Perspective : Rasgulla or Gulab Jamun?

It was late at night, and I was waiting for my boyfriend’s message. He was doing the night shift, which meant I had to wake up with him until he was awake. I loved waking up with him and talking. However, waiting for his reply was boring and staying awake when everybody was asleep, was laborious. I couldn’t wait to tell him that I had finished my short story. Well, telling him about this was worthless. He was not very fond of reading. The only poem he had read was “Autumn”. I had written it for him on valentine’s day. He read it, appreciated it, and asked me to focus on my studies as my parents do. He was nothing like the man of my dreams. We were the perfect example of ‘opposite attracts’, like two poles of magnets that stick together after being opposite. 

We both found each other boring. He was in love with Salman, and my favourite was Shahrukh. I was a writer, and he was not a reader. I loved nature, and he enjoyed parties. I was an introvert and he was very extroverted. We were so opposite that we disliked one another’s choice. Seriously, if I had to gift him something, I would choose anything that I don’t like because, if I don’t like it, he certainly will. I hate those dramas where they romanticize the ‘opposite-attracts’ theme. It’s not that easy to be in love with someone who is the hell opposite of you. Sometimes you wish to be mutual on likes.

In these eight years, I wondered, if I could find one thing we both liked. My quest was still on. I picked up my phone and checked he hadn’t replied yet. The message,’ I ate Gulab Jamun ‘ was still without a blue tick. Hence, I asked him what do you like the most Gulab Jamun or Rasgulla?. Because people don’t like both of them equally. They always have one as their favourite. I loved delicious Gulab Jamun, and I was sure that he might not agree with me. I kept on thinking, what could he reply? I was desperately hoping it is Gulab Jamun this time, not rasgulla. I was tired of us being so different. I prayed to God,” God, please let it be Gulab Jamun this time. There must be something that we both like’. The prayer got interrupted as my phone vibrated and a message popped up in my eyes,’ Gulab Jamun’, he replied. My eyes widened with surprise and happiness. Finally, I found holly grail. The quest was finally over. We both mutually liked something. Oh! We are going to eat Gulab Jamun on our next date. His message took me on cloud nine. It felt no less than an orgasm. I was happy and made his night happier. We texted all night, and I slept in the morning. 

I woke up with happiness in my smile. I was so in love with him that I picked my phone up and started to read those messages, again. I loved to read our old messages. I was scrolling up the screen and enjoying the text. I read the message where I had asked him what he loved the most, Gulab Jamun or rasgulla? I read his reply,’ Ragulla’. Wait, what? He said he liked Gulab Jamun. So what is rasgulla doing here? Is this what he texted last night?. The text can’t change by itself. Did I read it wrong then? How can I read rasgulla as Gulab Jamun? But I did that. How did it happen?

After staring at the screen for ten minutes, I understood what had happened. It was no magic that changed the message. It was my mind that did so. I was so focused on Gulab Jamun that I couldn’t see rasgulla in that text. Like they say,’ What you think, you see, and what you see you do.’ It made me aware that our perspective decide what we see. The incident was not about dessert only. It was about perception. 

You must be thinking, what about me and my boyfriend’s mutual favourite? Well, the quest is still on. If I get to know it in future, I will tell you by updating the article.