BY BISWADEEP GHOSH
Marriage is a book in which the first chapter is written in poetry, and the remaining in prose. Don’t know who said it – actually did, once upon a time – but whoever the person was had to be very intelligent. Guys who know me will surely pounce at me with a caustic rejoinder: how the hell do you subscribe to that view? You are a bachelor, aren’t you? Yes, and that is precisely why I know it, having seen countless marriages in which couples started out as buddies – the key thing – and ended up being boring husbands and wives not only for one another but also for their near and dear ones. Three years after marriage, with a toddler in the house as a permanent fixture, being predictable of the what-will-you-eat-and-when variety is the only thing they seem capable of. Strife or no strife, they cease to have a life, because one is just the husband and the other, just the wife!
But something I experienced today made me really glad, and convinced me once again that to keep a marriage interesting, one has to be a little mad! A colleague’s husband has given her a Valentine Day’s card which is absolutely crazy, and has thoughts and ideas that can drive one apples, papayas, bananas…whatever. The card is designed to masquerade as a magazine, and the cover has some highly illuminating headlines:
1. Time Management On Valentine: How to accommodate all those dates in just one day without arousing suspicions.
2. Sex And Yoga: An incredibly imaginative feature. Also special: “How to dial a doctor with your nose”.
3. Coping With Sore Lips: How to deal with the aftermath of passionate Valentine smooching.
4. Reversible Lingerie: Save time and money. Elegant and economical.
5. On Valentine: Five ways to look and feel younger. Never fails.
6. Just How Late Should You Be On Your Date: A look at the eternal question.
The insides of the card have equally profound tips on looking and feeling younger, one of them being: “Avoid driving completely. Just buy a pram and take to travelling in it. Keeps them guessing.” Guess how long these guys have been married for? For around a decade or so, which is what makes the idea of sending such a card really special.
So, why do you think I am writing this piece hurriedly for the site? This one is for those who got married recently, and actually sent flowers and I Love You cards to their hubbies or wives. Imaginativeness and inventiveness are the two things which keep a marriage going. At least that is what I believe in. And yes, if you are in love you don’t have to say it so boringly that your partner thinks that your intentions are noble but your approach sucks.
Should that happen, the second chapter will begin to write itself. On its own. In bad, tired prose.
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