Telephonic matchmaking

Humour

Moreover, we have brought him up very strictly, — not allowed him to mix with even the girls in our immediate family, he does sandhyavandane and aradhane even in America and goes regularly to the temples and reports to us about the various pujas done there.”

From the other side of the phone, the father of the girl asked for the phone number of Shastri’s son. At this request Shastri snapped at him and said, “What! His phone number? What for? For your girl to contact? Look sir, we have to approve of the girl first, then only he will respond; otherwise, he won’t even say hello when she rings up, or look at her in the face if she tries to meet him. He is not like these third rate boys we see around nowadays. My son is a real epitome of obedience like Shri Ramchandra.

Before he left for America, he promised us that he would not date any girl, or move with any girl without our permission, and he is not one to break promises.”

“By the way, what is your girl doing? Computer? Good. What is the gotra?And Nakshatra? Good, it tallies, but most important, we must compare the horoscopes.

Do send a copy quickly, for Ashadamasa is approaching, we should finalise before that.”
After a few days time again the the phone rang at Shastri’s place, “Hello, Shastriji, I am glad to know that the horoscopes match.

Now, can I e-mail my daughter in America, asking her to meet your son?” said the girl’s father with an eager voice. “No no no…” Shastri’s tone over the phone was emphatic — “My boy won’t meet her unless I give the green signal.”

“So then when will you give the green signal, Shastriji? You have seen my daughter’s pictures in all poses. Is there any problem with that?” pleaded the girl’s father from the other side.

Shastri enforced a conditional reply, “May we come to your house tomorrow? We must see the  girl’s    mother also.” The girl’s father said very promptly, “Welcome sir, I will call our girl’s grandmothers both from my side as well as from my, wife’s side. If you want to see their mothers — grandmothers we can arrange that as well”.

Shastri could not reply for a while, as suddenly an urgent call came from abroad. The voice on the other line said, “Uncle, good news! Your son will be visiting you next week with his wife Mary. Now they have gone for their honeymoon so they could not inform you earlier. Mary is half American — half Chinese, and she is very beautiful”.