen dudes who have no technical knowledge or know-how whatsoever in this IT industry, spending their hours in the gym to make ends meet as part time models.

But I digress. Coming back to the girl, I used to bring chocolates for her every day after lunch. Trying to get her attention, you know? The task would’ve been less fun if it was not for my project mates and friends, who used to talk me up to her for a price of one chocolate per compliment. Kind of a steep price, but it was worth it.

As luck would have it, this girl and I happened to be working together in the same team a couple of months after her entry in my life. It was then when she went ahead seeking friendship, and I went ahead with my attempts to woo her.

For two years, she saw me as a good friend while I had other plans. So it was but natural that she used to turn me down on the topic of dates.

Now speaking of dates, the first date, as they say, is kind of important in setting the tone of the relationship. It is the time when the girl stops looking at the guy in with her ‘Just good Friends’ goggles and starts analyzing him as a prospective partner. Now, guys, if you are serious about the relationship, you like the girl and you want there to be a solid substantial future of your relationship, you have to plan out your first date with the exact precision that you apply in your Counter-Strike or Call of Duty online matches. Believe me, it counts. I can say that from personal experience.

Now, as I highlighted above, I used to consider myself as a bit of an old fashioned romantic. You know, flowers on her desk, huge soft toys and not afraid to proclaim my love for my girl in public.

So I thought that it’ll be an easy task for me to plan a first date. In all my glory, I proclaimed to her that if she goes out on a date with me, it’ll be the best time of her life and how great of a master date-planner I am.

So finally, after 2 years or so of trying to get her to go out with me, she finally said yes. Actually she said, “Alright, one date. Show me what you’ve got Mister.”

It was more of a ‘Challenge accepted’ from her side, which I mistook as an agreement for the date. Stupid, right? Oh you have no clue.

(img source : http://www.hexjam.com/uk/sex-relationships/8-absolutely-disastrous-date-ideas )

Now I know a first date doesn’t sound that big of a deal to arrange. You pick a movie, a place to eat, you whip up a conversation and everything works along.

I have never been wrong in my entire life.

Except for the time when Brazil lost to Germany in the 2014 FIFA World cup, but that is one thing I can get over with.

Bear in mind that the first date will always stay there to remind you what kind of a doofus you were.

In my case, my first date will always be a reminder of what a mediocre date-planner and what a big idiot I was as my first date with my future wife was a disaster.

How big of a disaster, you ask? Well consider it this way, Brazil losing to Germany in the 2014 FIFA World cup kind of disaster.

Now hold on, I just said that how the first date sets the tone for the future of the relationship.

And now I am saying that badly I messed up on my first date?

Then how come am I going to marry this girl in the near future?!

How can a disastrous first date lead to the couple getting married?!!

What happened on the date?!! So much confusion!!

All valid questions. My first date was a disaster. But yes, she is my future wife.

For what exactly happened, you’ll have to wait for that.

I’ll be here next week and pour my heart out to you, for girls to laugh at and for boys to take notes.

Stay tuned for the next part of this series.