Men and dogs not allowed
There are several apocryphal stories related to the legendary rivalry between St Stephen's College and it's so-called poor cousin across the road. Each year, around the admission season, they are back in circulation. One of the annual favourites is the story about how when Stephen's put up a notice which said dogs and Hinduites not allowed, Hindu responded by saying dogs allowed, but not Stephanians.
Though I am no great Stephen's fan, I am beginning to feel an urgent need for carrying a similar placard around wherever I go. Men and dogs, stay away.
Since it's quite cumbersome go gallivanting around the city and meet sundry sources while carrying such a placard, alas, I am unable to convey my feelings to the world at large and to men in particular.
So this past week, everybody - from colleagues in office to perfect strangers - have thought it their moral duty to ask me about my marital status and more importantly, my plans of acquiring one.
Starting with a senior colleague who SMSed me last Saturday telling me that a fellow journo, who happens to hail from the same state as I, wanted to meet me. But we met at a colleague's wedding, I said. That's why he wants to meet you, explained the colleague. Verrry nice guy, decent too and from the same state. Thanks, but no thanks, I said. What followed really got my goat. Shaadi ke liye fit hai...You must give it a thought coz I am telling you and I think well of you...
A man saw me at a wedding in December 2004, exchanged one line of conversation with me and then proceeeded to puff away and 18 months later, he thinks he has (but naturally) progressed to becoming The Chosen One. Anyway, I managed to wriggle out of this somehow.
Only to have another colleague ask me two days later when I was planning to get married. Not right away, may be a couple of years later, I said and thought the matter would end there. But no, the said guy, who happens to be four years older and is still nowhere close to getting hitched proceeded to lecture me on how when I want to get married, I will find only dirty, old men.
That night when I got into the office cab, an acquaintance who works in the same building, started telling me about the spanking new car that he's bought. All downpayment, no EMI, blah... So when are you getting married? Well, hello, I thought we were talking automobiles. I was completely exhausted by then and had absolutely no reply to offer. So I pretended to look out of the window and act as if I am deaf in my left ear... I am glad to announce it worked.
It didn't end at that. I was on an assignment on Friday and needed a doctor's help to get into a ward. Said doctor also turned out to be from the same state. Helped me get in, I got the details, thanked him and was about to leave when he started off... Actually, the guard was asking me about you, so I siad you are my fiance, he declared. Dream on, bastard, I felt like saying, but couldn't (my sense of propriety crops up at the most inopportune moments). What followed was a nightmare. Are you married? No, I screamed. Why don't you have some coffee with me? No, I have realllly got to go, I said and hid myself behind some OB vans (Thank heavens for Aaj Tak and its huge vans).
Is it a surprise then that I want the men to stay away, miles and miles away?
And oh, about the dogs - I think I am allergic to them. But lesser than I am to men.
Though I am no great Stephen's fan, I am beginning to feel an urgent need for carrying a similar placard around wherever I go. Men and dogs, stay away.
Since it's quite cumbersome go gallivanting around the city and meet sundry sources while carrying such a placard, alas, I am unable to convey my feelings to the world at large and to men in particular.
So this past week, everybody - from colleagues in office to perfect strangers - have thought it their moral duty to ask me about my marital status and more importantly, my plans of acquiring one.
Starting with a senior colleague who SMSed me last Saturday telling me that a fellow journo, who happens to hail from the same state as I, wanted to meet me. But we met at a colleague's wedding, I said. That's why he wants to meet you, explained the colleague. Verrry nice guy, decent too and from the same state. Thanks, but no thanks, I said. What followed really got my goat. Shaadi ke liye fit hai...You must give it a thought coz I am telling you and I think well of you...
A man saw me at a wedding in December 2004, exchanged one line of conversation with me and then proceeeded to puff away and 18 months later, he thinks he has (but naturally) progressed to becoming The Chosen One. Anyway, I managed to wriggle out of this somehow.
Only to have another colleague ask me two days later when I was planning to get married. Not right away, may be a couple of years later, I said and thought the matter would end there. But no, the said guy, who happens to be four years older and is still nowhere close to getting hitched proceeded to lecture me on how when I want to get married, I will find only dirty, old men.
That night when I got into the office cab, an acquaintance who works in the same building, started telling me about the spanking new car that he's bought. All downpayment, no EMI, blah... So when are you getting married? Well, hello, I thought we were talking automobiles. I was completely exhausted by then and had absolutely no reply to offer. So I pretended to look out of the window and act as if I am deaf in my left ear... I am glad to announce it worked.
It didn't end at that. I was on an assignment on Friday and needed a doctor's help to get into a ward. Said doctor also turned out to be from the same state. Helped me get in, I got the details, thanked him and was about to leave when he started off... Actually, the guard was asking me about you, so I siad you are my fiance, he declared. Dream on, bastard, I felt like saying, but couldn't (my sense of propriety crops up at the most inopportune moments). What followed was a nightmare. Are you married? No, I screamed. Why don't you have some coffee with me? No, I have realllly got to go, I said and hid myself behind some OB vans (Thank heavens for Aaj Tak and its huge vans).
Is it a surprise then that I want the men to stay away, miles and miles away?
And oh, about the dogs - I think I am allergic to them. But lesser than I am to men.
posted by 8 by 52 at 2:16 AM
8 Comments:
I know what asses men can me but you seem to have chosen the three worst examples to form your opinion. Especially that PT - yuck man. Itna bhi nahi.
As for doggies - your right. They're better. Waaaaaaaaaay better.
Look, a man is a man is a man (with due apologies to Shakespeare). And it seems too much of a coincidence that I have been bumping only into the worst of them since last Friday. I think it's safe to say that they are all the same.
Well more than the men wanting to be a part of your life, I guess the bigger issue is the entire process of getting married, as the elders keep repeating, at the right time....how about exploring that in the next post...
There are some decent men too. I think it's the whole marriage thingy that's getting you down (plus as essar said, the three worst examples you met helped you form that opinion)
I chanced upon this post while searching for some Stephanian blogs. ARE you a Stephanian (or WERE you a Hinduite?)
Anyway, I too seem to be bumping into a particular type of women these days. The ones who are being pestered for marriage. Will you believe I have read 15 posts in less than 7 days - all along the same lines? Insane...
But I still don't want to generalize about anything.
Good luck with whatever you are doing..
Vivek: Well, I will try doing that though I am not too sure if I myself have any clue about where I stand on this issue.
Toe Knee: There may be loads of decent ones out there, but I don't know why I seem to bump into the worst kind.
Harsh: I am neither a Stephanian, nor a Hinduite. And most of us single women face this on a daily basis so I guess a blog is the only place where we can pour it all out.
Hell no I have to contest the last line. If I would put you in front of PT and the cute black dog that used to wag its tail the moment we would step out, I am sure you would leap with a scream to PT's side:-)
Yes, AB I never liked that bitch walking up to us and licking our hands, but I swear to God, I would hug her if only that could save me from going home with PT. Btw, did I tell you that PT (dutifully) informed me about his marriage to some PYT last week? I am yet to tell him I am heartbroken :-)
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