Spring has long sprung and like several of you, I was at a wedding last weekend. ‘Tis the season for bridal registries, trips out-of-town and getting faded on Black at receptions (via trunk bar or open, natch). Even though it has almost been a week since I saw a priest recite ancient exhortations at the Cathedral of the Incarnation, I’m still very marriage-minded on this Friday. You would be too, if you had been at an Orthodox ceremony; I had several hours to ponder tradition, obligation and tying the knot (both literally and figuratively).
Then there’s the Mutiny’s role in keeping the vedding bells ringing in my head; I had read the “Modern Love” essay penned by Sarita James when it came out, but Amardeep’s post from earlier today prompted me to visit it again, since I knew it would be a hot topic (I predict 300+ comments). It’s mildly amusing to me that the one issue which can bring this entire community together/rouse lurkers from their anonymity/stir up so much drama is marriage. Not politics, not Arundhati, not spelling. Marriage. It’s a testament to how much angst and weirdness we all feel about this rite of passage, that whenever we feature a post like this latest, every F5 will bring you a brand new comment.
While we already had a Friday nanofiction orgy which featured a few 55-word biodatas, I think that the time is right to “go there” again. We haven’t 55’d in a while, might as well get reacquainted via a subject which inspires all of us to say something. As always, you may flash us with fiction about whatever you wish, just be kind enough to leave your words (or a link to them) in the comments below. I know, I usually name our 55Fridays after music I listened to in college, but no wedding reception is official until you’ve played Frank (though to be clear, the couple I just celebrated with danced to U2’s highly awesome “With or Without You”.) What are you waiting for? Nanofiction, already.
On Fidelity My dating life read like a whoÂ’s who of the worldÂ’s most eligible bachelors. They werenÂ’t famous, but they were all sweet, smart, sexy. Some were also caring, compassionate, passionate, and some had even more. People thought I was too picky, but when I found a man I could not cheat on, I married him.
……….. When I found a fool, I married him
Dear Jai, Anna and SM Intern:
Anna and SM Intern:
You both rock for keeping Jai’s message…I promise this will be the last non 55f from me and i’ll try not to hijack anymore conversations :)…thanks
Jai:
Its clear that all readers here have a soft spot for you…and I know why…thank you for caring enough to risk disapproval from your SM Friends:) and posting a message to me…i really appreciate it…I wish I could have just sent you a personal note. I will share this with my fiance…and I know him enough to know he’ll take to your advice well…i believe in love deep down inside and i really want this to work too…eventually I know i’ll support him through anything because that’s what best friends do…i just hope sharing my crazy story helped people as much as it helped me… ok…i’m done with my mushy cheesy bit.
Thanks again SM and Mutineers.
A few days late…
“I’m a financial consultant.” “Really?” Eyes glaze. Sigh. “Hmmm, I love working with senior finance executives.” “Sure.” Eyes roam the bar, latch on another. A few minutes later. A different tack. “I’m a teacher”. “That’s so great. What do you teach? Which grade? Do you like it?” I left the bar, career intact, heart broken.
regarding the above fitty-five, no offense meant to any teachers out there! that story was just inspired by recent events in my life, and i couldn’t resist.
Anna & SM Intern,
Thank you very much for making an exception for me, very kind of you. Considering the gravity of the situation MC is facing, I’m sure it’s okay to bend the usual rules on this occasion 😉
Mochalatte Chiquitita,
No problem at all about my previous message, you’re very welcome. As I said before, I just hope everything works out for you. Try not to worry too much (yes I know that’s much easier said than done !), stay strong, stay focused, and stay positive.
Kenyandesi,
I absolutely loved your “Jealousy” 55 — the woman you described sounds a lot like someone I used to know 😉
In the same vein…..Here are some 55s I originally posted on SM a long time ago. I can’t think of a more appropriate thread than this one for these short stories, considering the romantic theme, which is why I’d like to re-post them here; I’ve also noticed that there are a lot of newbies here on SM these days, so this will be new material for them anyway, along with the veterans who may vaguely remember them from the first time around.
Her gaze was unwavering; gentle, calm, heartfelt, her eyes large and the colour of black coffee, skin porcelain, long black hair framing her lovely face, head resting on her right hand.
Kabir listened, drowning in the experience, one light in two bodies.
“If there is a paradise on Earth, it is here, it is here…..”
I can’t stop glancing at her.
The lights of the city illuminate her, smiling, pretending not to notice; long legs stretched under the dashboard.
Beside her, the world is a shadow; our passion, an oasis of idealism.
My religion commands “Bow to no-one”;
Yet I willingly kneel before her, defenceless, a sacrifice to her love.
(especially since I just watched Anakin’s heart die a few nights ago)
Jai = swoon
Anna, since my Vader 55s seem to be causing you to pass out again (or “get the vapors”, as genteel Victorian ladies would say), there’s actually a novel out which is a sequel to ROTS and details exactly what happened to Vader immediately afterwards — how he copes with recent events and his new identity etc. I haven’t read it yet but it looks very interesting. I’ve flicked through the novelisation of ROTS too and it’s very poetically written — very poignant and “epic” in its depiction of the tragedy.
By the way, in case my post #37 needed clarification for anyone, it’s actually Kapil’s new wife who’s mumbling another guy’s name in her sleep. Kapil isn’t gay and daydreaming about some dude called Vijay (not that, er, there’s anything wrong with that if, er, your naan’s buttered on that side).
MC,
Darth Vader also has a blog: http://darthside.blogspot.com/
It changed my whole perception on him before I watched the third prequel.
Thekingsingh — Thanks for that link, bro. Looks like someone else has also been thinking along the same lines as myself. Very well written.
Indianmarriages.com. You contacted me; I thought your handle sounded like the Pixies.
“IÂ’m going to this lounge, off Van Ness, with my friends…”
I was shaking as I walked in, looking for a you I only knew via photographs. You tapped my shoulder. Before I turned, I thought, “This could be the one”.
You werenÂ’t.
Three years have passed since I tentatively accepted your invitation to meet at that crowded bar in San Francisco. Since then, every one of my friends has had a wedding, half are now mothers. I, like you, have dated around but am still alone.
Sometimes, I wonder if I was wrong about you, about us.
On the way to brunch, I sat by you, watching you navigate sleepy city streets. Once there, I remained by your side, gazing at you affectionately, playing “house”. Was I holding out for a myth? Maybe “first marriage, then comes love” was true?
No. My life had never been that simple.
And youÂ…you remained oblivious.
Well my grandfather always said I would make a good writer 🙂 This one is a little gloomy but it is kind of rainy outside.
“I could look at you all night.” Later, J. and I laughed…did he really think that would work? “I feel so close to you, you understand me.” J. thought he might be serious and I gave him the chance. “Will you marry me?” I held back the tears,smiled big. He wasn’t talking to me
Jai: you’re welcome man, and you’re right, it is very well written.
“Did you read that story about that woman who married that snake, back in India?” he called out to her, as he sat on the sofa browsing the internet.
“Is that right?” she replied, arms immersed in dishwashing.
“Yeah, but the snake didn’t show up to the wedding!”
“Read about it? Please, I’m living it.”
I
She had loved him for five years; he had loved her too, in his non-committal way. Finally, tired of waiting for him, she had said ‘yes’ to another suitor.
As she mailed him her engagement photographs, she said to herself: “He will see these photographs and realize his loss. Maybe, it still isn’t too late.”
II
He saw her engagement photographs in his mailbox and thought: “She is the most beautiful woman I have ever been with. I will never meet someone like her again.”
He picked up the phone and called her, but hung up, when her father answered on the other side.
“It’s too late anyway,” he told himself.
III
Years after her marriage, they found themselves sitting next to each other on a London-Mumbai flight. They sat together in stunned silence and remembered the five years, in another life, when they were in love.
Next morning, she woke up in his bed and called her husband to tell him that she had reached safely.
He won’t come home at night. There must be something wrong with me. Am I not a good wife? Am I not subservient enough? He doesn’t take interest in my body. Perhaps I should lose some weight, but his mother likes my hips. They’ll bear me grandchildren, she says. Yes, maybe then he’ll love me.