The Hunt

"Hey Samir! Are you tensed?".
"No"
"Then, cheer up, da! After all, it is your first attempt, right?"
"Hmmm. Yes "
Samir then took one last glance at the mirror to see if everything looked fine before leaving his home. Everything was fine. Or was it? He was indeed tensed just like his sister had said.

Though this was his first attempt, Samir had experienced a similar state of nervousness and excitement mixed in equal proportions previously, some years back. Dressed in a classic black and white that day, he was able to slay the fear and become victorious. He never thought that he would have to put so much of care in his dressing and grooming again as people at that time told, " Samir! Since you are now an IT employee in AtoZ software org, finding a girl for marriage would not at all be a task for you. That too, if you manage to go onsite to the US for a couple of years in between, you may have to hire 'Z' class security to keep the queue of prospective brides in check in front of your house". Years passed by and Samir after returning in the middle of a 3 year stint at US, couldn't find even a single person, let alone a queue to choose from and marry. After some 2 weeks, there he was getting ready  to visit a girl's (read bride :P)home nearby along with his dear and near. His first crack at the CEM(Compatibility and Eligibility for Marriage)Test which like every other test nowadays, has its fair share of unknowns.

After exchanging pleasantries for some time at the girl's home, the moment came. The moment which Samir was preparing for. The moment, which he thought might never come. The moment when 'He' had to answer his prospective 'She' for a barrage of queries about his job and his stay in the US.  Expecting 'her' to listen in awe of his life as a software engineer in the US, Samir found only empty laughs and faceless expressions in return. He was not able to make out anything from their reaction.

After getting in the car, his dad said, " Phew! Atleast this family didn't seem much concerned about the IT industry and abroad stay stuffs. Hope they don't change their mind!". Samir got confused. He was not able to understand what his Dad told. He asked his dad on what he was talking about. "See, Samir! Nowadays some parents are thinking hard to have their daughters married off to software folks especially if the guy is said to be working abroad." Samir realized that What was once seen as the 'the duck that would lay golden eggs forever'  is now looked down on , thanks to various reasons. "To hell with the person who told about the queue when I took up the job,  it is now a null pointer exception!". On the way back home, Samir suddenly asked the driver to stop the car in front of a shop. He went in and came out with a couple of books, one of which read "Bank officer's exam guide!!".