A guide to what to gift her and get to her heart...

or something like that...

If you have been even a little bit observant, you would notice that i have added a small icon "Desicritics" to the sidebar among the various badges... yes sire! Yours truly has started writing at DC... It all started with me requesting and eventually Flyinfiddlesticks inviting me to write at DC... Follow the link here and do read my posts, mind you I am just 2 posts old :)

Coming to the title of the post, I shared one of the articles by a fellow writer Mansi, "Gifts Men Should Not Give Women"... Santa promptly commented "then what to gift???" If i remember right, Santa had asked me this question previously in yet another instant too :-D... so here goes the post....

Giving a gift is not a mighty thing... it varies as per the person... as per Mansi's post, flowers and chocolates are a boo-boo... well roses and a box of dark chocolate lifts me up anytime... seriously, anything from "My Man" with love will get me going about it for hours... anyhow, to the list...

Flowers: The secret lies in how you present... make an effort... read about the flowers you are sending... a pointer here, the meaning of the flower always vary as per the country... Dutch believe white rose is for death and Americans believe it denotes innocence and "seeking forgiveness" ahem! anyhow, read about the flower...
and don't send a lack luster bunch... either send her simple bunch of dozen roses or dig out the whole Amazon forest as a floral bouquet... anything else is gonna leave you dangling :-D

White roses waiting to be sold at flower market

 And if you are still in doubt, go for the classic bunch of RED ROSES!!!

Chocolates: Whatever women say, they dig chocolates... they can have a high rigor diet going on, but a simple box of chocolates artfully presented raises their heartbeat.. :-P

Make her drunk on chocolates and your love

Be Creative: Pick up those scissors and glue stick... remember those craft lessons you had to undergo in your middle school (no don't remind me.. mine was a horror)... pick up a clue or two from there...

• cut up hearts of various sizes and stick them on a chart paper... corny, i know.. but hey, if it wins her heart, you are good to go right??
• make something, which she had seen and mentioned to you... at college, a friend once came to me beaming and showing off a red kite... she had mentioned about kids flying kite on the beach when the couple had gone out on a date... the boy promptly prepared all by himself a red kite and gifted it to her... all he needed was some tissue paper, sticks, glue and loads of love! 
• go the Chetan Bhagat way, make her a lipstick case... ok engineering mechanics is not my trough.. so what try something similar..
• instead of buying a greeting card which says "101 reasons why I love you", sit down and write down reasons why you like to be with her.. Even 1 would be great, you don't need 101 reasons to floor her... one Valid reason is enough...

Ok, not this one... bats are no good in love!

  Encourage Her Hobbies:  Sure shot way to reach her heart... she is dabbling in cooking, get her a cooking book or some kitchenware... she is into painting, get her new supplies or a couple of camel hair brushes... she reads a lot, get her a subscription to the local library... Oh come on you got enough options there...

Ok not so old.. But if she is into classics like me, YAY 

Go the classic way: If you don't know what to give, go the classic way... take her out  for a dinner or cook her a meal... even noodles or mac and cheese would be great... book her a day at the spa or give her a lovely massage... or if she is really angry, stay away from her... ok, i am joking :-D

 If none of the above works, just hand over your credit card to her and see her jump up and down in joy... hey it really works :-P

A triangular Love istory...

The Black Safari Duo was again there today, with its usual tinted glass windows.

 Megha had been noticing that Automobile for quite some time now. It would usually be there by the time she reached her bus-stop. And usually will accompany her bus in the same pace till her office. When it happened first, she was amused to see the Safari driving parallel to her Bus. She expected it to drive off, when her bus took a pit-stop at one of those numerous bus stops. But no, it stopped a bit and continued to drive again once the bus started. And never once had Megha seen the inmate(s) of the vehicle, thanks to the heavily tinted window glasses.

Megha was working in the Crime-beat dept of the city's only afternoon newspaper. She was living alone for almost 7 years now and was quite independent in her own way. Though she was pretty normal with the girl-next-door look, something in her made everyone take a second look at her when she walked by. Dressed in some smart Kurta and Jean along with her acerbic tongue, she was a dread for her colleagues.

Chetan was her only colleague who could manage her. In fact Chetan was her friend for the past 6 years since she was shifted from Page#3 to Crime-beat. Initial office gossip had that both were romantically seeing each other, until Megha released a volley of abuses on the drop-of-the-hat-coffee-break-gang. Since then the office crowd left Megha and Chetan alone on their own terms.

Megha always left her house by 7 am to reach the nearest bus-stop where Chetan would join her for their regular bus at 7 15 am. Only recently was this new addition of a Safari and its in-mates. After the initial curiosity and amusement, it gave raise to dread and irritation in Megha. She had pointed it out to her friend quite sometimes. But Chetan always dismissed saying it was nothing and they can't do anything until the Safari mate does anything. To him, the Safari-mate was another just painless harmless eccentric creature of the city.

Today again, the Safari was standing at its usual place. Unfortunately Chetan had taken a day off to visit his Family back at native. Megha somehow felt that, whoever the Safari-mate was, he will surely come out today. Her hunch proved prophetic as a tall dusky hunk stepped out of the loco and approached her. Fortunately for him, a bus arrived at the same moment and saved him from a series of derogatory abuses from Megha. She was fuming all through her journey thinking about the audacity of this guy. At least she was now sure it was a guy and not some random chick routing for some naughtiness.

The Safari-mate was a hunk and any girl will be attacked by sudden jelliness of her knees by his approach, but not our Lady. She was pretty much frothing in her mouth by the time Chetan called her up in the evening to report his arrival back to the town. She was screaming at the top of her lungs when Chetan asked her to meet him at a nearby coffee pub. She agreed and left her desk in a huff.

Chetan was waiting at their usual couch at the Pub and had ordered her a huge mountain of Chocolate Brownie with a double dose of chocolate sauce. Megha made a face and dug into it. Once she was done. Chetan asked if she was cooled down now. He said he would deal him tomorrow.

The day dawned well the next day. But Megha felt like taking an off and duly texted it Chetan and remained in her bed. Chetan came knocking at her door by elevenish and dragged out to a mid-morning brunch.

They hit a Falafel centre near her house and were pigging out on Falafel Sandwiches to their hearts content. Chetan got a call and had to move out to the foyer, when M spotted the Safari-mate approaching her table much to her chagrin. He was smiling at her ad he approached nearer.

M got agitated and even before he could say something shouted out, “Hey, look Mister. Stop following me, I am not a bit interested in you.”

The Safari-dude looked all confused and replied “Who showed a interest in you, anyways??? I was routing for your friend. First I suspected you were a couple. But the distance between you obviously says you are not and your friend is interested in guys. Can u please ask your friend to consider my proposal?”

Saying that he moved away, leaving a stunned Megha, who suddenly realized she was in love with Chetan too.

-D Rat
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Dus Paisa wala...

"So how is ur Dus paisa wala??" Bobo asked licking his fingers..

It was a Friday and Megha was enjoying her ritual eat-out with Bobo and Krathi... Krathi with her big appetite always tried to compete the biggest foodie Megha... but today M was picking at her food.. Bobo concluded that it as something connected to Chetan...

Megha sighed and said " Don't call him that yaar.. that's wat is the problem.. Yday he started fighting on this issue"... "Dus Paisa wala", M spitted vehemently..

M had met Chetan in of those thousand Book fairs that throng the city all thru the year.. her love for books made her visit almost every one of them... she was in grazing a book on Aurobindo by Satprem wen he went past, umm ok more of dashing by her... then they wr standing next to next at the check out counter...

It was him who started the convo..

C: Hi... nice collection of books u have choosed! i take it that u are an avid reader..
M : Umm sort off.. wat are ur Genres of interest?
C : U know.. mostly autobioraphies, biographies, Non-fiction etc etc etc..

They finished their purchase and walked to the parking chit chatting mostly on books... just as M was saying bye, C tripped and his bag went flying towards Megha's feet... spilled wr the graphical autobiographies named "The Next door Slut", " The uncle and his Mistresses" and yet another...
M picked one and said "Ah the Autobiography!!" and burst out laughing... he laughed sheepishly, lunged for the book and scurried off immediately..

it was abt 2 months after this wen M saw him at a local stationery shop... she called from his behind "So Mister.. have u done with all ur Autobiographies".. C was stunned to see her.. he had least expected M, a strikingly beautiful lady, to remember him least alone talk to him after wat happ the other day... he laughed nervously but before he cud reply, M put him at ease saying 'oh come on.. its not as if u r d only guy interested in those amorous books.. everybody denies but secretly gets them hook or crook.. u atleast bought it publicly at the fair"...  all C could blurt out was "ummm..Coffee??"

its a yr since their first coffee date and they were still steady in their relationship... their interests in everything except for those "autobiographies" kept them going.. she turned a blind eye for his particular habit and he eventually lost interest in those too... Recently they had purchased a couple card to reduce their alarmingly growing phone expenses... the call rate btw them was 10 p /min and texting came free of cost...

immediately their friends circle had started calling C as Dus-paisa wala... not a flattering nickname there and C was extra-ordinarily pissed... this was the main reason for their recent arguments that eventually led to fights and black outs.. they had one of their silly fights before M came out for this Friday eat-out and was particularly annoyed beyond limits...

"Ab tho har roz yahi soch ke..." Bobo's mobile started singing... he exclaimed "M.. tera Dus paisa wala..." and ducked to dodge the cutlery that flew in his direction from M...

B : Hi Chetan.. Kahan pa hai...
C : Hi B.. ummm... listen can i talk to M.. she has switched of her mobile.. Plz...
B : lo Karlo Baath...(passing on the mobile to M)

M : C.. wat happ now..
C : ummmm.... can u come out plz...i am waiting outside..
M : Wat the hell!! cant u come in.. i am with Bobo n Krathi only..
C : Just come out...

Megha was worried if this is a prelue for another big fight now.. she hurriedly went out searching for Chetan... M worridly asked"Wat happ C.. is there a problem?" suddenly C got to his knees and produced a beautiful Rose boquet out of no-where... then he huskily asked " Will u marry me, My Dus Paisa waali???"
M was stunned even to utter the "yes" which she eventually uttered.. C slipped on a ruby ring onto M's finger and hugged her close....

Krathi dragged M to inspect the ring, wen Bobo asked Chetan "scene kya hai boss.. One moment u are fighting the next moment u ask her to marry u.. am i smelling something fishy? and wat is this dus paisa waali.."

"Ssssh!" shushed C, " don't be loud..." after checking that they were at safe distance he said " i was planning this for days.. but as its VDay tomm i tot, let me propose her"

"Thats fine..But wat happ to ur silly fight!!" asked Bobo...

"Oh that! Solo company has withdrawn all its plan expect our Dus-paisa wala scheme.. ummm..i am happy and ll be her Dus Paisa wala forever.. But i beg u plz don't let her know.. after all i need something to fight with her now and then right??" said the love struck newly engaged Chetan, grinning as wide as his llips cud allow...

 :-) Happy Valentine Folks... 

Dressed to kill...

I just wonder how am i looking??? my stupid room mate is off to some musical concert.. like hell!! who in these days is interested in Classical music wen u got Iron Maiden Live In concert in 1 hour... ok accepted that i liked to sit in those Katcheris a couple of years back but that was because of my mom's compulsion... oh Crap!! the mirror had to crack just now, huh?? i am not able to see myself fully... i just hope this Purple tube top matches with my sneakers.... well i ll just add a dash of purple blush then may be he wont notice my ugly brown sneakers...

MAn!! i shud have got those sexy black dress Krathi was pointing out that day... now i wouldn't have to argue between these crunched up tees and suits... Ermm will it be too much if i add kajal to my eyes... Damn.. my room mate had to abandon me just now huh??

Hmmm.... but anyways he doesn't like Black... he made a weird expression that day on seeing Bobo wearing Black Pullovers... Ha!! no probs... good thing i don't have much black numbers... now i may not worry wen we go around the city.. i just hope he will ask me out.. atleast today... Come on!! i have dressed to kill yaar.. he has to note me atleast today...

how can any guy go without noticing me... Krathi says i have a figure to die for and Bobo always praises my rock star attitude.. so why does he doesn't even look at my direction... oh Bother!! may be he is just playing hard to get me... Come on! even i dont pay much attention to him... but any moron shud have understood my sly glances by now.. unless he is the King of Morons... Grrr

Hmm anyways....Sexy dress - Check... Matching Accessories - Check... Make up - Check... Co ordinated
Tote Bag - Check... Hair - In Place...Great Now i am off... Wait... Is this i love Iron Maiden logo visible enuf??? i do hope so..


I just wish atleast today i ll get to hear "So, Megha wat are u doing this Friday Nite??" from Chetan... see ya guys... i ll surely update u in an hour...

My love for u...

Hi Chetan...

           Feels sick to start with d usual "how do y'do" and "i'm well", when both us know each other damn well...

Remember the first time we met at yours brother's wedding.. i really thought u wr bridegroom and i was teasing my friend happily.. i felt sick wen u were constantly eyeing me... well that was till i came to know that u wr really d Best-man not the groom..

Remember the first time u asked me out... Mom was at wits end as u asked me in front of her... She actually came around, when my bro gave a green signal about u...

Remember the first time u sent me flowers on my bday.... it was a bunch of White roses and a single red rose in d middle... u explained that girls are many and i am d only one... Grinzzz.. but u didnt know that Chrysanthemums were my favorite flowers till then.. ur bouquet obviously changed my tastes...

Remember  the first time i asked u to take me out for dinner... Seriously i didnt know u hated Lebanese food.. u maintained a straight face all thru d meal... i hated myself wen u were taken ill d next day.. i promised myself never to go for Lebanese again...

Remember the time wen u proposed me... i was on the cloud nine and it took several whacks and kicks from my sister to stop grinning even hours after i accepted urs...

Remember the time we prepared for d marriage.. the numerous expedition with ur and my relatives to find the perfect wedding gown and suit... the various shopping to get everything needed for the marriage... the stolen kisses and hugs when our parents were busy with something else....

Remember the time u got the call for a sudden mission across d border... everyone asked u not to report back.. ur parents insisted that u get married first.. ur bro said he ll forward a medical certificate claiming u wr unwell.. but u said "the country needs me" and looked at me for support.. all i could do was smile, coz i know u loved fighting for the nation..

Remember the card u gave me wen u left..which says "will miss u"... Well,  i will treasure it for my lifetime coz thats my only proof of ur love for me, as now u r not there....

Love,
Megha

Love is...

Life was fun since Megha rejoined her dance classes...  

Tarun, her master was a cool guy who wanted to see everyone happy... even though most of her fellow batch mates were much younger to her, she was accepted by them... they made it a point to include her in everything...Chetan was the shy guy of the class… He smiled at her sometimes, but both stopped at that... neither of them attempted even to small talk... it was so obvious to others except them that they liked each other...

It was a Saturday and Tarun wanted everyone to have fun... he paired everyone to do Salsa dumping his regular routine... When he came to Megha, he smiled mischievously and shouted “Chetan, Lead Megha...."

Both of them were flustered... Megha was lost for words and Chetan was asking again & again "Can't i take Aayusi instead??"

The music was flowing and Megha was shivering when Chetan asked for her hand... Her nervousness made him strong and he said "Just look into my eyes and follow me... be cool, it will be alright..." To her, it was the difficult part, looking into his eyes... she squirmed when he held her waist and twirled her all around him... she just couldn’t manage when he insisted her to place her hands over his shoulders and let them rest on his elbows... She was so embarrassed that she, a trained dancer, couldn't execute a single step... Her Grace and composure just flew out of the window...  It was all apologies and funny smiles that passed btw them... 

They started to look forward to Saturdays, even though they hardly met eye to eye on other days... the clumsy pair of the class was perfecting themselves and Tarun made sure they were not disturbed by others... he loved this couple...  They hardly talked... they were contended with the smiles and holdings... long looks and sly smiles were their only communication... 

It was a Sunday, their off day when her vehicle stalled suddenly… there wasnt a soul nearby but u can’t expect anyone at 11 in the night… Megha had no clue how to repair a stalled vehicle and was getting miffed with time... Just as fate would choose, Chetan crossed her...

"Hey... What happened?"
"Erm... Hey... no idea… it stalled suddenly..."

Chetan sheepishly, "I have no clue about your model... Lemme walk you till your place..."

They walked in silence till her place.... she was cussing all way in her mind not to touch this vehicle again... he was distant all thru the walk...

"Ok... Thanks… bye for the company, Chetan..."
"Mmmmm... Megha... Do u like Devil’s Own or Kaapi Nirvana", Chetan grinned widely..

Several coffees and dinners later he proposed and she accepted...

Twelve years since their first dance.. they still Salsa every Saturday and true to that nite she never touched that vehicle again... 

He never let her....

the best way to end a year...

and welcome a new one, is this.....

A Romance :

          Megha sneezed as the shoe-box slipped out of her hand.. she was in the store room sorting out stuff for new year celebrations... she leafed thru the several photos that spilled out.. taken during her college days each had its own memory attached... one of those showed her fooling around with Chetan.. Her first love at college... a jester, understanding guy whom she trusted like hell...they wud sit around for hours and talk nonsense..they flirted around without guilt and talked about future plans...they planned for a life time together...
          But then she joined a MNC after college.. thats where she met Ashwin, who swept her off her feet... a hunk he was, knew the rite words to say and always had a mischievous smile playing on his face... a heart throb for many girls, he was d most eligible bachelor...

 "MEGHA!!" the voice called from the hall, "are u still there alive or shud i inform your parents???" 

she started laughing as she came out and hugged her husband.. she always knew she did the right thing by choosing Chetan.... "Happy New Year"

A Free Verse :
there goes one...
making away for another..
no guilt, no regrets...
no strings attached..
or any thoughts scratched...
just another new one..
to completely relish and enjoy...

Welcome 2009, we are gonna rock together...

A Text:
Every year is a complete package in itself to me...  2003 taught me to cry.. 2004 made me strong.. 2006 caused me laugh a lot... 2007 made me realize i can hate someone with all my heart... 2008 was an eye opener by itself... i learnt, i sustained, i gathered and i lost...   Now i wait for 2009... lets see wat this Pandora has in her Box....

A Card:

Hmm now wat?? may be

A Click:

click cluck shluck...

See u on d flip side folks.... Party on...

choking on a dream… listening loudly to a silent Scream....

Massacare.. blood... chaos... crowd... trepidation... panic... Death... loneliness...

she woke up with a start... she had broken into a cold sweat..the air conditioner was working fine... may be she shud decrease the temperature..  she couldnt explain her anxiety... she suddenly felt frightened and lonely... may be she shud drink some water... that meant she had to cross the dark corridors to reach the kitchen...she chastized herself for not bringing a glass of water to the bed,before she slept...

she turned to her left.. he was sleeping peacefully... may be he was tired... he had no idea that she was terrified at this dearth of nite... may be he had a hard day at work and may face another big day tomm.. he was deep into sleep.. may be he took his sleeping pill again to ward of his back ache... may be she should wake him up...may be not... he slept like a baby...

her eyes fell on the thick gold chain around his neck... she often felt stifled when ever she saw that chain... he had started wearing that chain from their marriage day.. may be even before that.. may be when they had started their courtship... may be may be... he always stopped her from touching it...it was a forbidden object to her... he never took it off... he got fidgety whenevr she tried it take it off from him playfully..

tonight the curiosity got better of her... maybe it was given to him by someone special... she jogged her memory to remember if that was a wedding gift.. may be one of his friend's gifted him... she couldn't remember... she fingered the chain...it felt cold against her finger... she held it btw her fingers... it was thick, no doubt... it weighed heavy..

she let her fingers move on the length of the chain.. may be he will wake up.. may be he will catch her intruding on this space... may be not... her fingers came to rest on a heart shaped locket... she noticed it for the first time.. she hadnt noticed it before.. not in their frenzied moments of making out.. not in their lazy moments of lying side by side all limbs entangled up... may be she chose not to notice...

may be this was his secret...may be this contained the photo of his childhood sweet heart.. may be the girl he liked in his college days... may be someone from his office... may be not..ma be a picture of his fav god.. my be his parents..may be not... may be.. may be not...

she thought of opening it.. then she decided against it.. after all it was his secret... but then she was terrified tonight... she wanted something to take her mind off from that terrible dream... she weighed the locket against her palm.. it was feather light..sure it would open to reveal his darkest secrets... she ran her nail along the rim of the locket... the catch nudged her skin... she lightly opened it... may be she shouldnt..may be he will find out.. may be they will break into first of the many fights to follow... may she shud....

she opened the locket gingerly... the left side revealed a smiling him... she had captured him in that glorious smile..they had been laughing over their morning coffee.. she smiled to herself... she felt apprehensive to look on the right side.. may be shudnt..may be she shud stop peering and close the locket.. she couldnt bring herself to look further... she didnt want her dreams to shatter... but tonight she wanted to be sure...

she felt antsy..may she shud go get that glass of water... she nervously looked over... she broke into a sigh of relief... she wont need that glass of water any more tonight..may be tomm she will remember to get that glass before she retired to bed.. but tonight she ll sleep re-assured... she snuggled beside him and slept off instantly..

cause she know it was she who smiled back from that right side... she in her naughty moods goofing around wearing only his shirt... Tonight she feels warm...