When Jack Met Emma..!! (Or Angels Don't Lie): Part - VI

Jack was, under normal circumstances, a very safe and sound driver. He sound the horn at every given corner, which made him all the more safe. On this particular occasion though the screeching brakes and the swerving tyres made sure the onlookers knew what was coming.
Emma had her heart in her mouth more than once but she was too mad at him to say anything. Jack was angry too. He didn't say a word. He merely floored the gas as hard as he could. This was quite new to the accelerating-pedal of his Austin Martin. In fact, he hadn't said a word after they'd left the restaurant. He gripped the stearing-wheel hard.
"Get A Grip, Will You?", she'd said. He stepped on the gas everytime he recollected her words.
"Will you stop!"
He didn't say a word. He kept driving the car as recklessly as he'd never done, as fast as it would ever go.
They were home before they knew it. Nine minutes and a few seconds it took for Jack to get down.
He got out of the car in a hurry never looking back to see if Emma got down behind him. She stayed in the car. They were on a date.
"What did I ever say to make him so mad?", she thought to herself. Like all her other sane questions this one had very few answers. All her insane questions had lots of answers, but lets not even get there!
About fifteen minutes back they were happily dining at this restaurant that they both loved eating at. This was the place where they'd gone on their first date exactly a year back in time. Which is what had made this date a special one.
Jack had accompanied her to his car. Of course that wasn't much trouble cause they were living together now anyway. Opened it's door for her and drove his favourite car out of the garage.
As soon as they were there, both of them looked in the direction that reminded them of that beautiful evening spent together. Without much hesitation they requested a table for two and inquired politely if that particular table was reserved. It wasn't.
They were escorted to the table. The table was very appropriate for couples on a date. Secluded, decently lit with the most gentle of breezes blowing throughout the day. They looked at each other. Emma smiled at him just as she had a year ago. Their stay together had been really pleasant. Hardly ever had they argued on things they shouldn't have argued on. Most of the arguements they'd had were healthy ones.
Right behind Jack was a newly placed table. It wasn't there the last time they were here. The table had been distracting Emma ever since they got there. Two very pretty ladies had occupied this particular table in question moments before Jack and Emma had been escorted to their table of choice. One of them had been eyeing Jack ever since they got there. Of course, Jack was too madly in love with her to realise.
"Honey? I'm here!? ", Jack gestured with his hands now that he couldn't stop himself from asking her that, after she'd quietly changed her gaze from his face to some distant subject right behind his shoulder.
"That blatant face right behind you! She's been gazing at you since like *ever*!!", she said quietly, obviously feeling awkward now.
"Aah! She can't stop herself from doing that", he said with a grin that stretched from ear to ear.
"Put those yellows where they belong!", she yelled inaudibly.
"Okay Ma'am!"
She felt sorry she'd said what she said. She knew she'd hurt him but she also knew she'd more than make up for it later in the evening.
She didn't talk. Instead she kept gawking at the 'pretty face' behind him. She couldn't help it.
Jack had had enough. He turned around to see who it was.
"My! My! She *is* pretty!"
"Mr. Jack. You're on a date! With me!!", she blurted out. Inaudibly again. Inaudible to others that is.
"Yes. I'm glad I am, darling!"
"Then what was it that you were doing turning around ogling at her?"
"I wasn't ogling. I just said she was pretty, which she is"
"Get A Grip, Will You? And maybe you should go out with her the next time!"
"And you don't even have to wait for the next time. You can go join her right away cause I'm leaving!"
"Emmy? Don't be ridiculous. Sit down"
She didn't pay attention. She got up instead and walked out on him. He got up hurriedly and followed her to the hallway and out the door. She waved at a cab, but he shooed it away.
He grabbed her by the arm, almost as gently as he would grab a child, and took her where the car was parked. She watched him guide her to the car. She couldn't believe he was mad at her and yet wouldn't show it.
She knew he was mad at her because he never spoke even when he grabbed her by the arm to take her to the car-park. And that he was mad at her became too obvious after he turned the ignition. And they were home before she knew it!
Now as she sat there in the car all by herself she pondered over what could've been.

He came out the door and rushed towards her after a minute to open the door for her.
"When you gotta go, you gotta go!", he grinned. From ear to ear.
Thrust his hand out for her. She took his hand and made her way out of the car. As soon as she was out of the car she reached over to his ears and said, "And for the record - Those are the pearliest whites I've ever kissed!"
"Right!", he said, quite sarcastically.
She jerked her hand out of his like she'd never hold them again. Pulled him towards her like she'd never let go.
"Or say, *those* are the pearliest whites I'll ever kiss!"
And kissed him like she never had.
"Happy Anniversary Jack!"
"Right! I'm starving here!"
"I have just the thing for you honey!"

Roomie, Where Art Thou?: Part-VI

Kumar had been playing that song on his iPod over and over again, all day long. Matt had fallen for the very mellifluous song that this was.
"Will you lower the volume of that thing? Whats the big idea of having an iPod if you're gonna play it full blast on some goddamned speakers and not use an earphone?"
It was funny to see an adult goose-stepping around the house rambling and in endless pursuit of something. What exactly he was looking for was beyond Ku, Jose or Julie.
"Julie, honey! You have cotton-balls, sweetheart? I'd do anything for cotton-balls now!"
"Really? Anything??"
"Cross my heart and hope to die!"
"Awwwwww, thats soooo sweet, you moron! I don't have any. Not for you anyway!", she'd started saying it like it had melted her heart and ended up like she had never had one in the first place.
"Et tu Julie?"
"What is with you guys and Shakespeare, today?"
There was one thing that Kumar's lucky-poker-game had done to the roomies. It had brought them closer. Like they never were. Its funny what a card-game can do to people. Or a bottle of Jose Querve, for that matter!
"Say, you've been listening to that song all day, Kumar! What is it all about?"
"It speaks of a guys immense love for his beloved"
"Awwww, thats so touching!"
"Tsk. Its not even physical!", he said mocking at her.
"You can kill with your not-so-funny-jokes, Kumar!"
"Thats the idea!", he said for that was indeed the idea. Mission: Impossible.
Joseph had been quiet all this while. Nothing bothered good ol' Jose once he'd decided nothing would bother him. He had decided he wouldn't let anything bother him tonight. He'd found himself squeezed into a tiny space in the morning from the night before. Tiring-Sleep.
Although he gave away an impression of being asleep, he was up. All night. Thinking of things he had no control over. People who he loved dearly and people who loved him back. There weren't many who did that which made the task all the more tiring. Then there was Julie. Lately he had been getting hints about her inclinations. He'd decided to give her the space she needed.
"Say Julie, would you mind if I sat here?"
"Why would I mind, Jose. Sit down. And don't be ridiculous, all right?"
"Hmmm"
"Hmmm?"
"Hmmm!"
"Aah, I give up!"
"You quiting already Jul?", said Kumar with the toothiest-grin ever.
"I need to catch up on my sleep"
"Night Guys!"
"She's lost all sense of time!", Matt quipped
"Still haven't lost my senses though!"

Roomie, Where Art Thou?: Part-V

"C'est la vie, baby!", said Julianne, almost kid-like trying to cover-up what she'd just said. It wasn't that she hadn't called a girl a bitch before, it was just that she'd never meant it before. They knew she'd meant it, although she told them otherwise. Sometimes you just know when words are really meant and then sometimes, you don't. But anyway..
"Don't just say that just cause its French! Its for losers who can't do a bit about their life."
"Well, thanks a lot for calling me a loser!! But I know I am one - so tell me something I don't know."
"Jealousy doesn't become you, just as this new head-over-heals-guy doesn't become Kumar!"
"Yeah, seriously. I don't know where this jealousy stems from, but whatever it is it can't be true cause you're way better than Ms. Ana Dawson. Way Better!"
Julie fought back tears from her eyes, succeeding only partially. She'd never been complimented (No, eve-teasing doesn't count as a compliment). 22 years without a compliment is a long time! And it was one of the wonders of the modern world how everyone who knew her knew she was pretty but never thought she was pretty enough to fall for, when actually she was absolutely fall-able! C'est la vie, eh?
Julianne had had enough. She couldn't take it anymore. She lunged forward and gave Kumar a tight hug and said "Thanks Kumar, that meant a lot."
"Ok, Ok. Let's not get carried away. But I meant what I said and I'm sure everyone here feels the same way."
"Absolutely!", said everyone in unison.
"Thanks. I'll make coffee for each one of you..", said Julie jubilantly.
"Make mine a black.", said Matt with a wink. He'd acquired this weird (but totally cute) habit of giving her a wink each time he spoke to her. Or maybe it was just all the Jose Cuervo.
"I'll have two cubes of sugar and precisely 5.43 oz. of coffee in a cup with very little cream."
"You got Nescafe decaff? Cause any other brand is not my cup of tea. Ooops coffee!", ginned Kumar from ear to ear. He enjoyed his jokes almost as much as anyone else.
"...in the morning!", continued Julianne.
"Hey! What the f...!", said everyone in unison, again.
"Yeah. Yeah, thats right! What the f...!! I was just trying to get you guys back sober again."
"You mean, we're *not* sober now? That does it! I'm having more Johnnie Walker!"
"We don't have anymore of those! We got a bottle of Jose Cuervo though!", grinned Joseph.
"Nice!!"
"Care for a drink, Julie?"
"Ah, what the heck. Make mine a double. I'm in the mood for mischief!" It was her turn to grin now.
"You know what they do to mischievous chaps? They send them to the room!"
"Awwww man! Please!!"
"We only have enough for the four of us. If you're game for a single shot you have a deal"
"Yippieeeeeeeee!!"
"Welcome aboard sailor!
Oh. Welcome again, I mean!!", corrected Jose.
They all gulped shots of tequila, together. They'd had too much to drink. There are a few things that drinking does to people. Getting tipsy is one. Getting droopy and sleepy is another. They all fell asleep. It was quite a sight. Kumar, who looked like one of those people on the streets who're forced into changing their body structure with the kind of space nature lends them. Only this vegabond had a shiny new digital camera in his left hand, clutched to his chest. He kept making motions with his other hand, in his sleep, probably fighting ghosts who were after his camera.
Matt fell asleep sitting on his chair, with his head resting on the table, as was the case most of the times when he stayed online late and didn't have the vigor to get his bottom off the chair and put himself to bed.
Joseph, however clumsy in real-life (read daylight), was most comfortably placed. Two pillows - one under his head and the other clutched to his chest like some fairy he wouldn't let go off.
And then there was Julianne. Head back, arms wide open (as if expecting a prince charming to come give her a tight hug), legs hanging from the bed for she was only half-way up. All in all, the room would've been a pretty hilarious sight to anyone who would've laid eyes on it. Fortunately, there was no one around. You see, it is kinda tasking trying to get some sleep when people are laughing and giggling in the same room.

Roomie, Where Art Thou?: Part - IV

"Why do you hate her, Julie?"
"Hate? Who??", really surprised that that word was indeed used in conjunction with her name.
"Ana Dawson."
"That girl who kept flirting with you in the library that day?"
"Ummm... Yes. If you see it that way."
"I hardly know her to hate her. I was just got pissed off at her because she woke me up, figuratively."
"Oh! That way. I thought.."
"Holy Crap! So, you're thinking now?"
"Shut up!"
Kumar bend over and gave her a light hug. "Thank you!"
"What was that for?"
"For saying you don't hate her even though we know you do. Thanks!"

Roomie, Where Art Thou?: Part - III

Night turned to morn sooner than anyone had expected. Julianne had fallen asleep while the guys were still talking about how Kumar's new camera could get 15 times closer to its subject without him having to move an inch. She'd just about managed not to fall asleep while they (read Matt!) talked about his music collection. Of course, most of it was courtesy the internet. All right, all right - Kumar had to help her in the ordeal she'd made it look. That of course meant, Kumar was no longer helping when they started talking about his camera, cause he was too busy showing it off!
"She's a great girl! Funny, classy, intelligent, you name it. She is definitely my type!!"
"Who're you referring to, Ku?"
"Ana."
"Anna?"
"Ana. Ana Dawson."
"Yeah, right. Your type. Hah!"
"What is that suppose to mean?"
"A Cut Above!"
"That is some cheap cigarette brand back home, you dimwit!"
"Cheap? You get cigarettes cheap back home? Really??"
"Oh! Shut Up!!!"
"Relax, Kumar! Thats not becoming you. You're atop all this, remember?"
"Atop? Well, I'd really appreciate if I were on top of her right now!"
"Excuse Moi?". Julie was harshly woken up by the furious hand movements (and furious table-banging) that Kumar had resorted to, to emphasize the 'right now!'
"French dreams, eh?", winked Matt
"You stay out of this. And why would you care?", sneered Julie
Matt left without a word. Nothing much was said after he left. It was like a 10 week vacation coming to an abrupt end.
"Whats the matter? Anybody dead that we know?", said Matt cheerfully as soon as he got back.
"Where had you gone, man?"
"To the loo, you looby!"
"Hah Hah Hah! And here we were thinking you had taken offense at Julie's outburst!"
"I'm sorry, I snapped at you. Didn't mean to."
"I know what you meant. Its ok. I suppose it was a French nightmare, huh?", winked Matt
Julie couldn't help but fall in love all over again. It was one of the things she admired about Matt the most. His you-don't-hurt-me-try-as-you-might attitude.
"You're ok, man?"
"Ana..........!!!", he sighed. For the fourteenth time in five minutes.
"Dawson?", asked Julie with some concern. And genuine too.
"What now, honey?", half expecting a biography on the life and times of Miss. Ana Dawson.
"I hate that bitch!", she blurted out in an accent that no one would've associated with her. But such is life. Unpredictable.

Roomie, Where Art Thou?: Part - II

"Joseph!" He never liked his name. It started with a 'J'. 'Jobless', 'Jobseeker', 'Jocasta' and all the words that sent a shudder down his spine usually started with the alphabet 'J'. And then there was Julianne. The light in his life. The dark light.
She was a dark light as far as he was concerned for he was too timid to shed some light on his fancy for her. And she, was too short-sighted to see the light herself. But that was fine with Good Ol' Jose. He wasn't finicky as far as his options in life were concerned. He had lowered his needs to such abysmal depths that they were met to begin with. One such need was the urge to smoke. He smoked when he was not asleep. Matt put the cigarette butt in his mouth one day while he was asleep. That, of course made him wake up. The fact that he'd been dreaming about Julie upset him, but that was soon puffed-off with Benson & Hedges. Cigarettes are better than women, he tried convincing himself.
"Yeah, Right!"
Jose, by nature, was the sequacious kind. He owed his sorry state of affairs to the people he tried to emulate. There was nothing wrong with the people he tried to follow. It was something inherent. Joseph, as it turned out, was pretty bad at following suit too.
"You're supposed to play Spade, Jose!"
"Oh! Am I?"
"And call a Spade a spade for chrissake!"
"Was that a pun?"
"No. That was just plain stupid!!"
"Relax, Kumar! Why're you getting all worked up, man?"
"Because, you're getting on my nerves!"
"You not feeling well?"
"That's it, I'm outta here. I don't intend to stay at a place where my jokes aren't appreciated. You're out of order!!"
"All That Glitters Is Not Gold, John!"
"Who the hell's John?"
"John Woo!"
"Who?"
"The movie man!"
"The movie man?"
"Yes. The famous movie maker!"
"Whatever, Whoever! I'm outta here!"
"You can't just leave in the middle of the game. That so doesn't do it!"
"Et tu, Jul(ie)?"
"What did I say? Just said you shouldn't leave in the middle of the game! Is that a bad thing to say?"
"Not a bad thing, but definitely not a tactful thing to say!"
Kumar was that way. He spoke things he didn't really mean. And he didn't always say what he meant. Not that he was unable to express himself. It was just his discretion that he be who he wasn't. Ethan Hunt. His life was Mission: Impossible. He wanted it that way because Mission: Possible, never raised enough eye-brows and wasn't a flick either! He'd never heard anyone ever say, "But that is possible!" Although he'd heard people say, "But that's impossible!" almost all his life. Impossibility always brings with it, its own charm. He'd wanted to be a charmer all his life - & he was. Chicks would dig him. Yearn for him tragically. But the real irony of life was - he getting together with someone was impossible. That was his mission in life, after all.
Of course, he finished the game that day. Won hands down. The usual. The prize money? Date-Your-Fate!
Each one had written his/her secret date on a piece of paper and kept it in a bowl. The winner got to go out on a date with someone he/she wished to go out with. Kumar hadn't mentioned a nominee. He wanted to go out with all of them. Mission: Impossible, huh? Well, not really! They did go out with him that evening. Turned out pretty good. Julie got to spend the evening with Matt, Jose with Julie, Matt with Kumar (don't read between the lines, please! They're just good buddies and Kumar is straight. So is Matt!)
On their way back, Kumar insisted they play Hindi songs on the tape - which of course was totally fine with the folks. Songs don't make a dime's difference when you're sloshed silly.
"Will someone turn this thing off!". Julie wasn't too tipsy to tell the words of the song. This song didn't have words. At least not words she could comprehend.
"Hey, this *is* good stuff, okay!"
"Totally!"
"You're impossible!"
"Watch it, Kum. Watch it!", Kumar told himself. She's drunk and so are you.
"Oh, my God! Who's driving?", he screamed as soon as reality dawned on him.
"Relax. Joe is!"
"And she tells me to relax!"
"He's a good driver, Ku!"
"And I'm gay, Jul!"
"Wow, really?"
Kumar, now stabbing himself with a mock-dagger and apparently, very furious.
"Hell, no! Phhhhhtttb!!"
And they all got to their apartment. All but Kumar. But it was okay cause he was spending the night with Matt (again, don't get any ideas, please)

Roomie, Where Art Thou?: Part - I

Mathew Planc was an agreeable, 25 year old chap whos idea of a good time was sitting around in the house doing nothing at all! He was agreeable because he inevitably made people agree at how big a jack-ass he was. Julianne, the first of his room-mates was totally in love with him.
"That rat-bastard! What does he think of himself? He can go to hell all right!", said Julie to herself after Matt had gone into one of his 'i'll-stay-in-my-room' shells and refused to go out with her. "I'd rather go to hell Julianne! Than go out with you, really!"
Julianne Smith was a sweet girl, all of 22 - although she had the knack of make-believing she was a teen, which she had been once upon a time. She loved country music as much as she liked her assets. In fact it was greatly bemusing as to how a girl as pretty as her would end up falling head over heels for a mediocre guy like Matt. It was just there for all to see. All but Joseph.
Jose, was an old man. He'd been born old. But the good thing about his being born old was that he didn't age much. Or even if he did, his birth certificate said otherwise. And of course, his birth certificate like every other of his belongings was immaculate and spoke of the truth at all times. He was a 24 year old guy who thought he'd outgrown his age 24 years back. Good Ol' Jose, as he was affectionately called by his friends and roomies, was well-read. Being well read is a good thing if you read all the right things. A practical joke that nature had played on him. And a hilarious one at that! Of course, like every other serious book-worms, the humour eluded him perennially. He often felt the urge to feel sorry for himself. "Why me?", he'd say when it rained on him. When the sun shone on him. When the wind blew his hair - which, by the way, was a sorry sight for he didn't have a lot of shoots popping outta his scalp, which was just okay with him as long as the wind Gods didn't play foul. Of course that was at the God's discretion.
Anyway. Joseph was apparently the only person who knew Julianne and didn't realise her love for Mathew. That ignorance stemmed from the fact that he thought he was way better than him. This, like all his other thoughts, was essentially a figment of his imagination. A wild imagination like his teachers used to say. And often too.
Julie, by now, had had enough rejections. 34 and quarter to be precise. She knew, she kept a diary. Although she often misplaced it and in an apartment with snoopy guys around - Not A Good Thing To Do! Maintaining a diary is a good thing. Every good thing in life is relative, for it attracts a lot of relatives. In her case though, she didn't have many. She'd been brought up by her uncle. Thomas Smith, was a well-to-do industrialist. & he was well at doing, for his wife had passed away more than a decade ago. With death comes relative freedom. You are set free of your relatives and you have a larger degree of freedom. He didn't have kids of his own, which was just about perfect for him, for that meant he could splurge all he wanted to on himself and his mates. And after his wife's death, he sent Julianne off to a boarding school because he knew he'd cut a sorry figure if he did have to play dad to her. He wasn't averse to play. He played fore- and back. He was the talk of the town. No sane person would want to live his life of debauchery and lechery.
"I envy her uncle, really! I wish I had a life like his." James was a common friend to the three roomies. Julie had come to know him for being the most sane person around.
"It drove me insane with the kind of pleasures he's indulged in. And still does.", he confided in Matt.
"Who gives a f***!" Mathew was hardly impressed. He was, by nature, pretty fastidious. He had a keen sense of humour. Almost all his jokes had something to do with his gold-chain that adorned his scarred neck. "All that glitters is not gold, John!", he'd humour others without realising he was talking to Kumar and not John. Of course, this was the joke, but as nature would have it everyone but Matt would get it. And the laughter and gaiety could all be attributed to Matt's clumsy mannerisms, which he himself was oblivious to, much to the dismay and mirth of people around him. His gawkiness had been the prime builder in his life. It had made him as much enemies as it had befriended. James was one such chap who found his goofy mannerisms pretty cool. James was an agreeable man too. He agreed that almost everything under the sun, everything but his belongings, were cool. Although he found Matt a decent guy, he'd lately started sullying Matt's unblemished character for he'd realised his attraction for Julie and her love for Matt. The realisation had been thrust on him by Julie herself. It was strange then, that they were on a date that day - out for a movie and dinner. The date had been the offspring (or the illegitimate child) of jealousy that Julie hoped would make Matt come closer to her.
"I'm sorry the place is closed!", said the bouncer of the night-club. "But its only ten?"
"I can tell the time, sir. I can also tell when a place is closed!"
"It was your idea, you freak!", Julie blurted out as soon as they'd walked five paces. "This day was just a mistake! Mea Culpa. Should have never asked you out."
She'd said more than she'd actually spoken, for it was crystal clear to James now.
He dropped her at the apartment and left. Without a word. Silence is noisy and confusing sometimes. Specially when you have lots of things going in your head. But such is life. James' perfect day ended up being not so perfect. Even he had been a privy to Julie's diaries, but like Jose, he'd presumed it was a mere trick to throw them off-track! Now that the truth had dawned on him, it was hurting his eyes a little too much for comfort.
Julianne got back to her room, sneaked, and peaked, around Matt's room to see what he was up to. She was disappointed in her savoir-faire, but acutely impressed with her knack of knowing what Matt was up to. There wasn't much know-how needed to know what Matt was up to most of the times. He was there in his room totally marooned and oblivious to the rest of the world's happenings. His laptop was his favourite companion. He had friends he cared about. His laptop was his best friend, for it didn't demand anything in return from him. It was happy just the way it was.
"Whats the matter with you?!" he screamed, infuriated for his laptop had been acting sluggish lately.
"What do you mean? I can't go to my room now??", Julie retorted for she was unaware as to who the recipient of the bellow was.
"Mind your own beeswax for God sake!"
"Another request turned down, huh?" Julie knew where it hurt Matt the most. Well, not really most, but next to most anyway!
Matt thrust his hand out. He knew when to thrust his hand out and when to shove fingers. He quickly amended his folly and showed her his finger much to the wrath of Julie.
She walked away in mute protest. The mute protest generally lasted fifteen minutes at best. This one broke all previous records. It lasted a full thirty seconds longer than her previous. Of course that wasn't easy to figure out given the fact that her diary never contained timings of incidents (and accidents, alike). They displayed the date as a mute reminder to an otherwise hopelessly stupid day for most of her days were stupid and hopeless. Hopeless for she had given up all hope of winning Matt's attention, let alone his love. The days were merely stupid cause the adjective often swapped locations. It described her day when it ought to have described her.
"Where were you?", inquired Joseph the moment he set his eyes on Julie expecting a reply in return. He didn't get a reply. Instead he got an apologetic hand thrust at him.
"Bad Day!" he told himself. He knew Julie inside out. That was really simple for there was more to her outside than her inside!

When Jack Met Emma..!! (Or Angels Don't Lie): Part - V

Jack waited there impatiently. He felt like that ripe mango hinged to the tree by its slender neck waiting to fall off or be prematurely bumped off by some sudden gush of wind or a nasty stone hurled its way by some impatient kid. The moment of truth was here. And for his sake he hoped it was 'now' not 'never'.
There she was in all her beauty and splendor. Appropriately dressed in a white gown accompanied by her father as the mellifluous wedding song was being played in the background by the band that she'd given her thumbs up to. He'd never heard of the band and given a choice, he'd excuse himself from the agony. If it hadn't been the song's charm, the band would've sound pretty bland. But then again most of the bands in contemporary world he found bland and mildly disgusting! They were the not-so-mute-reminder to the fact that even Emma had her cons, but he'd known of them before he'd popped the question 8 months ago. Funny feeling rain can bring out. He put all the onus of his going down on his knee to the romantic weather and not his bravado. But then Emma had known him for 4 years so it didn't come as a surprise to her. In fact, he'd let her entertain the idea quite a few times.
It was taking ages for her to walk down the aisle. He felt a strong urge to go and shoot the band members in cold-blood. And without second thoughts at that. They'd made the tempo of the song a tad slow. Of course tad is a relative word and Jack knew relativity better than most. Here Comes The Bride, Here Comes The Bride!
"Yeah, well she's been coming for hours now!", he said to himself, loud enough for the Best-Man to hear it. Ralph was dressed smartly in his black tux. He found marriages very boring. When he wasn't standing at the altar waiting for his to-be-wife that is. He'd been married four times and was now seeing a brunette. A beautiful brunette at that. She looked much younger than she was. First look and only an insane would say she was 32. Ralph, of course, was insane. They struck a chord right away. It was hard not to see his charm and her beauty. They looked good together. They'd stay together for how long only time would tell.
"Really?? You're The Man!!!", Ralph quipped.
"Quiet You! This is a Church for God-sake!!"
"And I've seen it from the inside more than you have, you evil minded bull!"
"Bull-Shit"
"Quiet You! This is a Church for God-sake!!"
"Ralph! I appreciate your cheering me up, but SHUT-UP!"
"Excuse Me? But I've hardly said a word!"
"Not you Father! I'm sorry"
The crowd was having a good time by now. The crowd always had a good time for crowds are supposed to be sadists in their own right.
"Do we begin, son?"
"Yes, Father! As soon as you're ready"
"Very well then"
"We gather here to bless this....."
Jack was lost in his own world. He had never imagined in his wildest of dreams that he would fall so hopelessly in love with this really strange girl. She was a decently attractive girl, nothing much to write home about though. But such are circumstances. Men fall where men ought to rise and men rise where they ought to fall. For Jack, the descent had been listless at first and then it plummeted to the unthinkable depths so fast, it made him dizzy. Thankfully for him, Emma was there to hold him just when he was about to crash to the ground.
"Heh Heh"
He realised he'd laughed out too loud. Loud enough for others to hear. Now they were looking at him funny. It was funny, really. The priest had just about managed to ask him what he'd been waiting for to hear ever since he'd popped the Q 8 months ago.
"I, Jack Nicholas, take you, Emma McDonnell, for my lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part."
The answer the priest had been expecting was far more serious than the 'heh heh' that he got instead.
He knew he'd goofed up and Emma would be furious, but he had to cover up. "Heh Heh, I've to actually say all that?" He tried to laugh it off. Of course that made the solemn affair all the more frivolous and trivial which didn't go down well with Emma.
"Of course, I Do!"
Emma had had enough of mockery for a day.
"Go to hell, you swine!", she blurted out as she resisted slapping him hard but failed miserably.
"She went away. Twice as fast as she'd appeared"
"No!!!! You can't run away from me! Bull-Shit!"
"Whats the matter honey? Are you all right? Bad Dream, was it?"
He startled himself and her by leaping straight to her arms.
"Yeah, was. Pretty Bad. Which is why I was wondering if I'd *really* known you for 4 years"
"How bad can it be Jack? I've been here with you all night! It can't get any worse than that, can it?"
He looked at her in the eyes and then kissed her gently.
Actions speak louder than words.

When Jack Met Emma..!! (Or Angels Don't Lie): Part - IV

"Hey Jack! I'm sorry I had to rush, but you know how irritable kids can be when they wake up from sleep at mid-night!"
"Oh My God! I didn't realise it was mid-night! I'm sorry. Really am!"
"Oh, don't be ridiculous Jack! You know a call from you is always welcome. And I wasn't sleeping anyway"
"And what was it that you were doing?"
"Well, I was trying to pour some ideas into this cauldron that should eventually help me design this 'shopping complex', but apparently the pot isn't hot yet - lack of hot ideas!"
"Hot ideas, eh?"
"Oh, shut-up Jack! You have a one-track mind!"
"Well, I'm just glad you think I have a mind! The girl who left me 5 years ago thought I had none."
"It's ok J. We know who's loss that was."
"Yeah, I think I know better than you!"
"No Jack, really! I mean it. She must have been short-sighted!"
"You don't have to be nice to me just because you're my friend. You might as well be frank!"
"No, I'd rather be Emma McDonnell than be Frank McDonnell. Frank was the name of the guy I was betrothed to a month ago!"
"What? You never told me that?"
"Yeah, its something I try to forget."
"Why? What happened? You thought he was frivolous and bland?"
"It was the other way round J. He asked me if I was a virgin. I couldn't just lie to him - so I told him the truth"
"Yeah? And what did he have to say?"
"And you know what they say about being honest? They drum in this vagary that Honesty Is The Best Policy and all that crap! But I've learnt honesty just screws things up for you."
"Yeah, I know! There was this teacher in my school. Everyday at school she'd say - "Everyone who hasn't done their homeworks - please stand up!" And no one would stand. Then she'd keep yapping about the whole honesty and the best policy line over and over again and she'd eventually 'convince' the guys to stand up. Then she'd beat them up like crazy!"
"It's a pity, Jackie. It is such a pity!"
"Anyway, Em.... your story, please?"
"Are you sure you wanna know?"
"If you intend to tell me, why not!"
"So he asked me how did that losing my virginity come about and I had to tell him I'd been sexually abused once when I was a teen."
"Huh? I don't know what to say!"
"Its ok J, you don't have to say much. He said enough already." She stifled a sob.
"M? Are you all right?"
"Hmmm.." Her voice was now a lot heavier than it had been when he heard her first.
"I'm sorry I brought this up. I didn't know you'd feel badly about it"
"It's ok. Am all right now!" She wiped her tears away and it just showed in the way she spoke now.
"But tell me Jack, is telling the truth a bad thing?", she asked as she now moved to the kitchen to get her something to munch. Sobbing always made her feel hungry. It was no surprise then that she'd put on a few pounds in the past month.
"No, honey! How can it be? It's just the way people perceive the truth. Some just suck it up when others seem to throw up!"
"Well, a month or so with you and I might just get back to shape, Jack! I was just gonna get me something to munch and now I've lost all my appetite!"
"Awww, I'm sorry. Just a figure of speech!"
"Heh heh"
"I'll talk to you later Emma! I've got a friend waiting on the other line, ok?"
"Yes, Jack. I'll be waiting for your call. Apparently only three things can hog my thinking today!"
"Yeah, Right! Bbye M!"
"Bye Jack, Take Care"

When Jack Met Emma..!! (Or Angels Don't Lie): Part - III

"Hello?"
"Hi!"
"Jack? Hiiiiiiii!!!"
"So, angels do use phones!!"
"Heh heh. How've you been, Jackie?"
"Decent, I suppose!"
"You Suppose? Why? What's the matter?"
"I don't know, Em. I really don't. Wish I did though!"
"Yeah, I suppose thats a real let-down. When you don't know whats pulling you down and it just keeps doing it!"
"Hmmm. But anyway, tell me about you? Whats up with you? You've been out of touch for *some* time now!"
"Yeah, Jack. Have been keeping really busy. There's this project coming up. I'm designing a Shopping Complex at this really posh location!"
"All Right!! So when is this Mall coming up?"
"It's not a Mall, Jack. Its a 'Shopping Complex'."
"And there's a difference?"
"No, not really. But I like to call mine a shopping complex anyway."
"Hehehe!"
"What's up with you?"
"Nothing much, M. Same old same old!"
"No!! Don't say that. Life's always got to get better. How can it be same old?"
"Yeah, I suppose life has got to change. For the better or for the worse is another matter though."
"I'll call you later Jack, my daughter's up! Will get her to sleep. You Take Care, Jackie!"
"Yeah, I'll...."
"Jack?"
(beep, beep, beep)

It'll Take A Minute

"I'll take a minute. You guys carry on!", B smiled and held his index finger up for added emphasis just as he was about to answer the phone.
(And the minute became minutes, for he didn't realise - Time & Tide Waited For No Man)
"I wonder whats wrong!", said his companion - C, seriously worried as to what was keeping him busy for so long!
"No, he's fine! It's just that girl who keeps calling him every now and then", assured N.
"Really? A Girl?? Awww Man!! I can't believe we're being ignored for a girl.", protested C.
"Its Ok Boy! She's not *just* a girl", N winked playfully.
"Ooooh!! Is It", excited at the prospect of getting to tease B as soon as he'd heard the words N spoke.
"Excusez-Moi! Are you guys conspiring against me?", enquired B, feeling awful at being stabbed in the back by friends he held in high regard.
"No, Not yet!"
"Let Down is what I feel", said B mockingly. "Whats the big idea of talking to a girl if I'm not even going to be teased about it! This just doesn't cut it!! Goddammit. All good work has come undone."
"Oh, knock it off! Just shut-up and keep walking!", said S, agitated now.
"I can hear ice break. Do you hear it too? Do you, do you, do you??"
"Oh, Shut-Up!!"
"I can feel it"
(Peeep-peeep-peeep - bike honking its horns in the distance)
"& There's confirmation! See, I told you, didn't I?"
"So? You've found your girl, huh?"
"Found? Found?? Is that a trick question??"
"No. Why?"
"You mean to say I have to find one?"
"Yeah, we all have to. Eventually!"
"But why do I have to look for her? Thats like working hard for something that I'm going to be stuck with for the rest of my life!! It's like telling me I'm not worthy of it. That I don't deserve it."
"Oh, shut-up!"
"No, really! Why can't she just have a light-bulb on her face that glows each time I talk to her, so I know *she* is the *one*!"
"But think of it this way - Everytime you get a call on your phone, 'she glows', right?"
"Oh, Crap!! She's not even close to the *one*."
"And that will explain why you're on the phone more often than not, won't it?"
B looked at the pavement on the other side of the road and scratched his forehead. He kept walking, nonetheless. Kept walking until his phone rang again!
"I'll take a minute. You guys carry on!"
(And the minute became minutes, for he didn't realise - Time & Tide Waited For No Man)

When Jack Met Emma..!! (Or Angels Don't Lie): Part - II

"Emma? You promised you'd be there for me!"
"You never called, my dear! And its 'Em' for you!"
"Yknow, Em, I was thinking.."
"Yeah, one must do that too, once in a while!"
"Shut-up and listen to me. Ummm...what was I saying? Dang it, I forgot!!"
"You were wondering how different people perceive things in a different way. And yet..."
"You're an Angel, aren't you?"
"Perception, my love! My neighbour thinks I'm just another girl next door. My milkmaid thinks I'm just an ordinary miserly lady. To someone I don't know, I'm just one of those dime-a-dozen people that you bump into every day, every walk of your life and not think even once that I might be someone they know, for I'm not someone they know anyway."
"Don't be such a smart-ass! You know what I meant!"
"No, am not an Angel. Far from it."
"How do you know *every* thing? You're not just one of those dime-a-dozen people that you say you are!"
"Do we really want to talk about this?"
"Not if you don't want me to!"
"Good. Then we will talk about it"
"Then let me correct you. I don't know *every* thing. I just know a lot about *you*. You're Jack McDonald. You turned 25 last December. You've been working at this place for a little over two years now - although you're already getting a feel you should be working elsewhere! You have two really good pals that you can count on any day, any moment! One of them I've known for 9 years now."
She'd been noticing Jack (and virtually stalking him) for almost 4 years now! She was studying architecture back then. And he was a student of Engineering in the same college.
"No!! Don't tell me!"
"What?"
"You're not Emma McDonnell, are you?"
"Mmmm... Yes, that would be me!"
"Always wanted to know you! Heard so much about your histrionic prowess.."
"All good I hope!", she grinned. Her teeth were the perfect pearly whites Jack had ever seen. Although her grin made her nose stoop a little to the left, but she looked better when she grinned. And she looked awesome when she didn't!
"You played Juliet in the college play, didn't you?"
"As a matter of fact, I did"
"Its a pity I was sick for a month then. Pox, you know!"
"Well, good thing you were sick. Or all that illusion about my histrionic prowess would've been shattered that very day!", she managed a giggle.
"I'm sure it wouldn't have been that way", he remarked matter of factly. She blushed and her pink cheeks turned a shade deeper.
"But I'm still a little confused! How can you know when I'm calling you?"
"Oh! I can. I'm gifted."
"Hmmm!" He didn't know what she meant, but he didn't want to. If it was anything important, she'd tell her if she felt like it anyway.
She gazed at her watch and winced. "Ouch! Its nearly half past nine. I'll need to rush!"
"Can I drop you off at your place?"
"Yeah, why not!"
They walked to her place enjoying each others company like they had ever since they'd met 3 days, 16 hours, 45 minutes and 38 seconds ago!