My unique life long matrimonial promise

Marriage is one of the most important days in everybody’s life- male or female and therefore, from time immemorial, knowing or unknowingly at least some, if not all brides and bridegrooms, had tried their best to celebrate the day in the most fascinating manner. Of course, one way or the other, some of them did succeed in their venture to get their marriage reckoned and recognized by others.

I’m also a human, exactly like you he or she for that matter, and therefore, quite but naturally, I had felt some extra heat when ultimately at the age of 42, I decided to marry in 1985. I was Administration Manager, Epic Instruments. Inc (USA Co), Kuwait when I was marrying a completely unknown compatriot named Miss Suhail Fatima in Islamabad, Pakistan. She was a Teacher, Islamabad Model College & School for Girls.

Truly speaking I had long thought to solemnize my marriage not only a bit differently but very much exclusively too and, touch wood, I did succeed in my mission. I wished to marry on 30.6 (30^th June) and hence booked Room 306, Holiday Inn, Islamabad (the then only 5 star in the city) so that the wedding date equates with the hotel room number. One can imagine how much joyous I had been to synchronize the date and the room. However, a fortnight before my departure to Pakistan, EPIC Chairman Mr. Edward K Mills II called me and asked that I must come back two days earlier than the original plan and I had to agree to the instructions of my employer. I phoned Holiday Inn, Islamabad explaining that now I may marry on 28^th or 29^th and resultantly Room 286 or 296, whatever applicable, may kindly be booked accordingly but, very much regretfully, none of the two rooms could be booked. I explained the newly developed dilemma to Mr. EKM and requested that, under the changed situation, I be allowed to return one day before and not two days and he instantly agreed to my request.

The greatest compromise of my life is that now I had no option but to stay in Room 306 and marry on 29^th June afternoon which, after the lapse of some hours, still had some relationship between the room and the date but 28^th June and Room 306 were miles apart in any case. I wedded Miss Suhail on 29^th June, 1985 in Islamabad and we both lived in Room 306, Holiday Inn. On the wedding day, I very solemnly promised with Shireen that each year on the wedding date, we will stay, jointly or individually, in Room 306, Holiday Inn wherever we are. After 6 days stay at Holiday Inn, Islamabad we flew to Lahore where my mother was staying and we both stayed in Rom 412, Hilton Hotel, Lahore l till I flew back to Kuwait,

Let me quip that in 1991, I was Business and Manpower Advisor, Pakistan Embassy, Kuwait but ever since Iraqi forces had lit fires in oil wells, I didn’t feel prudent to call my wife and daughter Areej (then two and half year old) to join me in the smoke polluted environment. Quite naturally, on our wedding date (29^th Jun) I wished to be with my family in Islamabad and as a diplomat I had flown on discounted air ticket but my official diplomatic obligations did not permit me to go even for two days. I had no option but to stay here all alone by myself in Room 306, Holiday Inn, Kuwait, whereas, my wife and our daughter stayed in Islamabad in Room 306, Holiday Inn, not only to commemorate our wedding anniversary but also to maintain our annual tradition.

I simply can not help telling you that I have nick named her as Shireen (meaning sweet) and since then she is mostly known as Shireen though her official name is still Suhail.  It is very much customary that the wedding document is signed by the couple, witnesses and the official clergy man (maulvi) and this, as such, necessitated that I must buy pens for the signatories. Here again I have slightly drifted away in sense that I bought two new pens to be used by the official and the witnesses. I had bought a Cross 18 karate gold pen and got our names (Iqbal & Shireen) engraved on it and had decided that not even a single letter, what to talk of a word, will be written with this pen by me and or Shireen except to sign the wedding document, and since then the matrimonial pen is in a bank locker in Islamabad.

We were in Kuwait in 1986 when we had our 1^st Wedding Anniversary and I deputed Shireen to go to all the hotels and book the banquet hall she likes the best. She opted for Kuwait Marriot Hotel (ship converted into hotel) to host Wedding Anniversary at its Al-Mirage Hall. I must pen that Marriot GM was extra nice person who got me a nicely furnished and decorated complimentary room for us to stay on the day. I thanked the gentleman from core of my heart, but I apologized for the simple reason that my matrimonial promise binds me and Shireen that on our wedding anniversary (29^th June) we must stay only in room 306, Holiday Inn, so how can we stay in Marriot Hotel room. As per the tradition, we stayed in Room 306, Holiday Inn and drove from there to Marriot to host the reception and after the function we came back to Holiday Inn to sleep in our matrimonial room on the day.

In 1993, my younger sister in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia wished that we should visit her and stay at her expense in Holiday Inn, Riyadh on our wedding anniversary and, honestly speaking, I liked the idea. I faxed Holiday Inn, Riyadh to book us in Room 306 for 29^th June but, as the bad luck had it, the hotel did not have room 306 and instead suggested that we live in some other room which will be very cozy, comfortable and luxurious but how could I break my life long matrimonial promise

How pleased I am to mention that on our 20^th Wedding Anniversary (29 Jun 05), Mr. Hani Kafafi, GM, Crowne Plaza, Kuwait, at his own, had very kindly arranged an exclusive interview with me and Shireen on the day. CP’s Guest Relations Manager along with photographer came to our room and asked different questions to complete the interview. CP had sent the interview text coupled with the photo taken in our room to all the local dailies of Kuwait which very prominently flashed the same in their newspapers.

Awfully traumatized and shocked I was, but for none of my fault. On 9^th April, 2008 I had sent email to Mr. Hani Kafafi, GM, Crowne Plaza, Kuwait requesting him to kindly reserve hotel Room 306 for me for 29^th June to commemorate my 23^rd Wedding Anniversary. Same day Ms. Rodela Bantayan, Resevations Manager, Crowne Plaza sent me the good news confirming that the room has been booked. But very much unluckily on 8^th May, the same lady from CP sent me email saying that due to refurbishment of the room, regretfully the room will not be available to me. She had however sent my request to its sister organization Holiday Inn, Salmiya to book its Room 306 for me for the day. On 13^th May, Ms. Nette, Reservations Manager, Holiday Inn emailed me happily confirming that its Room 306 has been booked for me for 29^th June but, honestly speaking, I am not at all happy to live elsewhere than Crowne Plaza.

Don’t you realize that on 29^th June, 2010, God willing, I will be staying in the same room, same hotel for 25^th consecutive year (perhaps Guinness Book of Records)? In sheer desperation, on 13^th May, I hurriedly met Mr. Anwar Jawad Bukhamseen, local partner and sponsor of CP at one of his National Assembly election tents and explained that the room may kindly be rebooked for me and he very kindly called Mr. Atif, Director Human Resources of CP to look me after. Mr. Atif was too nice and sympathetic to me and realized as to how touchy I am on the issue. He promised to use his official influence and try to get me back the room, provided, I give in writing that I am accepting the room even if there is some noise or disturbance around and or the room is short on some facilities & comforts. I have sent him the undertaking stating that I, at my own free will, accepting the room to live in on the day. I was too very pleased to pen that eventually I succeeded in my efforts and on Thursday 5^th June, 2008 CP confirmed the availability of the room and hence on Sunday 29^th June, 2008, I and Shireen stayed in Room 306, Crowne Plaza.

This year 2009, I placed my request for the room on Thursday 5th February and it was next Thursday 12^th February when fortunately, I received the confirmation from the hotel of the room and resultantly I accompanied with Shireen checked in on Monday 29th June around 1500 hours to stay for the 24th year consecutive in the room to commemorate our 24th Wedding Anniversary. I must record my appreciation for  Mrs. Mary-Ann Gonzaga, Guest Relations Manager who heartily welcomed us and had arranged hotel photographer to take our photos in the lobby and the room. She also told us that tomorrow she will depute Marketing PR Executive and In House Artist to come to my room along with photographer to conduct interview. The hotel conducted the interview to be flashed in local newspapers and magazines. Hotel gave me the cd containg all the photographs taken on the ocassion. (www.kuwait.crowneplaza.com / Tel (00965) 24742000 + 24732100 Fax 24732020 + 24720449

Next year, Allah willing, it will be my Silver Wedding Anniversary and I will be staying for 25^th year in sequence without any gap in between and may I very humbly request you to kindly do pray for my long life since I am already 65+ (15 Dec 1943).

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With my honest and solemn prayers

Iqbal Hadi Zaidi/ Kuwait / Mobile (00965) 66229897 / Tel + Fax (00965) 23715102 / MSN:exdiplomat@hotmail.com   

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