Friends-Episode 3

Just got off from an abrupt call with N1. Due to online classes and assignments, it is difficult for her to have the cell phone for herself. We could not have a lengthy and proper conversation like we used to have.

Since this is a Friendship Day month I thought of continuing the Friendship series which I had started a year or so ago.

I joined a new school for my fifth standard at Ammamma's place. For the first one week I was in section A only to be transferred to section B. I don't exactly remember how we first met. I should probably ask N1 next time when we talk.

In no time we were best friends. We started going around together. She was my giggling, gossiping, and playing mate at school. We even formed a formidable group against the bullies. Who says children's life is easy? We were into groupism from the tender age of 10. Otherwise it was hard to survive the school politics. I digress.

She was a frequent visitor to my home and I to hers. There were many instances where we have gone to beach without any adult supervision oblivious to the elders. We had our own dance troupe to choreograph to. Since we were inseparable it was easy to find us in the school campus.

For high school she moved to another city. That did not stop our relationship. We continued communicating through letters, and meet whenever she visited her parents. I attended her wedding, and that was the last contact. Both of us got busy in our own life. I've tried making contacts through social medial without any luck. Most women change their name after marriage, so did she. There is no way I could remember her husband's name. Since I knew all her siblings' name I tried that as well. Three years ago I was able to track her brother on FB. I messaged with my number and info. I just cannot assume him to remember his sister's friend of another era. Within two days I got a call from her. The feeling was ecstatic. Both of us were talking, laughing, and pausing simultaneously. Looks like she was trying to search me as well all these years. I was touched when she said 'I was searching with your birthday'. It never occurred to me to try that method. 

She was surprised to know I had a choice marriage. She reminded me of my equal rights activism, which I had forgotten completely. She just assumed my feminism amounting to man hating. The conversation was walking down the memory lane. Many moments which had slipped my mind were brought back by her prodding. And few others that I had to jog her memory to. 

Being a mother to three beautiful children she fails to understand my childfree status, but quick to add that I was different from the rest since the beginning. Now we talk frequently whenever we find time. And try to be in constant touch through WhatsApp. Nothing much has changed between us. We both carry that innocence of childhood in our heart.

Happy Friendship day

Friends-Episode 2

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This is a second part in a short series I have started. No, it's not a fiction on short story. Just jotting down few memories for posterity. I'm almost sure I will suffer from Alzheimer's disease in my old age if I make it beyond 60. If that happens I can always come back here and get a perception about my past life.

J: I joined a new school for my 4th standard. At that time I never felt the pressure or pain about making new friends. Or maybe I did, which I would have conveniently forgotten once I was happy in the new environment. My friendship with J was rather arranged if I think about it now. She used to stay with her grandmother. Those were the days before the pasteurized milk overshadowed each nook and cranny of small towns. To cut the long story short we agreed to buy milk from her grandmother as we were new to the place. The old lady arrived immediately the next morning to deliver the milk and ordered my mother to be introduced to all three of us. She lost her interest in my brothers pretty quickly. She was delighted to know I was in class 4th as her granddaughter also was in same class. So, as soon as I entered the classroom that day, a tall, lanky girl approached and initiated the conversation as per her granny's instructions. I was puny all my life, so I was in the first bench and she being taller was in the last. And she was in the same school for the last 3 three years and had her own set of friends. Still she walked back home with me twice a day, once for lunch and next at the end of the day. In the evening it was her chore to deliver the milk. While doing so she used to carry books on the pretext of doing homework with me and it was fun playing together until the dusk. On the days when it was very late, my y.brother and I drop her back at home. Even though it was arranged we got attached to each other real fast. It was assumed if I was not at home I would be at her place and vice versa. That happy period came to an end once I have decided to move to my Ammamma's place for next school year. Even so we met each other during Dasara and summer holidays for three more years, until my father got transferred to another town. I remember corresponding a few letters with her for a brief period, which stopped eventually. Sometimes I believe "out of sight, out of mind". In my 11th and 12th I get to hear about her from my high school best friend "R" as they were in the same college. Coincidentally my y.brother and J's y.brother were close friends in their college, so indirectly we knew what is going on in each others' life. In fact, this May I've met him at my SIL's baby shower and we talked about her for a bit. She is happily married now, stays in Singapore, and we chat occasionally on messenger. We say we will meet each other whenever she is in the city, which both of us know is never going to happen. Not because we don't want to. Her time will be limited and there will be so many obligations to fulfill as a daughter, sister, and daughter-in-law. And my calendar is chockablocked for at least five to six months in advance. However, I'm grateful for her to taking a like in the new girl and nurturing the relationship.

Like I said in my earlier post I just want my friends to be healthy, happy, and safe. There is absolutely no desire or inclination to know each and every minute details of their life. They all know I'm just a call or a message away to lend an ear without judging and dole out my pearl of wisdom (pun intended) about life, relationship, love, conflicts, all and sundry.

Friends-Episode 1

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After the small success of finding, locating, and rekindling with three friends I'm bustling with energy and enthusiasm. To continue the zeal and spirit I have decided to write few posts about my stint with an important bond called friendship and friends. So, without much ado;

C: A friend in class 1 and only in class 1. I don't remember anything about her, but for her name. That mainly could be because her mother was our class teacher and my mother remembered her well and often mentioned her name in later years. Once my father got transferred we moved to another town and I was too young to understand the concept of letter writing.

S: One year junior to me in class one and my father and her father were friends. After class she used to hang out in my home until her father comes and picks her up. She even accompanied my mother and me to a few all night Yakshagana shows. According to my mother, tyrant of my younger brother (YB) used to beat her up as well. So most of those memories were kept alive by my mother. And during my college days I got to know she joined the same campus for other professional degree. I asked my roommate who was her classmate to ask about me. Irony is she doesn't remember me. I don't blame her. At 5 years of age you can hardly remember anything. 

M: She was my friend in class II and III. She was staying with distant relatives as her parents couldn't afford her education. The arrangements at the relatives' place isn't hunky dory. She had to play the role of domestic help without payment because they were gracious and big-hearted (pun unintended) enough to take care of her food, accommodation, and schooling. She was drowsy and sleepy during most of the classes. All the teachers were aware of her situation, so they never gave her any hard-time. I read Cinderella story in those days and I nicknamed her Cinderella and her foster parents' (couldn't find any equivalent word) evil step-parents. She was happy with the name and that was our little secret. We constantly discussed about running away from home to escape the misery and live happily ever after. No, I never had any trouble at home but for my father making me do tables and copy writing as a way of punishment. We were always together, doing stuff together, playing together, going around together. I was smuggling my comic books to school, so she could read them at lunch hours. I used to go home for lunch as I stayed very close to school. The private school was run by a charitable trust that provided free meals for the school kids. I very much wanted to have those meals, but my father was against the proposal as he believed that meal should go to a deserving kid. The third standard school year ended in April and I'm off to grandmother's place for summer holidays. That last school day was the last time I saw M. My father got transferred again and we were admitted to a new school for the upcoming academic year. I don't to know what happened to her after that. I wish I never called her Cinderella because life isn't a fairy tale. I wish I tried hard to keep in touch with her. I don't think I'll ever be able to locate her as I know only her first name. I don't know her parents or their last name or her foster parent's name.

If it was a movie I would be set on a journey to find these three people, but it isn't and I have my priorities. However, I'm hopeful to meet these friends of mine who were once essential part of my life. They might be very different, we may not have anything in common, they may not even remember me. It's just my innate desire to know they're all happy in their life, doing whatever suits them best.