Ah, L'Amour
"...the wildest and most tenacious love was an ephemeral truth in the end."
-Gabriel Garcia Marquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude
Oh, G.G. Marquez how true your words ring for me!
Perhaps 10+ disastrous years of dating has left me jaded and perhaps I've been reading too much heady Spanish fiction, but I give up on love. I spent the better half of the weekend retroactively lamenting the loss of my beloved highschool sweetheart (now happily married and pursuing his Ph.D.) who my aunties and Mother tragically remember as "the good looking one." I am telling you, the more and more time I spend in South Asia, the more and more the arranged marriage concept makes sense to me. It seems that seeking out a life partner has as much to do with teamwork and pragmatism as it does with passion and companionship. Plus, who knows me better than my own parents? An alien concept perhaps, but I bet my folks--given the chance--would pick out a bangin' bridegroom for me. Given the chance.
I jokingly told a couple of family members to start assembling a TKP husband search team so that I didn't end up a bitter, childless spinster like Amaranta Buendia. I am a tad worried, for when I made the faux announcement, my Pishi's eyes widened with delight as though she had been waiting years to start the hunt for the perfect Bangalee boy to make an honest woman of her slightly nutty niece. I probably shouldn't be surprised if my name miraculously appears in the matrimonial ads section of the newspaper India Abroad. What would it look like I wonder...?
Bengali-American Hindu girl seeks suitable boy for marriage.
Fair, wheatish complexion, petite (5'5"). Very good-looking. Plans to pursue Ph.D. Seeks Indian-American boy, M.D., MBA, or Ph.D. in engineering preferred. Caste no bar.
Translation: ABCD girl is sick of dating gora guys who break her heart so she gives up. "Wheatish" = load of bollocks. Say it loud, I'm brown and proud. Petite? I believe you mean "munchkin." Everyone always pumps up their kids' size by at least three inches. I am 5'2" on a good day. I'll give ya "very good looking" (wink*). "Plans to pursue Ph.D." translates roughly into "she has an M.A. in some hippie liberal arts subject, but we're all hoping she'll keep on studying and get a Ph.D. someday in something more prestigious-sounding." The list of degrees and caste no bar: "if you are lookin' to score a greencard and get a foot in the US Citizenship door, this gal's for you!!!"
Sigh. Love is in the air.
TKP, Bride to Be
posted by TKP @ 5:43 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
ha, i'll sign up for that search committee. although, really, i ended up with the one i almost got into a fist fight with the first time we were in the same "going out to the bar" group three years ago.
maybe that's it--only consider the ones you don't really like.
its good to see you picked up a good novel...however, marquez isnt that depressing, or absolute. when you begin to see yellow flowers surrounding you all of a sudden, it will mean your "singleitis" is dying and "signifigant otheritis" making its appearance.
much love from new orleans.
TKPagol:
HUGE mistake writing a post about your loneliness in love! Mom told me she "literally cried" after reading this post and urged me to secretly "place an advertisement on the U of M hotline or something" for a life partner for you. I begged her to take your lament with a grain, nay, a handful of salt but my appeal was futile. Don't be surprised if you have 6-8 suitors from Mom's work eager to meet you when you touch down on US soil! ;)
I miss you. I'll call soon-I've been having phone problems. Watch for an email from me.
xoxox
hey tanya,
thanks for the comment! i have heard about fanaa and definitely want to see it...it's actually showing at the indian theater nearby, so we'll see. i'll take your advice and check out parineeta, although keep in mind your entire reputation as a bollywood advisor now rests on this movie :) ...and i'll definitely let you know if i have any dvd requests, and thanks for the offer regardless! hope things are going well for you in india...i'll definitely have to check out the rest of this blog too! <:><
ps-- don't know if you remember, but we met (somewhat randomly) when you were with your sister at dominick's last summer--
You are SO not 5'5.
PKP
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