Love Indeed!

It was a gloomy noon for Sanjay, lots of things were running in his mind and he was not able to concentrate on work. He decided to take a break and go out for lunch. Anyone who saw Sanjay that day would have immediately recognized that something was very wrong. He had a bleak, expressionless face with an unkempt hair and as he walked out of the company premises, the merrymaking sounds of the Valentine’s Day celebrations at the cafeteria started to fade.

Not interested in anything, he entered the nearest Marrybrown and ordered some French fries. The festive mood set the ambience of the restaurant with red heart balloons everywhere. Sanjay's emotions took him back in time, when he was in a similar restaurant five years ago, where he had met his wife Sanjana. He remembered the magical twinkle in her eyes. Life was so beautiful back then and all happy moments of togetherness flashed in his memory. He remembered the days when He and Sanjana fought for their love and won each other with their parents' approval.   As he was in this beautiful reverie, the stern voice of the bearer brought him back to reality.

As he picked up his fork to eat, Sanjay realized that there was a beautifully garnished Fried Chicken special meal placed in his table. Irritated by this, Sanjay called upon the bearer and complained.

The bearer just smiled and said, "But sir, today being Valentine’s Day, this is our special meal. I thought you would be happy to have it".

Sanjay, who was in no mood to have a heavy meal said in a grim voice, "Please give me what I asked for, not something that is your specialty".

The bearer shrugged his shoulders and gave him what he had ordered for. Quenching his anger with a Pepsi, Sanjay finished his petty lunch and walked back to his office with no mood to work.

He suddenly remembered that he had left his car with the mechanic in the nearby garage. He decided to go check if it was ready now.  As he walked towards the garage, he remembered how he had gifted this car to his sweet wife on her birthday last year. Sanjay always wanted to be the best husband and so he would show his love by buying lavish gifts for Sanjana on every possible occasion. He had always been so happy with what he had done for her.  But with this car, everything that he had imagined crashed. Sanjana didn't seem that very happy with the car. She just smiled and gave him a faint kiss on his cheeks, but there was something missing. Sanjay was so irritated with her attitude that day as she did not understand the magnitude of love for her. From that day, everything changed. Whatever he tried to do for her, he was never able to please her. Small misunderstandings turned to arguments and arguments turned to quarrels. The twinkle in her eyes faded out.

Yesterday, when he had tried to put an end to all these misunderstandings with a beautiful diamond ring, things turned sour. He had never seen her like that before, her fiery voice reverberating through the whole house. She shouted at him and stopped speaking to him from then on.

With this woeful turn of events in his mind, Sanjay took a peep into his car seat lining. To add to his annoy, it was untouched. He summoned for the mechanic and the mechanic approached Sanjay with a proud smile. He directly came to Sanjay and pointed to the brand new Bridgestone tyres that were fixed to his cars.

With a gleeful smile, he patted on those wheels and asked Sanjay, "Sir, I've given the best to you. You must be a very happy man now!".

 A confused Sanjay said, "But I asked you to replace my seat lining, why did you change my tyres?"

"Sir, we are the only authorized dealers of Bridgestone tyres in this city. I thought you would be very happy to see these tyres. Anyways I'll fix your seat lining now. It'll be ready in another 15 min.

Nodding his head, Sanjay turned back to go to his office. Just then, a big poster in the garage caught his attention. It read, "What's the use of loving a person, if you cannot love them the way they want to be loved?"

 Sanjay's eyes were opened. He understood everything that moment. Sanjana's voice echoed in his mind. This time, he listened.

In all her frustration, she had told him, “I don't want your car, I want your care. I don't want your diamond ring, I want a friend. Sanjay, why can't you understand what I need? I need you. I need your love, I need your time. When only are you going to understand me?"

Sanjay realized profoundly that he had always given his wife what he wanted to give her and not what she needed. He gave her what made him feel great as a husband and not what she really wanted from him as her husband.

He rushed back to his office and asked for permission for the rest of the day. He came back to Marrybrown and ordered for Sanjana’s favorite - Chili Cheese Burger, to be packed. The bearer packed it and gave it to him and said, "Sir, Chili Cheese Burger! Just, what you asked for!” Sanjay took it and with a huge grin thanked him.

His car was ready, by the time he reached the garage. The seat lining was perfect. Exactly, what he had asked for. The mechanic came and handed over the keys to Sanjay and said, "Sir, just what you needed! “ Sanjay smiled again and said "Thank You".

He rushed home to surprise his wife. He was so happy and as he entered his house as quiet as a cat, he saw Sanjana seated on the sofa. He opened his arms and in a romantic voice called her, "Honey, Happy Valentine’s Day!”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she ran to her beloved.

“I love you sweetheart!"

"Sorry for all that I told you yesterday", she said as she embraced him tightly.  

Sanjay saw the twinkle in her eyes again as he gifted her, her favorite Chili Cheese Burger, just the way she liked it.

A Love that meets a need is Love indeed!