A reunion after 17 years

Ashutosh and I have been friends since grade 9 when he moved to my school. Throughout our school tenue, we would only sit with each other, which at times ran us into trouble but we didn’t care about it. After our 12^th grade, he moved to Noida for his studies and I stayed back in Varanasi to pursue my graduation before moving to Bangalore for my masters. During this time we would meet each other briefly during vacations.

Once Ashu completed his master's, he came to Bangalore to attend interviews, together we explored Bangalore for a week, before he moved to Varanasi to join his family business, after that we couldn’t meet each other as we were busy in our lives. The irony is we couldn’t even attend each other’s wedding as I had just switched job and I couldn’t take leave. We tried multiple times to catch up but our work schedule didn’t allow us and 17 years passed by but we were in touch through video and voice calls.

It so happened that I had to travel to Delhi on a business trip and I so wished if he was there so that we could meet. I just called him casually and told him about my travel plan and he enquired about the dates, and the moment I disclosed the dates, his happiness knew no bounds and I was wondering WHY? Then he told me that he too would be in Delhi at that time with his family as they attending a wedding. His excitement was evident in his voice. Then I told him that my hotel was in Greater Noida and he would have to come down to meet me as I had no idea of the places.

I also told him that I was not sure how much time I would be able to give him or if we could meet either as I was unaware of my work schedule and his response was clear if we don’t meet “ don’t ever call me” and I was like dude I will try my level best but work is also important. Finally, we decided to try our level best.

I reached Delhi on an early morning flight from Bangalore, took a cab to Greater Noida, checked in to the hotel, and left for my work. All this while I and Ashu were in constant touch with each other. My work got over a little earlier than I anticipated and Ashu asked me to come to Delhi as he was in some market. Immediately I booked the cab and left for Delhi.

After 90 minutes I reached the place where we were supposed to meet, and we couldn’t locate each other, then I asked him to share his location, and based on that finally, we were able to meet after 17 long years.

I still couldn’t believe I was seeing he was in front of me and the moment we met we just hugged each other, ignoring the world around us. Soon enough his wife also joined us, I was meeting her for the first time.  The moment she left for shopping we found a place for us to sit and chit-chat.

We were so engrossed in talking that we didn’t realize that 3 hours had already passed by and it was getting late, as I had to travel back too. We went for dinner and tried Haldiram’s as I had heard a lot about them.

After dinner, it was time to say goodbye I booked the cab and the moment the cab came, Ashu told the driver to drive safely. He even took a photo of the cab and asked me to share the ride details, which I did.

On the way to my hotel I was thinking about the travel that I undertook that day, Bangalore – Delhi – Greater Noida – Delhi and to Greater Noida again. A business trip and a wedding forced both of us to leave our home turf and come to a neutral ground where we could meet. Sometimes unplanned trips are more exciting than planned ones. 

Friendship bands a treasure

I read it somewhere that “Friendship is the only ship that doesn’t sink even in the worst storms” and that’s true. It’s the only relation, which we choose for ourselves, unlike our family which we get automatically upon our birth. If we have the support of our friends then we can overcome any hardships in life like a cakewalk. Friends stand by us even when the whole world is against us. That’s the bonding of friendship.

We have a special day to celebrate this beautiful relationship with our friends on friendship day.  But with the extreme use of online media now, friendship day is confined to sending messages to our friends through Whatsapp or posting a quote on our facebook page. Despite the availability of friendship bands at stores, people prefer to stay away from it, seems like its craze is now diminishing now (my personal view). Another reason could be, our busy schedule where we hardly have time for ourselves then how can we reach out to our friends with a friendship band to celebrate the occasion? Friendship doesn’t need a band to prove you are friends with someone but it feels good when a friend put a band in your hand on this day.

This friendship day was very unique for me, after many years Harish, my friend put a friendship band in my hand. Last I had worn friendship band, was during my college days, when Ashutosh gave me one on friendship day. I had seen that band at a shop and wished someone could gift it to me. So when Ashutosh gifted me that band, I was quite surprised. My first question was, which shop did you buy it? His answer stunned me, he bought it from the same shop, where I had seen it. When I told him about this band and how I wished to have it, he was quite amused and proud of his selection. Today we stay in different cities, have not met for quite some years now, even phone calls are at very long intervals but that hasn’t affected our bonding a bit, proud to have him as my friend J.

I don’t know how Harish became my friend. The first time we met I didn’t feel, am meeting him for the first time. We were like house on fire as we had lot of things in common. Most amazing part is we stay close to each other, that gives us an opportunity to catch up whenever we are free.

This friendship day, using technology at its best, I sent Whatsapp message to all my friends, that was the beginning of the day for me. After that I went to meet Harish, as it was his son’s birthday. Once at his place, when we were looking after the arrangements, felt the need to buy few things. We went to a nearby shop and were busy buying stuffs for birthday celebration. When out of a blue moon Harish took a friendship band and put it in my hand wishing Happy Friendship Day. I was thunder stuck for some time because after very long time something like this was happening to me.

Harish’s gesture touched me within and was guilty too, why this thought didn’t come to me? It’s never too late to celebrate an occasion, I too took a band, ditto same to same put it in his hand and wished him, one more time but with a band now, unlike the morning message. This wish was the best one.

At night while going to bed, I realized that band was neon, we can see it at night, once lights are turned off. Took my phone and Whatsapped him , immediately got the reply from him in the form of a smiley J. Next day I removed the band, to keep it as a treasure with Ashutosh’s band.