physical distance covered half the globe? And why did this suggestion make the wife comfortable?
‘New Rules for the New World?’ rationality stronger than before, as confusing as ever.
I needed to understand this some more, just had to get the cobwebs out of my mind. There was just one person I could turn to assist me, my wife of nine years, Dolly.
Dolly came from a smaller town, had lived a simpler life, a plain Jane when we first met. Like most marriages in India ours was an arranged one. Our personal equation was comfortable, soon settling into bliss, and yet professional failures, the lack of a child dulled the shine. Over time our love ensured that we remained determined to fight all life’s battles hand-in-hand, shoulder-to-shoulder, united in our quest. Plain Jane also transformed into an attractive woman, the ugly duckling becoming a graceful swan. Life in the big city exposed her to the virtues and intricacies of make-up and with a little professional assistance she actually became beautiful. True beauty is never skin-deep and this was well personified by her. A simplistic lifestyle, lots of love, an open mind and open heart emitted an exuberant glow that made all and sundry attracted to her.
I had kept my life on the Net a secret from her, not because I did not want to tell her but more because I did not know what to tell her.
What would I call Marilyn?
A friend that I have never met?
A stranger that I often chatted with?
A strange ID on the Internet?
My relationship with her was tense, thanks to her desire for a baby and my desire for professional success. I did not want to add to the darkness that seemed ever present around us. But the ease with which Marilyn took her husband into confidence about me suggested that I might try the same with my spouse too.
My marriage with Dolly stood firmly on Honesty. I had had a long list of girlfriends none that I married. I flirted, bedded and even lived in with some of them all during my stay in the States. But things had not worked out and I had returned a bachelor, to India. I had been blunt about my past when I first met Dolly. She had no desire to know the details then and yet in the last eight years I had revealed all to her. There was no reason for me not to tell her about my life on the Internet. And that day, I did.
Her reaction was startling. She was curious about how the Net worked and how chatting took place rather than irate at the fact that I was clandestinely chatting mostly with strange women. I explained the working to her and then revealed that I had made a friend residing in Canada, not just a woman whom I had chatted with once but one who had become a chat partner of sorts. I remember I was nervous when I blurted this out and also remember that I was relieved at my confession, as much as an aching and full bladder relieving itself.
‘My cousin Sanjay lives in Canada too,’ she exclaimed. ‘I think he lives in Toronto. Where does Marilyn live?’
‘Near Ontario,’ I replied. My voice almost quivered with a mixture of anxiety, nervousness and relief.
‘You must ask her to look up Sanjay; he has become a dentist now.’
‘I don’t think she would,’ I blurted.
‘Now what does that mean?’ she inquired.
And I went into a tirade, explaining ‘New Rules for the New World’.
She listened patiently like a mother listens to the first words of her child. I started from the beginning and brought her up to speed. I explained about the rule of not sending pictures or revealing last names and then told her about how her husband also chatted with me. When I had finished I noticed that she was quiet for a bit and then spoke in her soft voice. Her expressions did not betray her thoughts or at least I could not tell what she was thinking. But her insight was startling.
‘I believe Marilyn and Panda share a very deep rooted bond, one based on mutual trust,’ she said.
‘The fact that a stranger was chatting with his wife did not affect
‘New Rules for the New World?’ rationality stronger than before, as confusing as ever.
I needed to understand this some more, just had to get the cobwebs out of my mind. There was just one person I could turn to assist me, my wife of nine years, Dolly.
Dolly came from a smaller town, had lived a simpler life, a plain Jane when we first met. Like most marriages in India ours was an arranged one. Our personal equation was comfortable, soon settling into bliss, and yet professional failures, the lack of a child dulled the shine. Over time our love ensured that we remained determined to fight all life’s battles hand-in-hand, shoulder-to-shoulder, united in our quest. Plain Jane also transformed into an attractive woman, the ugly duckling becoming a graceful swan. Life in the big city exposed her to the virtues and intricacies of make-up and with a little professional assistance she actually became beautiful. True beauty is never skin-deep and this was well personified by her. A simplistic lifestyle, lots of love, an open mind and open heart emitted an exuberant glow that made all and sundry attracted to her.
I had kept my life on the Net a secret from her, not because I did not want to tell her but more because I did not know what to tell her.
What would I call Marilyn?
A friend that I have never met?
A stranger that I often chatted with?
A strange ID on the Internet?
My relationship with her was tense, thanks to her desire for a baby and my desire for professional success. I did not want to add to the darkness that seemed ever present around us. But the ease with which Marilyn took her husband into confidence about me suggested that I might try the same with my spouse too.
My marriage with Dolly stood firmly on Honesty. I had had a long list of girlfriends none that I married. I flirted, bedded and even lived in with some of them all during my stay in the States. But things had not worked out and I had returned a bachelor, to India. I had been blunt about my past when I first met Dolly. She had no desire to know the details then and yet in the last eight years I had revealed all to her. There was no reason for me not to tell her about my life on the Internet. And that day, I did.
Her reaction was startling. She was curious about how the Net worked and how chatting took place rather than irate at the fact that I was clandestinely chatting mostly with strange women. I explained the working to her and then revealed that I had made a friend residing in Canada, not just a woman whom I had chatted with once but one who had become a chat partner of sorts. I remember I was nervous when I blurted this out and also remember that I was relieved at my confession, as much as an aching and full bladder relieving itself.
‘My cousin Sanjay lives in Canada too,’ she exclaimed. ‘I think he lives in Toronto. Where does Marilyn live?’
‘Near Ontario,’ I replied. My voice almost quivered with a mixture of anxiety, nervousness and relief.
‘You must ask her to look up Sanjay; he has become a dentist now.’
‘I don’t think she would,’ I blurted.
‘Now what does that mean?’ she inquired.
And I went into a tirade, explaining ‘New Rules for the New World’.
She listened patiently like a mother listens to the first words of her child. I started from the beginning and brought her up to speed. I explained about the rule of not sending pictures or revealing last names and then told her about how her husband also chatted with me. When I had finished I noticed that she was quiet for a bit and then spoke in her soft voice. Her expressions did not betray her thoughts or at least I could not tell what she was thinking. But her insight was startling.
‘I believe Marilyn and Panda share a very deep rooted bond, one based on mutual trust,’ she said.
‘The fact that a stranger was chatting with his wife did not affect