I received a phone call yesterday (Sunday) morning from a friend.
"Do you still have my camera?" She sounded a little worried.
"Your camera?" I was confused, the hangover from the Saturday night party still had my brain frazzled.
"From last night's party?" she said.
"Oh. From last night?" Now it was my turn to get a little worried. The party had been great, in fact, memorable. The host couple had done a wonderful job on Valentine's day, which also happened to be our gracious hostess's birthday-eve.
"Remember clicking pictures? Standing on the chair and all?" She continued.
"Really? Was I standing on a chair? I was probably trying to get a good view." I didn't sound convincing, even to myself. Did I have that much Vodka?!
"Yeah...yeah....sure. So do you still have it?"
"No...no..." I tried to shake off the cobwebs. "I think you or your husband took it from me."
"I've looked everywhere. We don't have it. I'll call around," she said.
I washed my face and thought about the pictures on the missing camera. Then I went over last night's party, frame by frame.
I remembered the squeals when two best friends saw each other at the party, because they were wearing the same dress. Not similar. It was the SAME, like in ditto. They both acted surprised but I still think they got a "Buy one, get one free" deal!
My brain flashed briefly to the professional photographer our generous hosts had arranged and the couples posing in their exquisite outfits-- some confident, some embarrassed and some both. I was too busy showing off my wife! I recalled another lovely couple walking by, the husband holding on tight to his wife's hand.
"Very romantic," I remarked to the lady. "He's not letting go of your hand."
"Oh, that's because he's drunk," she replied, very matter-of-fact!
My mind then freeze-framed another picture. A prominent member of our community, deeply involved in the administration of a local revered Temple, (Baba ji to our neighborhood kids) putting on moves on the dance floor, with a bevy of beautiful young ladies. We don't want that picture floating around. We really got to find that camera!
Another picture that stuck in my mind was of the blissful look on a gentleman's face, who crossed continents coming back from India and slept at airports, so that he could make it home on Valentine's day to be with the love of his life.
But the most important picture that my mind captured from the night before was the true adoration between couples. The ambiance created by the hosts with candles, rose petals, lighting and music was such that cupid's arrow flew around, searing hearts.
The phone rang again, getting me out of the reverie.
"I found the camera." It was the same friend again, sounding relieved.
"Thank God! Who had it?" I asked.
"Well... it was in my husband's jacket," she said.
Aha, I thought to myself. Didn't she say an hour ago she had looked everywhere?
So I was not the only one with a hangover!
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