Short Story- Matrimonial Advertisement

Matrimonial Advertisement

Sudhir was from my colony and it is an record that we had been in the same class up to matriculation and when I joined college, I found Sudhir in my class and we continued in the same class till we both completed post graduation in the subject of political science.

We were not fast friends. But he had been my constant companion. At most of the occasions we were found together.

If a teacher or the principal wanted me, they were locating Sudhir and if they wanted Sudhir they were locating me either in the library or in the canteen. Sometime we were found in the garden adjoining the college. If I was not present in the college, Sudhir had to explain my absence and if I got lower marks in house examination, all blames were thrown on Sudhir. All instructions and directions were given by the teachers to Sudhir so that he could help me in my study.

Sudhir was a good boy and was very helpful to me, but I was not considering him as my boy friend. I was daughter of a big and reputed contractor and Sudhir’s father was just a teacher and that too he had died two years ago. His mother was maintaining the family with the pension and therefore, I had to arrange books, stationery items and at times, I was depositing fee and other charge on behalf of Sudhir. All this was open and Sudhir also knew all that and often he had been giving me instructions that I should avoid such help. He wanted to keep his self-respect. He wanted to help me in my studies, but he was not in a mood to accept help from my side. But inspite of all these restrictions from his side, I felt pleasure when I helped him. Actually I liked him otherwise excepting marriage with him. I wanted a rich person for me who can afford all pleasures as I had been getting at the house of my parents and I knew that Sudhir could never be in a position to give me all these pleasures.

I noticed that because of nearness of Sudhir the other boys in our collages and in our class were not having any interest in me nor any one of them was having a talk with me. My name had been attached with Sudhir and therefore others avoided coming near to me. Sudhir was otherwise a known personality in the college because he had been standing first in the University throughout and in addition to his achievements in academic field, he had brought some more shields for the college in debates. He was having much knowledge on problems of India and problems facing the world at large. I often found him collecting information from library and news papers. I notice that even teachers were consulting him before they delivered lectures on important subject and topics. That was the reason even my parents never objected my company with Sudhir.

Before I completed my post graduation, my father shifted his business to Delhi and we had already shifted to Delhi. I along with my mother were left behind so that I could complete the last two months in college. When I was leaving for Delhi, Sudhir was at our house and was helping us in packing our personal effects. When I was leaving Patiala by a car, he was standing with me. I actually shook my hand with him and said,

-“ Sudhir, I am going. I had been with you for such a long time. We had been together since we were in the first class. I shall be remembering you for the help you had been affording to me. You are nice person. You are a responsible person. Anybody can have faith in you and in your sincerity. I can say that people of your type are very rare in this world. The girl who shall be getting you as her husband shall be the most lucky woman in this world. I wish you success in life.” And then I left Patiala for ever.

My parents were not very much interested that I should get a job. They started finding out a suitable match for me and for that purpose they had been giving advertisements on the matrimonial side. We had been receiving letters and also Photographs. All letters were placed before me for my choice and approval. At this juncture I was in trouble because it had become very difficult for me to find out a suitable match for me. My parents were desiring a rich person and for that purpose they were ignoring the education standard of the boy in question. At times they were ignoring even age factor. The only thing in their mind was that the boy should belong to a rich family. Two or three boys were called to our house and I was given time to meet them. When I enquired personally, they were depending upon the riches of their parents and actually they themselves had got no achievement of their own. I could not develop a liking of their personalities in my heart of heart I started comparing all these boys with Sudhir. None was matching Sudhir. All were of low standards. Sudhir was poor and these people were rich. And when all alone, I started having an introspection. For the first time, I realized that Sudhir could be an ideal match for me. But I had got no courage to open my mouth on this subject. Sudhir had been with me for years and at no stage my parents ever suggested the name of Sudhir as my life companion.

During these days a classmate of mine Anita came to meet me at Delhi. She was married here in Delhi. When I explained before her my difficulty in selecting a suitable match, she was surprised to note that our family was publishing all these notes in news papers. She just said,

-“We all were of the firm opinion that you have Selected Sudhir as your life companion. I think Sudhir had been with you throughout and he was preparing you as his would be life companion. All the teachers, all the students were of the view that you had selected Sudhir. The news of your marriage with another boy shall be a shock to Sudhir and he would be frustrated man throughout in the remaining part of his life.”

I was surprised to note all this. My friend Anita went to my mother and explained the whole position. My mother was coming to me along with Anita and expressed,

“We both wanted Sudhir. But since this girl never suggested us the name of Sudhir, we avoided to nominate him as her life companion.”

And from that date I started enjoying my life. A very close and trusted friend of mine shall be my life-companion. I was thankful to Anita who could lead me to this juncture.