A loong, soppy, girlie post for my pals.

(Oh Gawd, this is such an awfully long post. Sheeesh. My first and last )

 

After reading this piece in WSJ, posted as a link by a friend on FB, I got so nostalgic. Nostalgic about different friends, who were important to me at different phases of my life. Unlike my brother, I was  more outgoing as a child, and had more friends than I could handle. Friends not just from my batch, but a whole bunch of seniors from school, friends I made randomly at someone’s birthday party, and friends we made as we carried on with life. In 30 years (just a month to linger on 30), of this very significant journey of my life, I have met and made some of the best people, who are now friends for life. Am going to attempt to remember them, and write/call after I finish this post. I am in a completely soppy mood, so please to be bearing with this mawkish post.

 

My first ever ‘best friend’ was Veena, a classmate from primary school (shahabad). Her house was a stone’s throw away from mine, and I hanged around at her place quite a bit.  She was quite a student, and I was the rouge. Slowly, I started getting closer to friends from my brother’s batch and that’s how Gunashree (Gunnu), Anjum (Anju) and Sunita (sunni) came into my life. I felt pretty secure with them, coz they were seniors and they had great clout with teachers. So been seen with them was a matter of pride to me. But more than anything else, I loved their company. Gunnu, remains a lovely friend, though we connect exactly twice a year on each other’s birthday. Anju, she is no more. I still shudder to think, she is not amongst us. And i think I never gave her the love she deserved. The last I saw of her was in Hyderabad, when She came home with Gunu and others. I miss her, sorely, at times. Sunni left for Mumbai in high school. I met her once, when I was in Mumbai and then totally lost touch. Gunu, Suni and I were the three characters from Enid Blyton’s – Fatty stories.  While I continued mingling with all these people, I ensured, I walked to school post lunch with a bunch of seniors (4 years senior to me) – it felt very adult to do that :-). Geetu, Shubhi, Sushmi. All I am pretty much in touch with, through social networking sites.They always kept me from their secrets (which is pretty obvious- imagine a class 6 kid wanting to be part of gossip about class 10 students.) But that’s how I was – echore paka, as they say in bengali – ripe before time. When I talk about senior friends, I must say, I have done such a good job of keeping in touch with not just mine but all of my brother’s friends. Till date, I write, call, and know about all his friends, and they know about him from me. Sanjay, is one of them.

 

As I moved on and left Shahabad for Hyderabad, I was miserable in Keyes High School. I hated everything about the school – their uniform, teachers, classmates, the school itself. I don’t think I ever forgave my parents for taking me away from Shahabad before I completed school. But soon, Shara helped me cope up, and she helped me see things in a better perspective. Then again, she was the topper, (remained one all her life) and I was fooling around. So I met Rashmi (Munni) and Rachna (Dundoo). My adventures in adulthood began with Munni. She was the fast n the furious one :-). Always ready to meet boys, always ready to hit Sangeet cinema for a flick. One of the most remarkable memories about Munni and I was when we walked back from Sangeet, all the way to Ameerpet, because we didn’t have  ticket money for a bus ride. We had spent them all (a total of Thirty rupees, I think) on watching “Pretty Woman” and buying Thumbs Up. Well, how can you not buy Thumbs up during interval, it was a shame. We rather walked.

Munni has remained a constant since school days. I think our friendship stood the test of time, and many other adversities. I remember telling on her impish activities to her parents, at the risk of being ousted by her from our really strong bond. But, she remained my pal. I so love her.

Munni and I went to the same college, albeit in different faculties. In St Francis, I met Mouli, with who I went through many complex relationship tangles. But in the end, we still are friends. She was married off in second year of college.

Enter, Ms Jaya Naomi. J and I, have had a friendship most would cherish. From lending each other money, to boy friends, her first and only Vodka shot with us, we’ve come a long long way. We’ve done some pretty mad stuff together- she has left all and sundry to come see me. Its a different matter that her questions kill me. She asks too many of them. Even now, when she calls from Singapore, she is so full of them.

 

And then came the best phase of my life- Symbiosis. Oh, man. I’d give away everything to go back just once and see all of them again. It was the first time ever, that I was out of Home. No one to question, no one to answer to. The three completely insane roomies of mine, made my two years of masters, so enjoyable. Anu, Pravi, Joy- all the three, items of a very peculiar kind. We fought like dogs and made up like silly girls. we’ve done some very heady, unthinkable stuff together. I should leave our Jesus fearing Joy out of this. She was either in Hyderabad, or was too busy attending Joe Pinto’s class. She was the good one. I couldn’t stand the fact that Pravi and Anu shared a room. I always wanted Anu for myself- no lesbian tendencies there. Just pure girlfriend jealousy. There is one story that never leaves me- the story of our BIG fight. Anu and I remained painfully out of touch for a while, only to spring back to our old mad selves, a year after Symbi. We continue to meet each other, sometimes in Mumbai, but mostly on the cyberspace and through sms’s. We always thought we’d live together after college in Mumbai- we’d earn pot loads of money, and we’d have Biriyani for dinner every day. Dreams.

 

And then there were guys I was close to only after I passed out- Brij ,Sid, Sue. Sid,  remains a nincompoop. But I can’t help but keep asking after him. I hope he finally enters  adulthood, with the birth of his Son. Brij- he has been on and off my blog. He remains my ultimate counselor across the seas. And Sue is the only person I talk to when things go awry. Only Sue. She brings the best in me- she is always so full of laughter and sunshine.

 

Tarana, I met her at Naandi. I mothered her so much, back then, and now she mothers me, on Gtalk. Always giving me advice. Always in touch. she is an awesome woman. I have yet to meet someone stronger than her. She is a steel-woman.

Poo- I miss her so much. Miss her for those long conversations, and over night stays at my place. I miss cooking for her, and i soo soo miss her Gajar ka halwa. She constituted the entire two years of my stay in Bangalore. When i think of Bangalore, its always with her in my mind.

Pravin- a senior from school, a local guardian, a long distance caller, a friend for life.

Now, miles and miles away from my Matrubhoomi, I can’t get enough of Tracer , Maya and Deblina on Gtalk.  Tracer, with her totally insane chat sessions with me, spends more time with me, than my husband does. My days are incomplete without their pings :-). And Ann, she is like a saving grace in the land of goras. ‘Deblina, I just e-met her, thru, Poo, and i can’t for my life of it understand, how similar two people can be. I am so eager to see her highness’ face.  And Maya- well, she will probably be the only boss, who became friends with me. She is such a remarkable woman.

 

There. And these are just probably 10 percent of my entire friend circle. So many more, who have touched my life, and made it so full. I know I have cralessly left out so many names, but they are as loved and important to me as the ones mentioned here. My life would have been pretty inconsequential, without you all.

 

Thanks, darlings.