Fish is a great co-worker and cubicle wall sharer. He taught the author of this here blog a few Indian words and phrases that may or may not become useful in the years to come. One of these phrases is ‘shukriya’ which means thank you and has impressed a couple waiters at Mother India. An even more useful phrase - mainly during work hours - is ‘Monet coontalow ave-che; muje maar dalo abhi’ which means “I’m bored; kill me now.” Fish was also gracious enough to share with the author of this here blog tastes of his incredibly yummy smelling lunch from time to time, most of which was very spicy and made the author of this here blog drink lots and lots of water and squeak to Fish that no, in fact, it wasn’t that spicy. Fish knew this author of this here blog was lying.
When the author of this here blog met Fish 3 years ago, he was a young lad of 25. Fish would on occasion mention how old he was (not in the “oh yes, I’m 25” way, but in the “I can’t believe how OLD I am, I’m going to be 30 soon!”) and that his mother thought it was high time that Fish got married. The author of this here blog would laugh at Fish, but also secretly cursed Fish for calling the author of this here blog old as the author of this here blog was already in her thirties. But the author of this here blog digresses. Anyhow, while the author of this here blog thought the pressure of getting married at 25 a bit unusual, the author of this here blog understood that there are different cultures and traditions so didn’t argue. In fact, the author of this here blog suggested to Fish that he date one of the waitresses at Mother India....that didn’t work out.
A couple years later Fish mentioned that his mother had put an ad in a newspaper in India looking for prospects for Fish to marry. After calling and emailing one of these ladies, Fish went to India for 3 weeks to meet her and came back engaged.
Fish went through an agonizing 9 month wait while immigration did what immigration does best….paperwork. Finally, in September of this year, Fish and his Indian fiancée got married. The marriage was in Kentucky and was strictly family-only. 2 months later Fish and his new Indian bride held a reception and invited the author of this here blog and the boyfriend of the author of this here blog to join in the celebration. The author of this here blog was elated!
Last Friday night was the reception. The author of this here blog and the boyfriend of the author of this here blog were seated at the honky table with a few of our fellow co-workers who were also invited.
Fish's Bride, Fish, and Kevin ACTUALLY WEARING A TIE!
As one can imagine, an Indian reception follows a different pattern than an American style reception. An American style reception goes as follows:
- Guests start to get drunk at bar while waiting for bride and groom to ‘appear’
- Bride and Groom announced, slow dance ensues
- DINNER!
- Toast after toast that make guests sleepy after all the booze\dinner
- CAKE!!!
- Dancing
- Chicken Dance\Shout!\YMCA
- Dancing
- Drunken brawl between Aunt Gretchen and that creepy uncle that no one can remember his proper name (he’s just referred to as ‘Ass Hat’)
- (WI Only) Bridal party leaves to get more drunk at local dive bar. Guests either get taxis or beg the bartender for just one more Miller High Life
At this particular Indian reception, there was no booze. While there was no booze, there were appetizers. And after appetizers, there were speeches. And after speeches, there was cake. And after cake there was dancing, and not just slow dancing, THIS kind of dancing:
The author of this here blog thought it was awesome. Though because of being unfamiliar with tradition, began to think that maybe the appetizers WERE dinner. But no, after 45 minutes of dancing, dinner was served. It was delicious.
Shannen would be in heaven, everything but 1 dish was vegetarian.
Then there was more dancing! Fish came around and tried to get his sorry honky co-workers to dance but we all refused. The author of this here blog WOULD HAVE danced if it weren’t for the fact that the author of this here blog was with co-workers and was terrified of ‘hearing about it’ Monday at work.
Fish knows how to get down. The author of this hear blog wishes she did.
