I don’t think the lockdown of
2020, would be something that people will easily forget. It was the first time,
when people were forced to stay home and spend more time indoors than outdoors.
This gave many people an opportunity to re-connect with their family members and
friends. I too connected with couple of my school friends during last year’s
lockdown. My takeaway against all the hardships I faced during the lockdown
was, I found a BFF.
I had known Ms A (let’s keep it
that way), for couple years as we were colleagues at work place. During that
time our interaction was limited as, we were in different teams and we had a
lot on our table to finish for the day too. I left the organization an year
after Ms A joined but we were in touch through messages and WhatsApp occasionally.
But during last year’s lockdown, Ms
A, called me one evening. After enquiring about my well-being, she told
something to me, which she wanted to tell me for a long time but something, stopped
her from conveying it to me. Her revelation shocked me a bit as I was already aware
about few things. But what surprised me was that, she really cared for me and I
didn’t know about it. We both realized that, we wasted few years in opening up
with each other, for the fears best known to each other. My suggestion to all
my readers is, please talk openly about things with people who matter to you,
otherwise you may also loose time like me and my BFF.
I must say that evening was all about
surprises for me, I asked Ms A, what made her call me? She said, “’my husband
told me talk to my friends, I will feel better’. The only person whom, she
could think about at that moment was me, let me tell you, till the moment she called
me, we just colleagues, not friends.
We spoke for close to two hours
that evening, as we had a lot to discuss, which we missed during the years. Once
we disconnected the call, I was wondering, WHY WE DIDN’T CONNECT BEFORE? But I made
a promise to myself that, I will meet Ms A, once the situation normalizes. When I was glued in those thoughts, I received
a WhatsApp notification, it was from Ms A, where she stated, she had great time
talking to me and will connect again when time permits. I replied her back with
a smiley.
After that day, whenever time
permitted, we would talk to each other, at least for an hour. Since Ms A is
quite busy in her personal life and rarely find time to talk to me, I too made
an exception for her. If I talking to someone and Ms A’s, call is in call
waiting mode, I will pick Ms A’s call on priority. I think we can make such changes
for people based on their situations at times.
Last week Ms A called me, but
this call jolted me completely as she made some shocking revelations. Though
the call started on a jovial mode as usual but ended on a serious note. We all
know pandemic has been hard on people especially for nuclear families. Value of
family support was one of the best lessons taught through lockdown, when people
were cut off the world for days together.
Ms A has decided to shift to her
hometown from Bangalore, I remember she once discussed this idea with me but
she was not quite sure about it. Before moving out of city, she wanted to meet
all her friends in the city. But the stringent lockdown in Bangalore has poured
water to all her plans as social get together’s are banned in the city, in wake
of acute covid situation.
Even if the relaxations are
eased, yet she can’t meet anyone, as she is leaving at city at the earliest. The
moment I heard this news, I regretted not being able to meet her when situations
were better in the city. Even if the situation improves, we will still not be
able to meet each other because currently we are in two different cities. I am
in Kerala and she is in Bangalore.
Ms A, told me that she might come
back to Bangalore, when situation improves and then she will plan for a get
together with all her Bangalore based friends, till then it’s a good bye from
her. All this while I was hopeful of catching up with Ms A, sometime as she was
in the city but now, I don’t know. That’s the reason, people say we should not
take things for granted.
I just hope one day, we will meet
in person and talk a lot, as we have many similar interest, one among them is
we both are passionate about writing. Till then me and Ms A will be connected
through phone calls only. Even now, I am
yet come to terms to the fact that Ms A, is leaving the city, I think that’s the
bond between BFFs. If, I can be grateful
for the one thing about lockdown then it has to be, Ms A. But I so wish, I
could meet her once before she left the city, an expectation far from reality.
