Ramesh ji was considered a very balanced person, but his wife Rama ji used to say that his biggest problem was his “forgetfulness.” Their wedding anniversary was approaching, and Ramesh ji planned a surprise for his wife with great excitement. He thought he would do something special this time that would make his wife happily hug him.
On the anniversary day, Ramesh ji started behaving strangely since morning. He would open and close the cupboard, check notes in his mobile, and mutter to himself. When Rama ji asked, “What are you doing?” he said, “Preparing for love!” Hearing this, Rama ji became suspicious but said nothing.
In the evening, Ramesh ji came home carrying a big bouquet of flowers. Smiling, he said, “Dear, today I have a special gift for you.”
Rama ji happily said, “Wow, today is a miracle!”
But as soon as she opened the box, she found… a new set of kitchen ladles.
Rama ji’s face was worth watching. She asked, “What is this?”
Ramesh ji said, “Last time you said the ladle was broken, so I thought carefully and brought a useful gift.”
His wife looked at him angrily, and Ramesh ji understood that things were getting bad.
Then he remembered that the real gift was still left. He took a small box from his pocket. Inside were chocolates and a hand-written card that said, “You are the greatest happiness of my life.”
Rama ji’s anger softened a little, but she still said, “First you hurt my heart by giving kitchen utensils, and now you speak sweet words!”
Ramesh ji panicked and sat in front of his wife holding his ears and said, “I am sorry. Next anniversary, I will not bring ladles, only love.”
Hearing this, Rama ji laughed and said, “Get up, don’t act; the food is getting cold.”
At night, Ramesh ji kept muttering, “Expressing love is difficult, and giving ladles is also difficult!” But deep inside he was happy that the ‘holding ears and apologizing’ formula had worked again.
RAJEEV VERMA 