Custom Search

The Girl Who Couldn't Match

by Medha Chowdhury
(Kolkata, India)

‘Forgive me if I am wrong, but is one of your socks is red and the other, blue?’

‘Yes.’ She sighed, ‘I got late.’

Now that was a blatant lie, everyone knew that She was the Girl who couldn’t match.

Pair of door keys for her new apartment? One had dropped from her hand from the balcony and disappeared somewhere on the way down because it wasn’t there on the footpath below.

Maybe, she had told her disgruntled Landlady, it had fallen straight into hell.

The Blue Pottery mug which Ma had sent for Christmas, had tragically lost its twin soon after its arrival. She had spent an uneventful evening with the broken pieces and a measly Fevicol only to realise that it was no surprise why she had always received an F in Art and Crafts in school.

Maybe, she had told the disgruntled Landlady, her flat had a dissatisfied sprit which broke things. Mugs for example.

Ear-rings, Socks, Gloves - It was as if the entire Universe conspired against her, to hide away one of everything that came in pairs. So, Her life went on in bits and pieces, as it always had.

Wondering when it would all come together and fit.

It wasn’t until One afternoon.

One rainy afternoon, when a lost little creature with drooping ears and a wet puppy nose had wandered to her doorstep.
It wasn’t until It had come back every time she shooed it away, gazing at her with adoring eyes. It wasn’t until she finally gave up and let it snore peacefully on her lap, giggling softly at Her softer sleepy barks.

It wasn’t until then did she realise that The Girl who couldn’t Match, had finally found her Pair.
***