15th August marks a celebration of an epic story of a couple that began somewhere in the winter of 1988.
She was the sugar girl working at Carmona Cooperative located just a stone's throw away from Carmona’s famous Janot Bazaar.
One evening, as usual the girl was waiting for the local bus to return home from work. It was late and getting dark; but there was no sign of any transport.
Worried, she decided to take a ‘lift’ to Margao. She thought that anyone going downtown would be knowing her since everyone from that area knew she worked there.
Just then, on came a handsome man -- in police glasses, riding a not-so-old but not-so-new either – Chetak scooter.
He was civil works contractor and had small projects at Cavelossim Church and school through good contacts of his priest friends.
THE MEMORABLE RIDE
Carmona to Margao was a long ride for the young contractor, but that day it was the shortest time he had ever known to have covered that route.
And since that day, he had forgotten all his mathematics and calculations!!!
Following the first time the girl sat on his bike, his return home somehow was always 5 minutes earlier than the local bus, coz he wanted to be there first and see the familiar smile.
As days passed, the girl expected the ‘lift’ more than the bus. And even if the bus was early, she would miss it knowingly as she believed the Chetak was faster than the coastal tour of the bus.
The regular drop to Margao eventually rerouted to Navelim, to the girl's home.
One would think the Chetak was supposed to be faster than taking 2 buses home; but it was much slower than the legendary village gaddkar Ramnath’s gaddo.
The mother of the girl always got worried about her daughter reaching home late; while her younger brother, still in his last of teens, was more annoyed than worried. His usual ‘patisam’ or ‘bhojim’ that his sister brought on her way back home, were getting delayed by the day.
NEIGHBORS GET WORRIED TOO
Days went by, the coming home got later & darker, and worried the whole family and neighbors too.
The mother would order the good-for-nothing lazy son, who always juggled around a football, to drive down the road at the bus stop, and escort the sister back as the street lights were dim and road home was lonely.
The brother did what he was told; he was more concerned about the ‘khavpak’ and mangoes and grapes than the sister coming late.
THE SUR'PRIZE
One day, to everyone’s surprise the sister came home with the tall handsome man with mustaches as thick as a thick paint brush.
It was their old home; the girl introduced the mother, father and brother; she didn’t introduce the hero though.
Instead of saying hi to the family, the man pointed to the walls of the house which were pealing plaster, and asked when they had been painted last.
The brother thought he was a painter, and wondered why his mother wanted one as she always did the job herself with his help.
The family came to know later that night who the 'mustacheo' was.
MOST MEMORABLE STORY
The talk of those days was Salman Khan’s blockbuster Maine Pyar Kiya.
For most films, the brother and sister went together. For this particular film, there was Salman Khan himself and he sat next to the sister.
The movie was a great hit!
The sister got married to the mustacheo, they built a nest, they had kids, and enjoyed life.
Some of the best time the brother spent was at his sister’s place - every festival, every function, every occasion.
Any day at his sisters, the food was a feast, and the brother could pick up anything from the bar cabinet – vodka, cashew, whiskey or rum, and nobody said a word, everyone enjoyed his jokes and laughter and insults too without insulting him back which he deserved the least.
Missing this year’s anniversary with his beloved sister and brother-in-law was missing a part of his own life!
As they celebrate, no doubt, far away in the distance, the brother will celebrate too, listening to his sister’s favorite song of the movie – Aate jaate, hanste gaate that would remind him of the angelic love of the two sweet couple that he saw through his own eyes once upon a time!
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Happy Anniversary Candy & Agnelo!!! May your love last a hundred thousand years!!!