The narrator recounts numerous fantasies of romantic encounters with a woman, but each time reality turns out much more mundane. Only when he finally proposes to her openly does she accept his love, telling him it was now or never.

1. NOW OR NEVER
When I thought of philandering with her high on the summit of the Himalayas;
feeling the icy winds dash past my stomach,
All that happened in the end was that; I ended up taking her out for a cup of sedate
tea; the instant I met her.
When I thought of kissing her wildly on her cheeks; making exotic noises while
executing the same,
All that happened in the end was that; I found myself seated in front of her in the
bullock cart; playing a pack of cards.
When I thought of drenching myself with her; profusely in the rain,
All that happened in the end was that; I found myself crunching chocolate biscuits
staring desperately into open space.
When I thought of embedding a redolent rose in her hair; letting the dense ensemble
of flower tickle me voraciously on my lashes,
All that happened in the end was that; I found myself watering the lawns with her;
the rusty lawn sprinkler sedately held in my hands.
When I thought of bathing under the fountains with her; splashing her visage with
tangy cold drink diffusing from my mouth,
All that happened in the end was that; I found myself shopping with her in the
grocery store; searching frantically for a pack of soggy matchsticks.
When I thought of painting her enamouring visage; instructing her to sit mute
without even budging a trifle from her place,
All that happened in the end was that; I found myself lighting a candle in the church;
intensely listening to the admonitions of the priest.
When I thought of applying honey on her lips; before greedily slurping the same
from the periphery with my tongue,
All that happened in the end was that; I found myself tenaciously pulverizing
medicinal herbs; to blend in the water she had to consume after her nocturnal supper.
When I thought of embracing her tightly; in an ambience encapsulated with walls of
frozen ice,
All that happened in the end was that; she slapped me thunderously on my chin; for
gawking at her open eyed in brilliant sunlight and afternoon public.
When I thought of blowing air from my nostrils into her ears; flooding them
mercilessly with melodious tunes emanating from my mouth,

2. All that happened in the end was that; she engaged me in the task of swapping every
mosquito hovering around her face.
But it was only when I thought of proposing her; audaciously proclaiming in front of
the society as to how much I loved her,
Was that she smiled at me for the first time; fell in a celestial stupor on my feet;
running her hands wildly across the strands of my hair; tears of joy gushing down her
cheeks and at the same time staring deeply into my eyes; scolding me for hiding my
love till today; telling me candidly that it could have been now or never .