Friends Forever

We were having our evening tea a little late.On the TV they were talking about an actor’s life.My wife  asked me just out of the blue – Who is your best friend ?

Casually I reacted – No one

She said – Do you at least have a friend ?

I started thinking not sure if I was scanning my phone list or  looking  for  a definition of friendship.

I could not make up my mind and told her I am not sure .

But you get so many calls,so many emails,you keep writing, blogging,going places ?

You are right.May be I have a freind but I don’t know.Never really thought about it .

OK  – how about X ? she said

He is an acquiantance.

and Y ?

We do business together

and Z ? you guys go out and all

That’s because sometimes I don’t feel like talking to the stars after two drinks.

But they must be thinking you as their freind

I don’t think so.If they were it would be unjust on my part….

But you give them an impression of being a freind

Never thought about it.I don’t think so …I think they know about me just like I know about them.

The doorbell rang.Children were back from the neighbors house and I could hear her giving them instructions to wash hands,drink their milk and start studying.Familiar sounds ,even my mom did the same.

I switched on the bedside lamp and picked up Maupassant’s short stories.

I could not read.I was disturbed somewhere deep down.I had no friends I thought.Did I ever have a best friend ? I decided to rewind my life from the very beginning just to be sure that I had no manufacturing defects.

Went back some 30 years – The yellow bus, hot tiffin,Dirty shoes, smell of chalk , white shirts tucked out,ties knotted 6 months back…. two boys.

” So what are you going to do ?”                                              

” I don’t know?”

“Papa will surely thrash me”

“My Dad will lock me up in the dark room with the ghosts”

” If only We did not have to show our report cards”

” Yes but the teacher wants them back signed”

I saw fear in my friends eyes.

I had seen excitement in them when we had played together a day before the exam.I could not imagine him locked up in that black hole.I wanted to help.But how ?

” Wanted to ask you something”

What ?

Have you failed for the first time?

Yes.How about you ?

Me too ?

So you never had to get your report card signed from your father.

Yes.This is the first time the teacher has asked me.

Our eyes met for a while.I knew that he knew what I was thinking.

We opened our school bags and exchanged the report cards.

Next morning as we waited at the bus stop there was a smile on our face.

“How are you doing Dr. Singh ? ” I said mockingly.

“I am just fine Dr.Srivastava.” Came the reply.

For that moment we were friends….best friends.

I had got my answer.I smiled and went back to my book.