The Lower the Lows, the Higher the Highs
I can't remember at which exact moment I began thinking about doing it, but remember more clearly when I finally decided to go ahead. But am I glad that I chose to; and I can't thank our close friends enough for helping organize everything.
I guess I've felt really bad all year for screwing up on her birthday and scheduling a flying session (She sulked all day and went off shopping with Dhruv). And of course, the weight of 4 missed and 1 almost missed (I got back at 11:30 pm) anniversaries weighed heavily on the decision.
Anyway, to start at the beginning... Sandhya and I completed 10 years of being married to each other on 12 December 2004. On Monday evening, I sent an email out to Lata, Kala and Smitha, asking their opinion on whether a surprise party was feasible. They all replied enthusiastically, including Kala, who was not going to be around on the 12th.
I sent the evites out later that evening, inviting close friends and family in the Bay Area. Here's a copy of the evite:
Lots of people responded enthusiastically. Smitha and I worked out the decoy, to get Sandhya out of the house. I began setting her up for it through the week, so that the actual situation would seem like a natural progression from the week's developments... Complaining of a back ache, talking about an upcoming RFP that might require me to go into work on Sunday, talking enthusiastically of the amazing restaurant I had made reservations at for Sunday...
The major preparations were made on Thursday, when I placed the order for the cake (Red Ribbon Bakery is a Chinese Bakery in the area with an awesome reputation for great cakes. Sandhya had thought of getting Dhruv's birthday cake from there), bought the Champagne and began planning the food menu. I placed the food order on Friday, and assigned responsibilities to various friends to pick up the food, cake, decorations, etc.
D-Day rolled around and the sun rose on a typical Bay Area winter day -- a bit foggy in the morning, burning off later in the morning. I busied myself raking leaves in the front yard, and then, in my "enthusiasm", raked the two neighbor's yards too. Of course, I "forgot" to wear my backbrace while doing this, and so began to complain of a slight backache when I was done.
Sandhya thought that I'd made reservations, with great difficulty, at a fancy "Fusion" restaurant in Menlo Park. I even had her believe that they had a dress code! The plan was for us to drop Dhruv off at Smitha's place in Cupertino at 12:00, and then get to the restaurant at 12:30.
Manish Subramanian, a colleague and friend from IIMA, called at 11:15 to say that there was something urgent that required me to come into work. Sandhya's face fell, but brave soldier that she was, she agreed to go drop Dhruv off at Cupertino without me, and to meet me at the restaurant. However, she was so angry that she didn't even wave goodbye when she was driving off!
She reached Smitha's place 30 minutes later. By this time the first few friends had arrived, and they all enthusiastically got busy in decorating the place, arranging the food, etc. I called Sandhya at Smitha's place and told her that my back had completely frozen and that I was invalid in the office. Lunch was off, and she had to come back and drive me home; I could not even drive myself. She sounded disappointed, but as she later told me, how angry could she get with someone who was ill? Smitha later tells us that her eyes filled with tears... The Lower the Lows, the Higher the Highs... I then set off for the office to wait for her there.
After feeding Dhruv, she left Smitha's place at 12:30, and reached the office around 1:00pm. I knew that I had to delay her, so that Smitha and Poulo could get to our house in time to see the surprise. There were in constant touch with me on the cellphone. Around 1:10, I called Manish to say that we were leaving the office, and would be home in 5 minutes.
When we pulled into the garage, all was quiet. There was not a hint that anything was out of the ordinary. Then suddenly June (our neighbor) pops her head into the garage to say hello! Oh God!, I thought, there goes the surprise. But she just greeted us and then disappeared. I walked slowly to the door, and let Sandhya precede me, so that she could open the door. I also remembered to close the garage door, so that the camera could capture the moment better (without the light from the back).
She opened the door to see the stairs and house full, just FULL, of people. A loud "SURPRISE" greeted her and it was obvious that she was well and truly caught unawares.
The party was a great hit (I think) - we popped the champagne, drank toasts to the "next forty years", cut the cake (it lived up to it's reputation) and the food was spicy, but extremely tasty.
We were joking that I've only made up for the "sins" of the last 9 anniversaries (I missed 4 of them, attended 4, and on one reached home at 11:30pm).
I think the party was all the more enjoyable because Sandhya's spirits had been brought to such a low through the day (my going in to work, and then canceling the lunch).
I guess I've felt really bad all year for screwing up on her birthday and scheduling a flying session (She sulked all day and went off shopping with Dhruv). And of course, the weight of 4 missed and 1 almost missed (I got back at 11:30 pm) anniversaries weighed heavily on the decision.
Anyway, to start at the beginning... Sandhya and I completed 10 years of being married to each other on 12 December 2004. On Monday evening, I sent an email out to Lata, Kala and Smitha, asking their opinion on whether a surprise party was feasible. They all replied enthusiastically, including Kala, who was not going to be around on the 12th.
I sent the evites out later that evening, inviting close friends and family in the Bay Area. Here's a copy of the evite:
Lots of people responded enthusiastically. Smitha and I worked out the decoy, to get Sandhya out of the house. I began setting her up for it through the week, so that the actual situation would seem like a natural progression from the week's developments... Complaining of a back ache, talking about an upcoming RFP that might require me to go into work on Sunday, talking enthusiastically of the amazing restaurant I had made reservations at for Sunday...
The major preparations were made on Thursday, when I placed the order for the cake (Red Ribbon Bakery is a Chinese Bakery in the area with an awesome reputation for great cakes. Sandhya had thought of getting Dhruv's birthday cake from there), bought the Champagne and began planning the food menu. I placed the food order on Friday, and assigned responsibilities to various friends to pick up the food, cake, decorations, etc.
D-Day rolled around and the sun rose on a typical Bay Area winter day -- a bit foggy in the morning, burning off later in the morning. I busied myself raking leaves in the front yard, and then, in my "enthusiasm", raked the two neighbor's yards too. Of course, I "forgot" to wear my backbrace while doing this, and so began to complain of a slight backache when I was done.
Sandhya thought that I'd made reservations, with great difficulty, at a fancy "Fusion" restaurant in Menlo Park. I even had her believe that they had a dress code! The plan was for us to drop Dhruv off at Smitha's place in Cupertino at 12:00, and then get to the restaurant at 12:30.
Manish Subramanian, a colleague and friend from IIMA, called at 11:15 to say that there was something urgent that required me to come into work. Sandhya's face fell, but brave soldier that she was, she agreed to go drop Dhruv off at Cupertino without me, and to meet me at the restaurant. However, she was so angry that she didn't even wave goodbye when she was driving off!
She reached Smitha's place 30 minutes later. By this time the first few friends had arrived, and they all enthusiastically got busy in decorating the place, arranging the food, etc. I called Sandhya at Smitha's place and told her that my back had completely frozen and that I was invalid in the office. Lunch was off, and she had to come back and drive me home; I could not even drive myself. She sounded disappointed, but as she later told me, how angry could she get with someone who was ill? Smitha later tells us that her eyes filled with tears... The Lower the Lows, the Higher the Highs... I then set off for the office to wait for her there.
After feeding Dhruv, she left Smitha's place at 12:30, and reached the office around 1:00pm. I knew that I had to delay her, so that Smitha and Poulo could get to our house in time to see the surprise. There were in constant touch with me on the cellphone. Around 1:10, I called Manish to say that we were leaving the office, and would be home in 5 minutes.
When we pulled into the garage, all was quiet. There was not a hint that anything was out of the ordinary. Then suddenly June (our neighbor) pops her head into the garage to say hello! Oh God!, I thought, there goes the surprise. But she just greeted us and then disappeared. I walked slowly to the door, and let Sandhya precede me, so that she could open the door. I also remembered to close the garage door, so that the camera could capture the moment better (without the light from the back).
She opened the door to see the stairs and house full, just FULL, of people. A loud "SURPRISE" greeted her and it was obvious that she was well and truly caught unawares.
The party was a great hit (I think) - we popped the champagne, drank toasts to the "next forty years", cut the cake (it lived up to it's reputation) and the food was spicy, but extremely tasty.
We were joking that I've only made up for the "sins" of the last 9 anniversaries (I missed 4 of them, attended 4, and on one reached home at 11:30pm).
I think the party was all the more enjoyable because Sandhya's spirits had been brought to such a low through the day (my going in to work, and then canceling the lunch).
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home