He rang the door bell once. Coming!I yelled from the kitchen while trying to add some tea leaves to the boiling water and ensuring the milk does not spill over on the second burner.
Ting Tong!
Again? Ok, coming coming! I yelled and i ran for the door. I opened it in a hurry and there he was - dressed impeccably in crisp formals replete with a tie and polished shoes with his hair neatly combed into a side parting and a musky smell of perfume emanating from his side collar. I sensed something special. Why on earth was he dressed like this? I thought. In a split second I remembered the boiling tea on the gas burner and ran towards the kitchen.
He entered into the flat and made himself comfortable on the sofa - after all this wasn’t the first time he had come home. He looked around casually examining the photo frames in the living room. Just when he wasn’t expecting, my father emerged in the room. That however was the first time he had ever met my father and from the looks of it both were equally surprised at each other’s presence in that room.
My father flashed an indifferent smile at him while he returned a nervous smile while his eyes anxiously looked out for me to fill up the awkwardness in the air.
Inside the kitchen i could hear that they had started off with small talk and currently the weather was being discussed so as to how it was cloudy yesterday to how sunny it has been today. Even though i wasn’t physically present in the room, i could sense the tension in the air. Thanks to his attire, i suspect my dad was under the impression that he had come to discuss a matter of grave concern perhaps ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage? The old-fashioned way of course.
Why isn’t this stupid tea ready yet? I voiced out in frustration and turned the gas knob to high flame with my patience running out stealthily. I lifted the vessel and haphazardly poured the tea into two old cups, pulled out a not so dry serving plate and rushed to the living room.
I was welcomed to a sight of my father sitting rigidly and cross-armed, slightly bent forward in an attentive manner with a look of tension spewed across his face. Cut across to my friend who was relaxed as ever and casually leaning his back against the sofa rest.
I just couldn’t bear the sense of tension in the air anymore and i decided to break the news to my father.
He gets married this year end. Did you congratulate him?
On hearing the this, my father released a huge whiff of air. He relaxed his stance and leaned back onto his chair taking a moment to now rightfully enjoy his cup of tea. This wasn’t the moment after all. He was just a friend and more importantly one who was getting married. Moreover to not his daughter!
All of us took a breather and sipped our tea gregariously. For what transpired thereafter my father joyously spoke to him about everything under the sun - from politics to career plans to biking adventures. Turns out, the extremely formal attire was donned because he had come directly from a client meeting in order to invite us for his wedding with an invitation card.
The situation which emanated at my inability to inform my dad in advance of a friend’s arrival, unfolded interestingly in my absence replete with moments of confusion and uncertainty. Just like a cup of tea which takes its time to brew, for the flavours to emanate and mind you, this process cannot be hurried into as it takes away the joy of the after-process.
The beauty of the situation was also that we ultimately found a common ground without expressing our apprehensions overtly into words.
How often does that happen?
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