To say that I was suffused with joy and exhilaration would be an understatement, for I was verily over the moon! The reason for this extreme sense of achievement and happiness was that I had taken part in a radio contest on friendship and had won a gift voucher for a diamond!
The suave and persuasive radio jockey had asked me a question to nail my response for the perfect friend. I had recited a poem on friendship where she particularly liked the following lines, “Sometimes, a friend can cause hurt/ and even cause indiscriminate pain/ But one should forgive and forget/ For it is only in giving that we gain.”
Happy with winning the contest, I headed to the radio station where I picked up the gift voucher and would have to present it at a local jewellery store to ascertain that I get my authentic diamond.
I was asked to come to the jewellery store the next day at 2 pm. However, as luck would have it, the next day, I happened to take a siesta in the afternoon. When I woke up from my brief nap, the time was 2.30 pm. I quickly got ready and by the time I reached the jewellery store, it was 3 pm. The receptionist did not look too happy as she averred when I approached her, “You won this contest for friendship, for which punctuality is an important component. If your friend comes one hour late, would you like it?”
She had a point, and I knew that I would have to give a good enough reason for my late coming and why I so badly wanted the diamond, otherwise I could forfeit my chance of procuring it. So, I embarked on strategy No 1: Tell the truth. “Well,” I began, “I was tired and overslept but as soon as I woke up and realised I was late, I rushed, and here I am.” However, she didn’t look very convinced for she retorted, “Trying to pull a fast one, eh?’
I then embarked on strategy No. 2: Move her heart. I told her that my USP was that I was a product of a marriage of Hindu-Muslim parents and that I, therefore, celebrate both Hindu and Muslim festivals. With Ramzan and Diwali just around the corner, I told her that I would love to have a diamond to wear, which would bear a stamp of authenticity. Diamonds are, after all, a girl’s best friend, I averred. However, she was unmoved by this heartfelt story.
I then embarked on strategy No. 3: Tell her what she wants to hear. I looked deep into her light brown eyes, and said earnestly, “You are beautiful.” That did it! You should have seen that smile, all the 32 teeth were displayed as if for a toothpaste advertisement! She looked straight at me and said, “Yes, Heera will get the heera!”
