Professor Asad and the Pakistani Romance

Professor Asad decided one morning that it was time to fall in love.

Not because he had suddenly become romantic.

He was simply tired of watching other people post couple photos on Facebook.

So he downloaded a dating app.

His first problem was electricity.

The moment he started chatting with a girl, the light went out.

“Hello?” she messaged.

Asad replied, “Sorry, load shedding.”

She asked, “For how long?”

“As long as our relationship survives.”

She disappeared.

Professor Asad tried again the next evening.

This time, the electricity was available, but there was no gas.

His mother shouted from the kitchen:

“Asad! The cylinder is empty!”

He replied, “Ammi, I’m talking to someone important!”

She shouted back, “Then ask her to send a gas cylinder!”

The romance ended immediately.

A week later, Asad finally met a girl at a tea shop.

He ordered two cups of tea.

The waiter brought the bill.

Asad looked at it.

The girl looked at Asad.

Asad looked at his wallet.

His wallet looked back at him with complete silence.

The girl smiled and said, “Professor, you know what I like about you?”

Asad became hopeful.

“What?”

“You are very realistic.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You have already shown me what married life will be like.”

“How?”

“No electricity, no gas, no money…”

She picked up her handbag.

“…and somehow, you still call it romance.”

Professor Asad watched her leave.

He took a final sip of tea and whispered:

“In Pakistan, love is not difficult.

The monthly budget is difficult.”