THE
WEDDING GIFT
Fiction Short Story
By
VIKRAM
KARVE
New Delhi
Circa 1982
(NB: This Story happened 36 years ago in 1982.
At that time – there were no mobile phones, no internet, no email – nothing.
Even landline phones were not given to junior officers like me – and – even in
the office – we shared a phone kept in the centre of the office – so there was
no privacy at all. So – in the absence of the communication facilities we have
today – those days – the best way to communicate with friends was to meet and
talk to each other)
Part
1
My “girlfriend” was
getting married – to someone else.
It was expected.
We – my “girlfriend”
Nisha and Me – we knew that our “worlds” were different – and – it was
impractical for us to get married to each other – so – we did not have any
unrealistic expectations from our friendship.
So – we kept our
friendship at the “platonic” level.
Yes – we are happy as
we were – just pure friends – and we did not want to take our relationship to
the “next level”.
But – Nisha and Me –
we were good friends.
We met every Saturday
morning – in the Library – on Curzon Road (now known as Kasturba Gandhi Marg).
We browsed book in the
library for a few hours – and then – after our browsing was over – we would go
out for lunch to some place in Connaught Place (CP) which was nearby.
One Saturday morning –
the moment she saw me – Nisha said excitedly:
“I am getting
married…”
“When…?” I asked.
“My wedding is on the
3rd of next month…” she said.
“So fast…?”
“Yes – everything
happened very fast – the “Boy” and his parents came over on Wednesday – and the
marriage was fixed…”
“You met the “Boy”
only once…?”
“Yes. You know how it
is in our society. The elders decide everything…”
“Yes…” I said.
“At least one thing is
good – I won’t have to live in a joint family in his town. My “would-be-husband”
has managed to get transferred to Delhi – so we will live in Delhi…” she said.
“That’s good…” I said.
I wondered whether
Nisha would continue her friendship with me after her marriage – it all
depended on how “broadminded” her husband was.
We met again the next
Saturday – and Nisha gave me her wedding invitation card.
“I am sorry – but I
won’t be able to attend your wedding…” I said to Nisha.
“Why…? You have to
come. The wedding is here in Delhi…” she said.
“I have to go outstation
on duty for a training course. I have to leave on the 1st – just 2
days before your wedding…” I said.
“Do you have to go…?”
she asked – her disappointment was visible on her face.
“You know how it is in
the Navy – I tried my best – but I have to go. But – it’s only for 3 months –
I’ll meet you here in the library on the first Saturday after I come back…” I
said.
“Yes – I will be back
from my honeymoon by then – and hopefully well-settled…” she said.
“Honeymoon – already
planned…?”
“Just a week in the
hills – he has to join duty on the 10th here in Delhi…” Nisha said.
“Okay…” I said.
We browsed in the
library for some time – and then – we had lunch at Gaylord in CP – followed by a
movie at Regal.
In the evening – as I
said “good bye” to Nisha – I somehow got the feeling that it was the end of our
beautiful friendship.
Part
2
I wondered what would
be an ideal “wedding gift” for Nisha.
Should I give her a
good “Book”…?
No – it was too
trivial as a wedding gift.
A piece of jewelry…?
I really did not know
her taste – I had absolutely no idea what she liked.
It is funny – you can
be so close to a person – yet know nothing about her.
I walked around CP –
window shopping.
Suddenly – I passed a
Television (TV) showroom – with the latest brands of Colour TV Sets in the
showcase.
Colour TV was a
novelty – a new arrival in the market.
(Dear
Reader: Remember – this story happened in 1982 – the year in which Colour Television
was introduced in India – thanks to the 9th Asian Games which were
to be held in Delhi – and live telecast in colour…)
I looked at the Colour
TV Sets – and – on the spur of the moment – I made my decision – I would give
Nisha a Colour TV set as a Wedding Gift – a rather expensive wedding gift – but
something Nisha would always remember me by – whenever she switched on the TV.
I would have to adjust
my budget a bit – but it was okay – for Nisha was a close friend.
I went inside the
showroom.
There were 3 brands of
Colour TV.
After seeing a
demonstration – I liked two of them.
I stood undecided –
wondering which one to buy.
The owner of the shop
was observing me – and he understood my predicament.
He walked towards me
and said to me:
“Sir – I will do one
thing – I will send both the Colour TV Sets to your house – you watch both of
them for 3-4 days – then – you can keep the one you like – and you can return
the other one…”
“Are you sure…?” I
asked.
“Of course, Sir – we
want our customers to be fully satisfied…” he said.
He gave me a diary and
asked me to write down my name and address.
He looked at the
address and smiled:
“Sir – you are a
“Fauji”…?”
“Yes – I am in the
Navy…” I said.
That evening – both
the Colour TV Sets were positioned in my house.
Three days later – I
called up the TV Store and told the owner that I had made my choice.
“Okay, Sir – I will
send someone in the evening…” he said.
“Actually – I want the
Colour TV Set to be gift wrapped and delivered at a wedding – is it possible…?”
I said.
“Of course, Sir – I
will come personally after the shop closes – you can offer me a drink also…” he
said.
The shopkeeper arrived
at 9 PM along with an assistant.
Since I was drinking
Whiskey-Soda – I offered him a drink.
“Sir – I will have Rum
– I like “Military” Rum…” he said.
I poured him a large
peg of Rum.
I showed him the
Colour TV which I had liked.
Then – I showed him
Nisha’s Wedding Invitation Card.
I told him that I
wouldn’t be able to attend the wedding as I would be away on duty.
“Sir – you don’t worry
– I will personally see to it that the TV is delivered on time – the venue of
the wedding reception is very near my shop…” he said.
“Are you sure…?” I
asked him.
“Sir – you be rest
assured – I will go myself and give the wedding gift on your behalf to the
newly-married couple. We will get the TV nicely gift-wrapped. You just write
the message you want written on the gift-card…” he said, pulling out a diary
from his pocket.
I wrote the message.
He noted down the
date/time of the wedding reception and address of the venue from the wedding
card.
Then – the shopkeeper
took out a permanent marker pen – and he said to me:
“Sir – you put your
initials on the rear cover of the TV Set you have chosen…”
We turned the TV
around.
He gave me the red
permanent marker pen – and he pointed a place at the bottom left corner of the
rear cover – and he said to me:
“Sir – you can put
your initials here…”
I put my initials in
red colour at the place he indicated.
“Thank you, Sir…” the
shopkeeper said, “this is just to make sure that there is no mix-up. And later
– when you visit the newly-married couple – you can check that we have
delivered the same TV Set…”
The shopkeeper told
his assistant to pack up both the TV Sets and put them in the Van parked below.
Then – he had two
quick pegs of Rum – “down-the-hatch” – and he left in quite a “happy” mood.
Part
3
Three months later –
the moment I returned to New Delhi – on the very first Saturday – I went to the
Library.
I was delighted to see
Nisha there.
She looked lovely.
“Marriage seems to
have suited you, Nisha – you are looking really beautiful – and – there is a
glow on your cheeks…” I complimented her.
“Stop teasing me…” she
said, “you better finish your browsing quickly – we are going home for lunch
today…”
“Home…?”
“Curzon Road
Apartments – walking distance from here – we’ve got a tiny one room flat…”
“That’s great – I
would love to meet your husband…”
“He has gone outstation
on tour – but he will be back next week – you can meet him then…”
“Let’s have lunch at
Gaylord…”
“No. No. Today – I am
going to cook you lunch. And – I want you to see my home…” she said.
Two hours later – I
sat in Nisha’s small one room flat in Curzon Road Apartments.
I noticed that there
was no TV in the flat.
“Don’t you have a
TV…?” I asked Nisha.
“No. We don’t have a
TV…” she said, “but we are planning to buy one soon…”
“But I thought you
would have a TV…” I said.
“Come on – we are newly
married – we need to save some money – don’t we…?” she said.
“But surely – someone
would have given you a TV as a wedding gift…” I said.
“TV…? As a wedding
gift…? Are you crazy…?” she said.
“Why…?”
“You do one thing…”
she said, “You still haven’t given me my wedding gift. Why don’t you present me
a good colour TV…?”
I was dumbstruck.
After lunch – I went
straight to the TV Showroom.
The owner recognized
me.
“Did you deliver the
TV to the Wedding Reception as I had told you…?” I asked him.
“Of course, Sir…” he
said.
“Well – there seems to
be some mistake – I hope you didn’t deliver the TV to the wrong place…? I said.
“No mistake, Sir. I
personally delivered the gift wrapped TV to the address you gave me…”
“I just visited the
newly married couple’s house – the TV is not there…”
“Sir, they may have
given it to someone else…”
“Why should they give
a wedding gift to someone else…? The wife told me that they did not receive any
TV as a wedding gift…”
“Sir – please believe
me – I personally handed over the TV to the lady who was collecting the wedding
gifts…”
“A lady…?”
“Yes, Sir – there was
a big rush on the stage – so they asked us to give the wedding gifts to a lady
on the side of the stage who was collecting all the gifts…”
“Well – something
seems to be wrong – I will try to find out – I only hope someone didn’t steal
the TV…” I said.
“I don’t think so, Sir
– that lady was very meticulously guarding the wedding gifts…” the shopkeeper
said.
I felt disappointed –
but - there was nothing I could do now.
Maybe – when I met
Nisha next – I would have to tell her to find out where the TV had vanished.
Part
4
Next morning – my boss
asked to meet a Mr. “X” regarding
some official matter:
“Mr. “X” is not free right now – but he said
that you can meet him at his home on your way back from work – take his address
from my PA…”
In the evening – after
work – I went to the address.
I looked at the
name-plate on the door.
Yes – I was at the
right address – Mr. “X” lived here.
I pressed the
doorbell.
A young lady opened
the door.
I introduced myself –
I told her that I had come to meet Mr. “X”.
“Please come in. I am
Mrs. “X” – my husband should be back
from office anytime now…” Mrs. “X”
said to me.
Mrs. “X” welcomed me into her home.
She asked me to sit
down on the sofa – and she said to me:
“I’ll just finish off
some work in the kitchen. You can watch TV if you want – till my husband comes
home…”
Those days – there was
only one TV channel – “Doordarshan” –
and TV’s did not have a remote – so she walked towards the TV and switched it
on.
I looked at the TV
Set.
The TV seemed
familiar.
Was it the same TV set
which I had given to Nisha as a Wedding Gift…?
It was the same brand
– the same model.
Of course – many
people would have the same model – but – my “inner voice” told me that it was
the same TV set which I had bought from the shop in CP and given as a gift to
Nisha on her wedding day.
So – I decided to make
sure.
I looked at Mrs. “X” and asked her:
“Your TV looks really
good. May I have a look at it…?”
“Sure…” she said.
I walked to the TV and
I switched it off.
Then – I unplugged the
TV wire from the socket.
Mrs. “X” was looking at me curiously – so –
I said to her:
“I am looking at some
“technical” things…”
I turned the TV
around.
I looked at the bottom
left corner of the rear cover.
The marking was there.
Yes – I could see my
initials – in red – they had faded a bit – but the marking was clearly visible.
So – this was the same
TV set which we had given to Nisha as a wedding gift.
I replaced the TV to
its original position – plugged it in – and switched it on.
Then – I asked Mrs. “X”:
“I hope I am not being
too inquisitive – but – can you please tell me where you bought this TV…?”
“It came in my dowry…”
she said.
“Dowry…?” I asked,
surprised.
“Well – I know – no
one uses the word “dowry” nowadays – but – my parents gave me this TV as a “wedding
gift” – so – I guess it is “dowry” – isn’t it…” she said.
“Oh – so your parents
gave you this TV as a wedding gift…?” I remarked.
“Yes…” she said.
“Tell me – by any
chance – do you know anyone by the name “Nisha”…?” I asked her.
“Of course – my
sister-in-law – her name is “Nisha”…” she said.
“Your
“sister-in-law”…?”
“Yes – my brother’s
wife – her name is “Nisha”. My brother and Nisha – they got married almost at
the same time as us – just a few days before we got married…” Mrs. “X” said.
“What is your
brother’s name…?” I asked her.
“Arun – my brother’s
name is Arun. By any chance – did your “Nisha” get married to a man called
“Arun”…” Mrs. “X” asked me.
I remembered the name
on Nisha’s wedding card.
Yes – the groom’s name
was “Arun”.
So – Nisha had got
married to this woman’s brother Arun.
Comprehension began to
dawn on me.
My “wedding gift” had
been transferred.
I smiled to myself.
“Anything the
matter…?” Mrs. “X” asked me.
“No. No. I was just
thinking – it is such a small world – isn’t it…? Yes – it is the same “Nisha”
that I was talking about – she is married to your brother Arun…” I said.
Then – Mrs. “X” looked at me – and she said to me:
“I am just curious.
How do you know my sister-in-law “Nisha”…?”
“We were friends…” I
said.
“Oh. But – we didn’t
see you at the wedding – didn’t Nisha invite you…” she said.
“Of course, she
invited me to her wedding. But – I had gone outstation – on duty…” I said.
“Oh…” she said.
Suddenly – the
doorbell rang.
Mr. “X” had arrived home.
After we had finished
our official “shop talk” – I said to Mr. “X”:
“You have a good TV. I
really liked this model…”
“Yes. This TV is a
wedding gift from my “in-laws” – my wife’s parents…” he said.
“Dowry…?” I said,
jokingly.
“Ha – Ha – “Dowry”…!”
Mr. “X” said – and he broke into a
laugh.
Part
5 – Epilogue
The mystery was
solved.
The TV which I had
given as a “wedding gift” to Nisha – had been collected by her mother-in-law –
who had given the same TV to her own daughter as “dowry”.
And – Nisha was
clueless…!!!
Also – Nisha thinks
that I never gave her a wedding gift.
Should I have told
Nisha the truth…?
I did not.
Because I thought that
wouldn’t be prudent to do so at that point of time – since it could cause
misunderstandings and spoil relationships.
So – I kept the secret
in my heart for all these years.
And now – 36 years
later – I am writing this story – and posting it on my blog.
I hope Nisha reads the
story – and has a laugh – at the shrewdness of her mother-in-law – who so
cleverly transformed her daughter-in-law’s “wedding gift” into her daughter’s
“dowry”.
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
Disclaimer:
1. This story is a fictional spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.
2. All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Copyright Notice:
No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.
Copyright © Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
