Richa, a graphic designer, was tired of her work life and the sacrifices she made for it day in and out. She was tired of working for a corporate and wanted to work with some private companies where she could have a free creative will. After contemplating how far she had come in her career and what options she had available, she finally decided to look for better work opportunities. Nitin, an entrepreneur, on the other hand, was so happy with the work he did that he wanted to try out some dating sites and dating apps to include some fun in life. And so he decided to date someone he could connect with.
Both of them in completely different offices, unknown of each other’s existence, sat for long in front of their screen registering their profiles on job and dating websites, respectively.
Such was Richa’s experience and skills that she could line up interviews throughout the week. Since she belonged to the creative world, people would usually call her meetings and interviews at cafes and restaurants. She agreed to a meeting scheduled at a posh cafe in town to meet with one of the interviewers. Nitin was a knockout too. His striking picture and interesting personality also fetched him quite some responses. He decided to go on a date with one of the girls he’d been chatting with, who refused to upload pictures. Her theory was to know someone for their personality and then see if looks matter.
Call it fate or cupid’s devious plan, both Richa and Nitin were in the same cafe. In very decent casual formals, Richa sat at a table by the window, waiting for the owner of the company to show up. A bundle of nerves about starting something new in her career, she fidgeted with the things on the table. Richa thought it wouldn’t be nice to order before the man showed up and gulped down three glasses of water, hoping that she wouldn’t have to pee in between her meeting.
Nitin, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for his date with the mystery girl, showed up smelling exceptionally good in his ripped jeans, t-shirt, and a superclasses pair of aviators. He looks around and found Richa sitting at the table by the window with her back facing him. Nitin glanced at his watch while walking towards her table, wondering how a girl could ever be on time for a date! He dashed towards her, sat down without giving her a warning, and said, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m late!”
The “FOMO Effect” in Relationships
And the Date-Meeting Begins!
“Uhm.. that’s alright?” Richa was bemused at how informal her meeting was. She grew worried that she was overdressed for her meeting. “Damn! I should’ve also stuck to a pair of jeans. The corporate in me told me to dress well for this meeting,” she thought to herself.
Nitin, too, was pretty surprised to find the girl he wanted to date in formals. Not that he expected her to be in her date night dress, but not formals at least! He broke the silence, “Have you come straight from work?”
“No. Why, if I may ask?”
Richa’s answer confused Nitin all the more. He couldn’t stop thinking about why she was there with all these files and those clothes. Of course, that’s not what he could say to her.
“Just asked… making conversation… I guess.”
“Oh, okay. In that case, I’d love to hear more about your company.”
“My company? Why is she interested in my company? Who is she? A gold digger?” Nitin was scared by then. Instead, he said, “Well, my father incepted this company. We’re mostly into designer tiles and stuff for big offices, hotels, bungalows, etc.”
With every sentence either of them spoke, their level of confusion escalated. Now Richa was wondering why someone who a company that sold designer tiles would require a graphic designer? “Maybe, for their social media marketing and website & stuff. But, that’s not what it said on the job portal!”
“I don’t think this was there on your profile.”
“Yeah, I don’t prefer mentioning my company details on these websites.”
“Makes sense, I guess. You’ve already gone through my profile that I updated the portal. Is there anything you’d like to ask me?
“Yeah. What do you do besides working?”
“I spend time with my friends, watch a lot of movies, and get mini getaways every once in a while. It keeps me refreshed and allows me to stay creative.”
“Uh-huh. So, creativity means a lot to you?”
“Well, yes. How else will I work?”
Nitin didn’t ask his date what she did because he already knew. While chatting with the girl on the dating website, she mentioned she was into fine arts. He just assumed that she probably needed her creativity refreshed for that. Plus, he didn’t want to get into any work talks, but somehow Richa kept bringing work in between. In her defense, that’s why she was there in the first place. Just half an hour since they met and Nitin was already bored with his date. Richa, too, had decided that she definitely didn’t want to work with this company.
Nonetheless, they were both there, and couldn’t walk out. Nitin didn’t want to disrespect the woman and Richa didn’t want to offend someone in her industry. They continued with the meeting and ordered some food too. Nitin still tried to make the date interesting and hit her with some personal questions, which zapped Richa.
“So… when was the last time you went on a date?”
“Excuse me?”
“What? I can’t ask you that?”
“No. You can ask me questions about my experience, about my skills, about my attitude… why does my dating life interest you?”
Let’s face it. Anyone who would hear a girl talk about experience, skills, and attitude to a guy who thought they were on a date would get the wrong idea! Nitin finally found Richa interesting, sadly, for the wrong reasons. Richa was controlling her anger. She thought the man was going too far on their official meeting and was scared that he would throw some weird conditions for her to get the job, which she didn’t want anymore. At least not from him!
Even before Nitin could respond to her last statement, while looking at Richa flirtatiously and making her feel uncomfortable, a girl interrupted their muddled-up moment, “Nitin?”
“Yes?”
The moment he said yes, Richa looked at Nitin with her eyes wide open. She screamed, “You’re Nitin? Who Nitin?”
“What do you mean who Nitin? You’ve already seen my profile and my picture?”
The third girl interrupted, “That would be me!”
“No. That’s not you. That’s her. She’s been with me for the past one hour. She is my date, not you.”
“What rubbish! I am not your date,” she said.
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A Confused Love Story
The confusion finally ended. They all understood what really had happened. Nitin realized that he sat down at the table without asking for the girl’s name. Richa, too, didn’t ask because of the confidence with which Nitin sat. While sitting in front of Richa, Nitin argued with the girl who turned up an hour late for their date. The girl, on the other hand, was furious herself since she couldn’t believe that Nitin wouldn’t realize a date mix-up.
The girl stormed out of the cafe in annoyance. Richa checked her phone to see where the man she had to meet was, only to find a message, “Hello Richa. I regret to inform you that owing to an unavoidable work thing, we will have to reschedule this meeting for another time. I apologize for this inconvenience.”
In the worry and hurry for being at the meeting, Richa didn’t check her phone and missed the message the man sent half an hour before her date–meeting with Nitin began. Both of them looked at each other without locking their eyes until they found it so funny that they couldn’t stop laughing for good ten minutes.
“I’m really sorry for this mix-up…uh..?”
“I’m Richa. I was here for an official meeting or interview, rather. I’m sorry I didn’t check either.”
“Oh, that’s why you wanted me to ask about your experience, skills, and attitude!”
“Uh, yes! Why? What did you think?”
Nitin didn’t answer and evaded the question until Richa understood herself how it would have sounded to someone who showed up for a date. Embarrassed to her guts, she remained in silence for almost five minutes until they looked at each other and burst into another round of uncontrollable laughter.
“Richa, I’d really like to see you again… if you’re interested.”
“I wasn’t really looking forward to dating someone at this point in my life. But, I think I want to, now.”
Richa and Nitin met for their official date the next day and then had many other of those as time progressed. After three months of getting to know each other, they became exclusive. About a year later, they moved in together and shared their confused love story with everyone they met. It’s been two and a half years since then, and Nitin and Richa are still going strong. In fact, Nitin even plans to propose to Richa on her birthday this year.
Here’s hoping that this time there’s no mix-up, and she says, “Yes!” From going on the wrong date to finally picking a date for their wedding after this proposal, Nitin and Richa’s love story will forever remain a fascinating tale to tell!
Check out our last poem, which has received a tremendous response. It’s a lovely poem from a son-in-law, to his mother-in-law. If you’ve missed reading it, click here.
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