Not sure Lucknow or maybe India fully gets Valentines day. Here I am in a restaurant in the newest ”in” place in town. The decor is classic Indian style, tacky overkill with thousands of heart shaped balloons taped to walls, strapped to chairs and dangling from ceiling lights. Mind you, with those descriptions and what I am witnessing, the strapping and of dangling of balloons is as far as Valentine will get this year. I mean, I know I lack the romantic gene but I thought Valentines was all about couples? I mean, to be fair, this restaurant is full of couples but most of them have dragged their kids along and they are in true Indian style, are being left to run riot, skid around banging into chairs whilst screaming and/or shouting the place down.
A couple of the couples without kids don’t quite seem to know how to get through a romantic dinner; one half on their phones, others sitting looking bored and eager to get it over with.Conversation is stilted at best.
There is one threesome, I would like to think that particular couple are being kind.
The table next to me has two kids, the parents are six tables away, the sister is playing candy crush, the brother alteratively with his cutlery and his nostrils.
The table beyond them has newly weds! She looks shell-shocked with a dose of whip lash thrown in and mightily relieved that another couple has joined them. He looks to be an unhappy combination of horny and sulking.
I am the only one actually dressed for the occasion, in fabulous red dress and matching killer heels. I may be alone but I have written two blog posts and engaged in some wonderful people watching and one is never completely on ones own when one is accompanied by the ever faithful Old Monk. Honestly speaking I look the happiest of the lot. Successful evening.
