Small Love Story

We had love marriage. Our first date was at zoo. It was eight years ago. At first site I thought he is a very generous person. I bought some nuts and gave him to feed the monkeys, as I was afraid to go closer. He went there, while looking at those monkeys he ate everything. I was so angry and asked him how he could do that. He nervously said he likes nut. I was very very angry and left him swiftly. But In hurry I fell down and broke my slippers. He was chasing and came near to me when he saw me falling. After took off my slippers, I was checking my feet. Without helping me to stand up, he took my slippers and ran to the gate. I lost my mind when I understood I was left alone barefoot inside the zoo. He was gone with my slippers. I somehow managed to sit in a bench and trying to figure out how to return home, barefoot. I was sitting there for a while to become normal. Before I started walking, he appeared and placed my slippers in front of my feet. I looked at him, he was all sweaty, taking long breathe but smiling to me. That very moment, weirdly, I felt love. Since then eight years I am in love with this crazy man. He only made me laugh or angry, that is all he did in these years.  We work in the same factory and while returning to home he plucks a wild flower and never give it to me. Our daughter made a vase with her water pot, where my husband put the flower after returning home. And our daughter will scream and say, ‘Maa, this is for you.’ I usually do not reply her, I feel shy. I cannot do a lot of things for him, just keep some nuts always at home.

- Ruma Begum (26), with her husband Nasir Uddin (27)