I said, “I would have surely watered it. Maybe I am not the kind who will seek out and buy a plant. But if I am given one, I would water them for sure.” And I continued my boast, “In fact, I will never understand a man who cannot water the plants and take good care.”

This happened six months ago. I had never imagined then that my vain boast would come to haunt me later.

Just a few days back, Swapna who lives in the same apartment community, e-mailed that she and Srinath were going to India for a month. She asked if I would mind taking care of their potted plants while they were away. Swapna is Sheila’s sister-in-law.

I had this sneaking suspicion that Shiela must have told Swapna how I had boasted
to her. “I’m being put on a test now. OMG! Why did I have to invite this trouble? Why did I get carried away, and say such mindless words?” I bemoaned.

I called up Praveen. He is the one that I talk to about all trivial or important matters. When I finished lamenting, he asked, “But why are you fretting so much about watering the plants?” And quickly added with deep concern, “Do you have to water them in the morning, afternoon, evening and night every day?”

I despaired, “Close enough. I have to water them twice a week in the morning.” After a slight pause, Praveen recovered himself and said politely “I had imagined far worse. This should be very easy. You can do it.”

“I’m just 29. Don’t you think it is such a big responsibility to be thrust on a young shoulder? What do I know about plants? And water it twice a week for a month! My head is spinning just thinking of that. As such, I don’t have anyone to take care of me. Where will I take care of some plants,” I screamed.

Listening to our intense conversation, Praveen’s wife joined in.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure you will do a great job,” she said.

“There are too many complications here, Pramila!” I wailed.

“What is the complication?”

“I will tell you, just now.” I cleared my throat and started to speak. “If I fail in taking good care of the plants, they will die. I’m not concerned about the plants dying. What I’m worried is that the word will go around. And people around me would start judging me. They would say – He could not even take care of a small plant, leave alone him taking care of a girl. Which parent would want to trust him and give the hand of their daughter?”

Controlling my tears, I asked, “Do you see now where I am coming from? This is so unjust. What will happen to me? How will I get married?”

Both Praveen and Pramila were choked with emotions, and they wailed in unison.

I felt that I cannot burden all my sorrows with just one set of soul mate. After all, which is why there are more than one soul mates, I told myself.  So I decided to share my grief with my other soul mates. My other soul mates? Who are they? I didn’t know. It was for me to discover now.

I thought hard and after several hours of mental labor, I had a feeble feeling that my friend Sooraj must be, my another soul mate. I called him and narrated the whole episode.

Sooraj asked with a touch of irritation, “What is the problem here? Assume the worst, the plants die and the word goes around. So What? Why do you rely upon them to find the girl? You find your girl, dude.”

“What are you saying? Didn’t I tell you what the tarot card reader mentioned,” I asked in anguish.

“No”, he said in a cold tone.

“When I was in Bangalore, I had met a very renowned lady who could read a person’s future from the tarot cards.”

“What is your point? I don’t see any relevance,” Sooraj interrupted.

I signaled for patience, and elaborated, “The point is when I had asked how I would find my girl to marry, she had said, “Boy, you will not find your own girl. It will not happen from any of the dating sites where you are currently searching. Your girl will be found through a friend of yours. One of your friends will be your matchmaker. It is only a friend of yours who will bring your light of life to you.”

I continued in my distressed tone, “Now do you see the evil play of fate? If I’m destined to meet my girl through my friends, and when the plants die and the word goes around; you know how all my friends are networked with each other. Then, what will become of me? No one is going to give a good reference of me.”

“I’m doomed”, I said and began to sob. I heard a loud wail from Sooraj. It was louder than my sobs.

Just then, my sister called. It was then it struck me that she was my yet another soul mate. No sooner did she ask, “How are you?” I had started telling her my tail of woes. What does become of me? Why did I boast in vain?

The saga continued, and thus in the process, I discovered my many ‘soul mates’ in life.