Surinder Sahni

If you've seen Shah Rukh Khan's movie Rab Ne Bani De Jodi then you recognize who "Surinder Sahni" is and what the guy was like that I met on this date and I don't need to say anymore. If you have not seen it, read on...

So I "meet" this guy online. We have barely exchanged any emails and we decide to meet up. Turns out he lives a few hours from the city but would come there on a weekend. He asks me if I wanted to go to the Met or see a movie, do lunch. Hmmm...since it was Sunday I was thinking maybe just meet over lunch and call it a day but since he was going to drive so far to meet up I figured I might have to do a little more than that. I talked to him briefly on the phone and couldn't tell if he had an Indian accent, British accent, or some accent. It was light, but there was something there. I had seen his picture (face only) and he looked kinda cute (ok, well he wasn't unattractive and my goal is to meet as many people as I can). We agreed to meet at the Met.

I took a train into NY and the Met is actually quite far from where I was. I ended up getting their late and was feeling bad as I walked towards the staircase that led to the museum. I didn't see anyone near the stairs so I started walking up the stairs in case he was waiting for me inside. Then I notice this guy, and he looks over. He is standing there with these dark olive cordorouy pants on, white sneakers, and believe it or not - he had on beige ear muffs!! It was 50 degrees outside! He comes towards me and I was like wow, is this really him? We say hi and he starts walking towards the museum entrance --- not wanting to commit to walking around with him for that many hours, I ask if he's had lunch (I was starving!). He hadn't and we make our way to a Thai restaurant. I find out that his parents live in NY and its where he grew up - he had come in last night...that made me feel better - that he hadn't driven a lot of hours to come in today and drive back again today.

We got to the restaurant after a few minutes walk. I just stared for a minute - as 'Surinder' took off his earmuffs and then his coat - on top of his dark olive pants he was wearing a flourescent green shirt and a yellow sweater on top of the shirt. Wow. Wow.

After trying hard not to randomly smile, I realize that Surinder is actually a really sweet guy. He ate vegetarian with me (always super sweet when a guy does that) and served me my food as it came. Conversation was fine. I texted my cousin who happened to be in the city to tell him to please let me know when he was leaving so I could catch a ride back with him (the sooner the better I'm thinking). Surinder was interested in going to see a movie (or something) after lunch but I told him I couldn't give up a ride back home, especially since it meant not having to take a bunch of trains! I did have some time so we decided to go get some coffee. I learned that he's been in the U.S. for 15 years but felt lost - neither Indian or American. Some of his views were very Indian though if you ask me - like he said if he met a girl from India his expectations were that she never have been in a relationship (however if she was from America he accepted that he would never find that). He did think he would relate more to someone from America. Then he shared these other stories and how his friends keep telling him to sort of wake up and smell the coffee (in terms of his expectations). Oh, and he's never had a girlfriend. Sorry, all of that combined, definetly not for me.

I did have to catch one train to go meet my cousin. Surinder was very sweet and waited with me on the platform until my train came. When I insisted he didn't have to, he said why do you not want to spend time with me? This will give us more time to hang out together. Sweet. Very sweet. Sigh. Now if only I can find a guy that behaves like that that I am actually interested in!