(Part 1/4) “Ours was a love marriage. But love was born out of necessity. It was not the kind of love you see in cinemas, mobile phones, and Facebook. You fell in love because you needed support. Because you needed a lifetime companion who would live and suffer with you. We did not meet in parks or at the fair. We met in our Goth. Back then people used to live in their Goths with their animals. The animals would sleep to the right or the left and we slept by the fire not so far from them. Under one roof. Love affairs were rampant in these Goths. Someone would come and say, ‘Hey boy, there is a girl up in the moors. Go find her in the Goth by the waterfall. You will like her. It is only a day walk up that mountain and you will reach her. I think you can convince her to marry you.” So boys would go, you know. And whoever had the ability to talk politely and offer protection would have the girl. If the girl disagreed then off they went to another Goth. 

One day a friend confessed to me about this girl. He told me that the girl would be good for me. But I had been unlucky in love. I was married once but my wife had chosen to stay with her parents and never came to live in my Goth. And I had not persisted. I had told her that she can live her life in freedom and so will I. So due to this past, I was hesitant if I wanted to go meet this girl. But as I said, I needed a partner who could cook with me, look after the animals and fields with me. I needed support during good and bad times. So I went to visit her. I found out that she was older than me. Almost 6 years. And her age made her more mature. She listened intently to my story and said, “Ok, you do not need to convince me anymore. Good that you did not hide with me anything. I will come and live with you. And I allow you to marry me.” Soon she came from her Goth to mine. And we started a new life together.”