Sunday, February 20, 2011

Saint Valentine 2

(This is a sequel of my earlier work Saint Valentine: Villain Valentine  which was based on real incidents. If you have not already read, consider (do not have to) reading it before this story. Here is the link.)

14th Feb 2011. It was Valentine Day again. Running on his treadmill while watching The Early Show on Channel 5, Ajay heard his iPhone beeping with a reminder of Valentine Day. But Ajay did not need a reminder, he already knew about Valentine Day. How could he forget Valentine Day?

Determined to make up for the past, he was prepared to put effort, time and money to get the best possible Valentine Gift for his wife Anita.

As a distinguished cardiologist, he knew all about heart muscles, arteries & veins connecting to heart and its complex function of pumping blood to the body. Struggling to finalize the gift for Anita, today he wished he knew more about heart (or to be technically correct brain) of Venusians.

Diamond Ring! No. She already got a big diamond ring for her last birthday.

Gold Jewelry! No. Her preference is pure gold that is not possible in the USA.

Shoes! No. She likes to buy herself.

Apple Laptop! She would love it but not a romantic gift.

Perfume! No Way. Never!

A book! Good idea but again not romantic enough.

Right at that moment, a TV advertisement showed Red Roses. He knew his answer.

Yes. Red roses! Anita loves red roses. She loves to decorate the house with red colored fresh roses in different kinds of vases. She loves the fragrance and touch of roses. She loves to feel the roses. Convinced with the decision to get roses, he stopped treadmill and made a note on his iPhone though he knew he could never forget.

Returning home from the hospital, he stopped at shops and purchased the most beautiful red roses he had ever seen. Very happily, he presented the roses to Anita as soon as he entered the house.

Anita was pleasantly surprised. She was ecstatic. But this lasted only for a moment.

Suddenly Anita could not decide whether to scream or laugh at her husband. She did not know if to howl or hug her husband. She was angry yet delighted. She felt frustration and elation at the same time.

She smothered her mixed feelings and asked, “What is this?”

Happily Ajay replied, “Thought and effort. I got perfect red roses for you.”

Anita looked at him slightly exasperated and asked, “How about results? Are you sure about roses?”

Puzzled Ajay could not figure out any flaw in his perfect gift, “What is wrong? You don’t seem happy.”

Instead of Anita, Ajay’s daughter replied, “Dad, these are artificial roses. Mom hates plastic flowers.”

Dear Readers: - I will let you decide the fiction and non-fiction part of this story. Just a hint, I had dinner with Ajay last weekend.

29 comments:

BK Chowla, said...

Of course, non fiction.
It must have happened to lot of us.
But, we still love them, dont we?. And they know it

Unknown said...

Hehe..I think it's a fiction part.
Is that possible that he couldn't distinguish btwn dem..atleast d prices wil giv a hint:)

Rama Ananth said...

I feel strongly that it happened to you only, but I am not able to believe you could buy plastic flowers, maybe you never wanted your flowers of love to ever wither.

Anonymous said...

Hmm.....very thoughtful heart specialist I must say! He he..

This has to be non fiction! It happens! :) it's the thought that counts!

Asma Khan said...

Lovely post..... :) Indeed it is really difficult to satisfy any.... :)

shuchita said...

plastic flowers big big mistake

A New Beginning said...

Nice one ...fiction or non fiction it was a good post!:)

Whirlwind said...

It was thoughtful..like I've always said its the thought that counts.:)

kiran sawhney said...

I am bad at guessing. Cant guess.
You break the suspense please.

Felicity Grace Terry said...

Has this woman never heard the saying that it's the thought that counts. OK so Ajay might not be the most observant of men but at least he was thinking of his wife.

NRIGirl said...

Next time Ajay can steal this trick from Israel who gladly says, "Every day is a Valenitines day for us" as an excuse to forgetting a gift...

Insignia said...

Haaaaa but Ajay put in effort

sm said...

lol
nice story

Tanvi said...

Poor guy! Seems to get it wrong year after year!

Geeta said...

Its time for her to give up on Ajay's gift buying skills.

Usha said...

A, Second part came as big surprise...I never thought that villain Valentine will continue in next episode...Ajay precisely knew how much Anita loved roses and you nicely described her liking for roses...so fiction part is..bringing artificial roses...A doctor can't be that insensitive.
Just curious - Did you plan part II before or it was decided after reaction from readers on first part?

Amrit said...

@BK Chowla,

Yes ! We still love them. Do we have a choice? I will let readers make some more guesses before I give away the answer though a lot of them guessed it right.

@Neeha,

For someone who could think of buying Apple PC, Jewelry etc. slight difference in the price may not be visible. So you cannot conclude anything based on price. But good try.

@Rama,

No it did not happen with me. In this case, I am narrating the story of Ajay. Ajay is the same person as in previous story.

@Jyothi,

Yes. Thought counts. Let me not give away answer as yet.

@Asma,

Thanks.

@Shuchita,

Yes. A big mistake for pretty much all females I know.

@Whirlwind,

Yes. The thought counts more than anything else.

@Kiran,

No problem. I try to make it difficult. )

@PW,

I agree with you. I think Anita agrees with you. That is why she is confused – either be happy or mad.

@NRIGirl,

I stole it. My wife is going to hear that next time. Haha

@Insignia,

Yes. Effort and time both..

@SM,

Thanks,

@Tanvi,

Yes. Wrong twice.

@Geeta,

Haha. I agree.

@Usha,

Thanks. I tried to describe both sides. About your question if I planned second part before or after reader’s reaction. Answer is none. I had no plans to write second part till Saturday. My decision to write second part is NOT based on reader’s reaction. Most readers do not like sequels. I met Ajay and family on Saturday and Anita told us something. That is the time idea stuck my mind but did not get time till Sunday night.

Alka Gurha said...

God only knows what women want.....Both parts keep the reader engrossed.

chitra said...

I would have been happy if I was in Anita's place. But this story is not abt. me:(.
Written very well A.

Tanishka said...

Plastic flowers... I hate them... Its a bad bad idea....

hamaarethoughts.com said...

ha haaaa...haaaa..nice..plastic flowers..anyone wud get mad!Poor guy...
this is a non fiction,,,for Sure!made him again a wrong doer this year!

M'Bai Madrasi said...

funny read...but hard to digest the truth..!!

btw..thanks a lot for our comment!
My name is Reshmi... you can call me by my original name..no need to refer to as Madrasi.. :-)
and yes I'm following u too..keep visiting m blog!..

Shari said...

Plastic Flowers Lolz.

Rika said...

lol plastic roses... really? it kind of seems like fiction to me...

Black Walnut Pearl said...

Sounds it really happened for Ajay! Will wait for the answer.

raji said...

Hm...this part of ajay getting artificial flowers does seem like a fiction;still cannot confirm because sometimes they can make such foolish selections:)))

Anonymous said...

Poor poor Ajay :) Now I will not sleep tonight thinking of ajay and his plight! Fiction? Women are not that demanding or are they ;)

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

Haha, A, I very much enjoyed reading both this and the Valentine Villain story. I'm slightly behind the times, but I'm going to use the excuse I think Ajay used: "It's the thought that counts!" ; )

Sh@s said...

Poor Ajay. My sympathy is with him. I hope women learn to appreciate men's efforts no matter how silly they seem.