I THOUGHT I WAS OFF THE MATCHMAKING BLOCK

Apparently, I've received a proposal from a friend of a family friend, who, along with his mother, saw me at some random desi gathering. For the record, a proper Pakistani girl isn't supposed to date (especially not non Desi men), so my folks have been keeping MP on the downlow for the time being--"until things are more permanent," they say. For the time being, they've been reacting to random proposals such as this by, first asking me what they should say (secretly hoping that I either flash them a diamond on my left ring finger, announcing that MP's finally proposed, making things so permenant), then giving me a lecture about waiting too long to get engaged, and, finally, deciding that they will tell the following story: we (ie, my folks) are in talks with a family (ie, MP's folks) in Canada, who have a nice, decent lawyer son in Manhattan, and since talks have gotten so serious, it would be wrong for us (ie my folks) to look at other prospective suitors.