Her smile was blinding, totally arresting my attention
I looked on inn undiluted awe…
Without effort, I noticed the expertly carved brows, the perfectly inched lashes, and the wonderfully applied lip gloss
My bride was beauty personified
Again she smiled, again I stared
If this was what marriage was all about, then why do guys claim it was worth it
****************
Somewhere in my subconscious, I felt the pastor’s nudge
He soon asked the question that thereafter plunged me into eternal inertia
‘Do you…” he began, solemnly swear,
To take, this woman as your lawfully wedded wife,
To love and to hold, in sickness and in health,
In riches and in poverty, ABSOLUTELY FORSAKING ALL OTHERS,
As long as you both shall live,
TILL DEATH DO YOU PATH?
Then………. [S.I.L.E.N.C.E]
****************
The hush descended on the auditorium.
Gentle chatter, noisy quips, palpable apprehension
The pastor intently asked the same questions again
I looked ahead; staring straight faced at the woman whose life I was to share
Her smile broke into a gentle frown
Soon the frown became undiluted anxiety
I heard everything the pastor said, but I just couldn’t muster the word necessary for a sensible response
****************
And then again, the pastor went over his oath questions for a third time
Gently but sternly he recited the lines
The quietness in the church was deafening
My bride’s eyes were moist with tears
I looked back momentarily and saw the audience’s apprehension
*******************
Her mom was lost in some cynic reverie
Her dad remain stone faced; acting as if such mammoth embarrassment were everyday occurrences for him
My mom was broken, but in charge
Her eyes spoke a thousand words, yet her lips never moved
Her shoulders slumped, her eyes shaking
“What was I up to?” she must have wondered
But whatever I’ll do must turn out bad, she must have concluded
And my dad? Well, he is dead!
But momentarily I saw his face querying-as he often does
‘What was wrong?’ he asks
And urging (as always) that I do the right thing
*******************
The pastor again called my name
“Mr. Basamta, I need some response…” he growled
I signified with my eyes, intention to speak
With a second, my best man passed me the microphone
And just as I coughed and cleared my throat
Not knowing how to respond, nor what I wanted to say..
A frustrating bead of sweat rolled down my temple in that air-conditioned arena, and straight into my mouth it went
Its saltiness and inappropriateness shocked me back into my sense
And then……………..
I woke up from such a strange dream
******************
Sleeping beside me was the woman I planned to marry in 2 months time
Looking every bit as beautiful in sleep as she often is on a normal day
Without makeup, she was already a goddess
And with makeup, I will allow your imagination the luxury of thinking her up
As I focused on her, just like in my dreams
The thoughts flowed again like a busted water pipe
“Do I want to marry this girl, who though is an ideal roommate, but is in fact a horrible bed mate?”
“Do I want to marry this babe, who snores so bad that I lose quality sleep-time each night in open-eye solitude?”
“Am I really ready for a lifetime of burden sharing, mutual caring and endless fearing for her monthly mood swing and headaches?”
“Will I want to stay committed to her ALONE for life, when there are countless others who look just as beautiful and even more tempting?”
“why on earth should I walk open eyed into this lifelong prison without walls?”
Those thoughts and many more enveloped me in a mindless soliloquy
*******************
In no time, my decision was made
I’ll call off the wedding; telling my fiancé I needed to think things through
I could take out of the wedding budget and fly away to the east, escaping the inevitable uproar-Dubai already sounds just appropriate
It would hide me from her tears; I would escape her parents’ sorrows and dodge my parents’ disconsolation
I will-in the morning, let her know of my inability to continue this journey into marriage
I give up!
*******************
I lay back in bed trying to sleep
But with a light body and heavy mind, sleep found in me and unwilling ally

Soon the day dawned…
My fiancé arose like she often does
With a kiss on my cheek, she walked off saying “good morning my king”
Soon coffee and sandwich was ready…
Before long the bath was running,
My day shirt was soon lined up, with matching ties and shoe
******************
Her ability to multitask was a wonder as she made breakfast and prepared for her day and mine
Morning prayers were said, and my ‘un-missable’ lunch was warmed and packed, even as our weekly date was scheduled
In no time we were ready to head for work
And as I shut her door, which I had held open for her as he entered the car,
I realized pretty shockingly that there was nothing more I’ll rather be doing that opening her doors every day of my life
*****************
It soon occurred to me that the dread of marriage is a threat knowing only to ignorant little boys
I realized that men, REAL MEN are defined by their women (mom, sis, nieces, grandmas and especially wives)
And that although of a truth my babe snores, what really keeps me awake is the beauty of watching her sleep each night
That although she cries impulsive, call my name intuitively, nags frustratingly and is annoyingly jealous during her many mood swings,
Truth is, there is not one woman (at least none that I know of)
Who is as committed to me in love, devotion, respect and passion as she is.
*******************
Who know if this magic we share would last forever?
Who knows if this love soon will not fade?
Who knows if her present charm guarantees any future warranty?
No one am sure…
But being scared of marriage or calling it off entirely is surely no way to find that out
******************
…entering the car to drive us to work
The real reasons behind marriage became clearer to me
“That being alone is only suitable for the eagles…
That though they may be strong, agile and the envy of all other birds
They ultimately always die wretched and lonely
So when God said “it is not good for a man to be alone” he wasn’t kidding
That surely never sounded like a suggested or advice. It is a statement of FACT!
******************
Marriage took on a new meaning
With renewed expectation and unquenchable anticipation I now await
I await the wait as my bride journey across the aisle with her never-smiling dad
I await the gentle unveiling that proves my bride is ready to swear her undying allegiance to me
I await the pastor’s recital and my ultimately defining response “I DO”
I await that magical phrase “you may now kiss the bride” and the publicly charming kiss to follow
I await the exchange of rings, the signing of register, the look of happiness in my wife’s eyes and the joy in the eyes of our witnesses
*****************
I surely impatiently await a lifetime of whatever comes with my wife
For with her besides me, life takes on a brand new meaning
******************
Marriage after all is leverage
Indeed as is often quoted, “he who finds a wife, finds a good thing!”

Basamta !
2012

Interesting

Wow!