The Falling Petals...🌺

Visit-by-would-be-in-laws.....

8th January, 2011

My not-so-good-looking house was looking better that morning. And why not? The first would-be-in laws of that house were to come that day- Dae's mom and dad.  because of her asthma. They had agreed to come down to our place.

Understanding the fact that my Mumma couldn't travel in winters because of her asthma, they had agreed to come down to our place. I was there at Gwangju station to receive them. The train arrived on time and I could easily trace them in the crowd. Getting down at the station, I bowed to them, welcomed them and picked up their bags. On our way back from the station, I showed them certain landmarks in my small hometown. 

By 12:30 that afternoon we reached home. Her parents were welcomed by mine. Both the moms and both the dads were happy to finally see each other. Well, in our country, seeing the boy and girl is one of the most important steps in the entire marriage process, but true happiness comes to the parents when they hug each other with those smiling faces. I think this bolsters their trust and confidence in each other's family, allowing them to go ahead with this thing called marriage. I still doubt that they really trust us youngsters one hundred percent.

But anyway, the folks got introduced to each other. Except for my sister, who was in Seoul for her weekend support at his office, they had seen my entire family.

We all then moved to the guest room where her parents were to stay. They liked our place, especially her mom, who noticed the guava tree in our courtyard. And this time it was me who boasted, "See, our tree is bigger than yours." And everybody laughed.

While they enjoyed their juice, my mom returned to her kitchen. She was very busy. In a short while they were given some privacy, to get comfortable in the new place, relax a bit and take a shower. We all then met at lunch.

Of course it had to be good. And it was, actually, one of the best luncheon gatherings at my place – a good menu, good people, good conversation and all that for a good purpose. Along with the meal, the elderly people went down memory lane, recalling marriages in their period and comparing it with the present system. And I wondered if, 40 years later, I would be recalling the present marriage system. Or maybe, who knows, marriage might not even exist by then...

Apart from that, there were a lot of things they discussed: the current society, mind-sets, the generation-gap and all that. And I had to agree with whatever they said, though there were a lot of things I would have revolted against. But then, all I was bothered about was my marriage to their daughter. So I nodded my head to whatever they said about our young generation's failings. But thankfully they ended on a happy note, saying that we are the bright future of this country. (And I said to myself, "Oh, thank you so much, folks! I am honored.")

Being a good child, I gave the required privacy to the parents, so that they could discuss what they had come to discuss. I went out to the balcony and lying on a cot underneath the guava tree, I called her up.

"Heyyyyyyyyy!"

"Hiiiiiiiiiiiiii!"

"What's up there?" she asked.

"The sky," I answered.

"Shut up! Tell me. How's my mom? Is she fine?"

"She's superb. At least ask me how I am first!"

"Nothing's going to happen to you. You'll always be fine because I'm in your life," she replied sweetly, though I wondered—didn't the same apply to her mother as well?

"Your mom is doing very good and yeah your dad is also fine," I added that taunt to make her realize that she should have asked about her dad too. But she always said she is her mom's daughter first... Her dearest daughter.

Then I told her all that had happened, so far, at my place and the agenda for the rest of the evening. Meanwhile, there was a burst of laughter from inside and I thought I should go back and check on the things being discussed. We hung up and I went back in.

I'd left them alone to plan my marriage but, damn! the old folks were cracking jokes, recalling the funny things I used to do when I was a kid. Why do parents have to reveal all those embarrassing secrets to others? I was not the only kid in the world to suck his thumb in his sleep! What's the big deal?

But anyway.....We made a plan for the evening- to visit few places. Mom wanted to stay back home, because of her health and to take care of other household chores, most importantly dinner. I wanted to stay back with mom but she wanted me to accompany them. It was just a matter of half an hour or so and we would be back, she said.

So after an hour's nap and evening tea, we went ahead with the plan. As our destination was only three kilometers from our house, it didn't take us much time and we reached there in ten minutes. After some sightseeing and visiting a few of the places. 

Very soon, our shadows perched in the longer shadow were fading. The sun was bidding goodbye for the day. Birds were flying back to their homes. Everyone there appreciated the beauty of the place.

I was happy I had brought Dae's mom and dad there. And I remember very well what her mom said. "When Dae comes here, bring her to this place. She'll love it." And her dad said, "It was a similar, spellbinding, scenic view which made him want to write a poem."

That was so good to hear. I don't know if he wrote any poem on it or not. But they didn't know, till then, that my small city, Gwangju, had such beauty in its lap. And , on that note, we were on our way back home, the setting sun coloring us with its hues and thanking the "guests" for their visit to this natural heaven. 

We were back at around 8:00 PM, a little later for dinner. And this is when people actually started discussing the purpose for which Dae's parents were here. And, being a good-lover-boy, I was updating my beloved about the proceedings at our premises. Moments later, when I joined the discussion, we all arrived at a common decision.

The ring-ceremony was to be held in Busan, on 14th February, 2011.

Dae and I had chosen this day long ago. She had said she wanted to celebrate this Valentine's day with her fiancé(the future me), whereas my stand was that I wanted to celebrate this day with my girlfriend(the current she). So we both agreed to exchange our rings on the evening of 14th February. For the first half of the day she would be my girlfriend and for the later half, I would be her fiancé. such a simple solution, no?

So the ring-ceremony would be on 14th February. And the marriage, some time in November.

After that, we had our dinner, and then her parents went to their room, quite happily. My parents and I had a brief discussions, planning some of the things at a personal level, especially for the ceremony which was a month later.