Recently, a few of my school friends reunited on Facebook and now we also have a group on whatsapp. Sharing jokes and anecdotes from our school days has given a fillip to my spirits. I suddenly feel back to being 13. And hopefully the others in the group are feeling the same.
It seems like I am back at school. It’s strange but when we started chatting, it was like the gap of almost 16-17 years that have gone by when we lost touch, just didn’t exist. We picked up the pieces right from where we left off all those years back.
Most of the group members are now in high positions, have become proud parents, and are busy juggling life and everything else. But when we chat we are the same bunch of naive kids which would just endlessly talk, pull each other’s leg, fight over petty issues and then make up saying “dosti mein sab chalta hai”!!!
Most of us were together since primary school. So we practically grew up together, discovered the world together, played cupid for each other, nursed each other’s broken hearts, and fought with the other groups if they harmed anyone in our group. The camaraderie, the sense of belonging, the love and affection that we shared was hard to find anywhere else. No matter from which part of society one came, we were all equals. Birthday treats meant ‘vada pav’ and a cola. It didn’t matter if you could afford more that’s what we had for the treat nonetheless. All of us travelled in the school bus even though some had cars. Getting the window seat in the bus was like a special thrill and then hoping that cute girl/boy would come and sit next to us. Our group was a real balanced one. The best of the lot…be it studies, sports, drama, arts & crafts and of course we were also the most notorious ones too. The best part was we were so mischievous – eating in class, putting pins on the desk, sticking post-its in the wrong places, stealing food from others’ tiffins-but we never ever got caught. We were just so water tight as a group.
Now when I look back I realize how my world circled around these guys & gals. I used to hate not going to school because then I would not get to meet my friends. Not a single day goes by when I don’t curse myself for letting these people disappear from my life for so long.
So this is dedicated to all my buddies.
Girish – A serious banker now but actually a very shy, funny, very caring and a true romantic at heart
Deepak – The thin lanky boy (not anymore though) funny and the sweetest banker I have ever known…He has many happy customersJ
Sujit – Anna (Big Brother) to all the guys, helpful to one and all, always ready to fight for a good cause but a true charmer in every sense. The last of the cowboys!!!
Balram – A tax professor (OMG!) with a fine heart nourished with lots and lots of wine!!
Nimisha – Home maker and mother of 3 but the sweetest, most adorable and the brilliant one amongst us
Shweta – The cute delicate doll now mother of 2 beautiful daughters
Aarti & Renu – The quiet mature ones who would help keep my anger under control and keep all the boys chasing me@bay
Chandan and Nutan – My partners in crime and the last benchers with me, always ready to share their dabbas so that I could munch on some during the class
Manisha – Never saw eye-to-eye but then she always kept me on my toes and her competitive spirit made me push my limits
So my dear dear friends...no matter what happens between us…no matter where life takes us…I always want all of you to remember me as your friend first-someone who is not judging you, not finding any faults in you, accepts you as you are, someone with whom you can talk about anything under the sun, will always trust you completely…someone who will always stand by you no matter what.
“I'll always be beside you until the very end, wiping all your tears away, being your best friend. I'll smile when you smile and feel all the pain you do, and if you cry a single tear, I promise I'll cry too.”
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