What's in a ring?

Taking the train everyday to work has its own pains and gains. I don't get stuck in rush hour traffic, I help the polar bears which I haven't seen, I don't have to parallel park the train and I can always use the train as an excuse to get out of work early. There are the downsides too. Even saying the word rain or snow will delay it, I have to sit with sick people, Russians and buffoons who occupy one seat for their rear end and another for their two ton bag. I don't get a place to sit if I board at the last minute. Thanks to the buffoons off course. And 99% of the time they depart on the dot, and god knows how; are always 99% late at the destination. "To gain something, you have to loose something" is how the saying goes. I think that needs to be changed to, "To gain something, you have to loose a god damn lot of things". The things you loose seem to be a matter of more concern.

There are only two kinds of people whom you find the train. One's who don't talk, and the one's who just cant stop talking. Quite a few people have train friends to wild away their time. But let me tell you, having a train friend is like getting married. If I open my trap to the weird kind. I am doomed to talk to that person till I change to another train. You just can't stop talking to that person since he will be travelling in the same train and car, and will be a lot of inconvenience to change your timings. And rude too. So one has to be very careful while choosing his prey. Instead of a commitment like that, I decided to shut up and sleep. That had its own drawbacks, like missing my stop.

Men generally do not like to commit. Just in case something better comes along. Talking about commitment brings me to the subject of engagement rings. Somehow this country has an obsession with these rings. Almost all the countries have the same concept. And it ends right there. Nobody cares if you have sapphire or diamond or a stone from the roadside. But here, the ring goes through an autopsy. Cut, clarity, color, cost, how, when, why etc. Followed by comments like ooh, aah, oh my god, etc. That's the women folk obviously. The men are just glad if the ring was more expensive than that of their spouses or, are jealous if their spouses ring was more expensive.

This tradition began in the 15th century to prove the men's worthiness in terms of financial health. Or rather a sign for the other guys to stay away from the girl. Unfortunately for the guys, the girls made sure they carried this tradition forward. Now its a little bit modified. Unlike before, the girl mostly herself gets a ring according to her choice as the men suck at it. Of course the guys still pay for it. Or hints to him or his friends on what ring she likes. Including the specs. Biggest investments in a guys life goes in this order: Wife, house, ring and car. For this reason, unless your last name is Gates or Buffet, no one is really excited to buy an engagement ring.

As per section 126, clause B from the Law of Engagements, the cost of the ring should be equal to or more than the guys two month paycheck. Pre-Tax. God knows how they came up with that. The ring which is a symbol of love and commitment has become a symbol of wealth and pompousness. Society makes one wear a ring even if they don't want to. If a girl says she in engaged, no one asks about her fiancee. But instead, they want to see the ring he gave. Only if the ring looks pathetic, do they change the topic to the guy. That almost never happens, as the guy would have been rejected or the ring would have been exchanged. For the same reason I will make sure I give a ring to my future wife. Without a ring, people might convince her to consider divorce.

Let me end my chauvinism for now and look at the other side. Men also wear wedding rings. Just like Toyota Corolla's they aren't noticed. Most women love jewelery. The diamond for a girl is what a Ferrari with Katrina Kaif is for a guy. The engagement ring the girl gets is like a combo deal. It has a diamond which she absolutely adores, and it has been given by the person she loves the most. That makes it the most valuable item in her ever growing wardrobe. And always will. It is a sign for the good times to come. This is similar on the lines of getting a Ferrari which will have a lifetime warranty, service package and be replaced with a new one every 5 years. Reality is, the Ferrari package can certainly never exist.

A diamond almost never looses value, so it is one of the safest investments one can make. This tradition will never die. Even if there is the slightest hint of it happening, De Beers and Jared will make sure that it doesn't; by playing back to back ads to buy their conflict diamonds. You at this point might be wondering which side am I on? Pro-ring or anti-ring? Neither. All I am trying to say is, don't put a price tag on it!