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BEEN THERE… DONE THAT!

Sep 29 2007 | Views 910 | Comments (56)

Short story... fiction? I hope so!... Expand

What do you want for your birthday? He asked her. There we go again, she thought. Twenty five years and he has not learnt to surprise me …What if she told him she wanted a Mercedes… or a Rolex… or an exclusive holiday to

Monaco

? Or should she tell him she wanted him to take her to De Beers… or get her the pair of crystal macaws from the Swarovski showroom… She looked at him. Her silence was starting to irritate him. She could see that small pulsing nerve at the side of the temple…

She wanted to say, ‘surprise me’… but the last time she had said that he had bought her a vacuum cleaner …One year she had told him, ‘a video camera’….because she knew he was longing to buy one…She had stopped dropping subtle hints months beforehand… He could hardly spell the word ‘subtle’, let alone understand its nuances. If she left the choice to him, he’d buy her gold…Gold was his obsession…his Achilles’ heel… his idea of a perfect gift…It is sensible to buy gold, he’d say… In case of emergency you can sell it….or you can give it to your daughter in law…So year after year, gold ornaments got locked away in the bank locker… Last year she had put her foot down. I want Davidoff’s perfume… and only that. She loved that summer fragrance… light and cool…

She could see furrows forming on his forehead now… She actually wanted a rolltop writing desk, the one like her grandpa’s… but he had already refused, saying it was a waste of money, for there was no way they could ship it home when they completed their expatriate existence… She’d prefer a book…but he’d never understand… A 42” TV? What’s wrong with our 29 inches one? It works perfectly …! A pair of Manolos? A Gucci handbag? What a waste of good money on fripperies!... Sigh…. It was a no-win situation… She looked up at him with a dazzling smile… I need a gold bangle, she said, the ‘Kada’ like thing we saw Mrs. XYZ wearing… Great! He said enthusiastically… We’ll get it this weekend… But my birthday is only next month, she wanted to say… She didn’t. He looked happy. She shrugged away her discontent. At least he remembered her birthdays…

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Comments (56)

ushasuryamani posted 10 mnths ago

Oh ! Verbose... of all the things... Gold Bracelet.. I suppose the smile on his face was more dazzling than the Au. Good. Better start planning what the heroine wants for the next B'day !

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shivanisathi posted 10 mnths ago

husbands are like that and wife is the one who always comprimises.Best thing to be noted is that he remembers ur birthday atleast and wants to buy a gift for you on that occassion

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Irene Malik posted 10 mnths ago

I can identify with this one... how I crave for that subtle reading of my mind and a surprise... and then tell myself that at least he remembers my birthday... most of the time! Cheers!

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verboseviju posted 10 mnths ago

Garimellaji,

Personally I have no grouse against my betterhalf... And what you did was indeed a wonderful thing... My story is a generalisation combined with exaggeration... exercising poetic license...

kebabmeinhaddi,

Hi thank you... but why 'kababmeinhaddi'???

hey desiette,

Don't go all judgemental... Who said it is all about me? It is fiction... comes under category

' Short Stories'... My husband, I acknowledge, is a non reader and gifts me red roses on cards... but he sure is the one I'd choose, given another choice... He's a gem!

hi viaji,

VERRRRY clever! So, I'll mail your wife about the reason 'you' get her gifts... Hahahaha... I hope she reads this...

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verboseviju posted 10 mnths ago

Hi K2,

Welcome to my blogs.... and I hope you'll keep visiting...and commenting!

Hi Sue,

Sandhyakkendinu sindooram... HA! The clever man!

Hi Bhanu,

That is exactly the point... hints lay scattered on their path they either sidestep them or tread over them....

Supriya,

That's the way life is.... for some.... and you can either fight it or shrug it off... the choice is yours...

atims,

Hahahaha.... that's anice one...

Prema,

It is not that husbands are not compassionate... they just don't have the same mindset as women.... that's all!

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verboseviju posted 10 mnths ago

Hi tunnelvision,

Thank you.... and I shall read all those posts suggested by you...

Thank you, jaijui,Gaara, Abhijna, shammu, Pradeep, Babitha, Rajeshwar and Raja...

Thank you, geekunnel...

I am mystified by your handle.... could you tell me why /how you chose geekunnel?

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Vijaianand posted 10 mnths ago

Viju

nice one!! She said, He said type story

I am surprise type guy and don't ever give chance for my wife to decide whats she wants. Its good and bad. Buts always good for my wallet right. If she decides and let me know, I have to buy it whether its cheap or expensive. Instead if I buy what she like, that might save money a bit also shows my care for her

"Ooru kallula Rendu Manga" Howzzat ?!

She like gold but its too expensive in USA especially the ornaments. Biscuits are good though.. But I am not real gold fonda of guy, thats the reason I am still working for soembody right

VIJAI

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desiette posted 10 mnths ago

lol.. well arent you a spoiled brat... just be happy you have a loving and healthy husband and family...

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kebabmainhaddi posted 10 mnths ago

very credible

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Rama Rao Garimella posted 10 mnths ago

My dear Verboseviju,

I want to give u a different take from the point of view of males. First a gift need not be in kind or cash. There are many types of gifs one can give, to wit a kind word, a tender kiss, a settlement of a long pending dispute, undoing a wrong done before, a song composed with one's limited talent, a kind gesture etc. I have been married for over forty years and the best gift which i gave her on the first wedding anniversary was complete freedom to spend the family income as she pleased and buy whatever she wanted at any time of her choice balancing the budget of course. In fact she used to buy me gifts.

Finally when my book was published there was a gift for her in the form of a single page all blank except for only two words To followed by her name. U should have seen the look on her face and the tears that rolled down her cheeks like priceless pearls. Happiness has many shapes and comes in many forms and may cost from zero to infinity.

Ramarao..

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