Culture Shock
Try wearing a kurta-pajama to work one of these days. (This works out better than suddenly changing your marital status to ‘Married’ in your Orkut profile one fine day to attract scrapbook entries.)
Friday dressing at work means wearing a T-shirt and six-pocket-baggie pants. Make the mistake of wearing any Indian clothes, and you will earn stares from everyone else at work. Unless it is your birthday, or as it turned out in my case.. my engagement.
HR Managed (in the lift): Looking good. Is today ethnic day?
Me: huh?
Me (entering office): Hi
Rumour Monger: Hmm.. what happened to your clothes?
Me: What? nothing. Not enough clean clothes. 
Rumour Monger: Getting engaged? Or may be you’re going to see some girls.
Me: He he. Yes. I want to see how many people here actually feel sad that I’m getting engaged.
Rumour Monger: Sad for the girl? Sure.
Soon…
Colleague 1: Hey, Adarsh!! Whats up? What’s special?
Me: Umm…
Rumour Monger: It’s his engagement this evening. Or may be he’s going to see some prospective brides with his parents.
Later…
Colleague 2: Hi. Nice dress. Looking good. What’s special?
Me: (a little shocked) It’s my birthday.
Colleague2: (shaking hands) Happy birthday.
Rumour Monger: No… he’s getting engaged today.
Colleague2: Really?? Congratulations.
Much later…
Colleague 3: Hey, congrats… I heard you’re getting engaged.
Me: (sigh) Yes, thanks.
Some other point in time
Colleague 4: What’s with the clothes?
Rumour Monger: It’s his engagement today.
Colleague 4: Oh.. is it a guy or a girl?
Me: (you didnt ask what species)
Late in the evening… (I was working late)
Colleague 3: What happened? You’re still here? What about your engagement?
Rumour Monger: It got cancelled.
Colleague 3: Really? Who cancelled it?
Rumour Monger: The other side.