He sat there the entire time staring at us as we had our lunch…

Saw this in Sharmila’s car while cleaning it. I think it is from one of her paintings…

But my first reaction was “She comes with strings attached? Now you tell me?” 🙂

Six years back, just like this, the four of us were sitting exactly at the same spot on a June evening having dinner. Sharmila, Nikita and I had come to drop Natasha at Duke University for a summer program.

Today, almost to the day… same spot… dinner again… now it is Nikita’s turn.

One flew the nest a few years back…
The other one is getting ready for a trial run…

Thank you! Thank you! But it is actually my daughter, Natasha!! 🙂

Sold!…
… for a phone (that too landline) and a car. Those were the demands she had back in Oct 1992 before she would agree to marry me. (To put this in perspective, in those days in the small town we came from, both a phone and a car were novelties and not owned by most). Not one to give in to negotiations too early, I had simple frowned at her. She conceded immediately that it did not have to be very soon – just some time in our married life. I had un-frowned.

Two days later, I told her that we might have to get married earlier – in fact before even she could finish college – and get the passports ready because my company was transferring me to US.

First day, I land in US, my company had a landline and a rental car ready for us.

Easiest sale ever!!

[Sharmila]