The Years Gone By....
Yet another new year...this time all of us in Bangalore. Pappa's Schoolday is coming and I remember this time in 2006 when I wished him happy new year only to hear 4 days later that he had had a stroke. Pappa has changed since then, first for the worse, becoming very depressed, absentminded and resentful of the changes forced on him. He's improved now, slowly getting back to his days of activity and looking much better.
All of a sudden in the last 15 days got to talk to 3 of my oldest friends, SM, SA and SD in that order. I gave a surprise call to SM on her birthday and she had told me about having talked to SA after a long long time, how her voice sounded like a big lady and all that. I didn't know whether I should take SA's number because I had really lost touch with her since 10th standard. But then the next week, there she was on the phone talking incessantly about her life, my marriage and everything sounding like my aunt and it felt really good to be connected again. Then I called up SD and I hope I keep them within reach always....
We along with AS were a gang of 5 in school, the common factor being our ability to sing decently(I strongly suspect another common theme also). SM's house nearby was the favourite haunt, being much bigger than mine which was not far either. I have spent innumerable evenings there and gone home dreading mother's reprimands. Out of the 5, SM and SA were close, their mothers having been schoolfriends, I was always trying to be close to SM and SD was trying to be close to me. I have never been very close to AS much, not because of any particular reason, though I used to envy her on account of 'Iceberg' at one time. SM that time was quite orthodox and SD had confessed in me once that she treated her quite badly some times on account of being a Christian. All that is changed now, they are the best of friends amongst us.
SD and I used to visit each other's house quite regularly those days, in spite of our grumbling landlord. I have fond memories of the overnight stays in her house where I had my first brush with a foam bed and the fridge. The fridge especially was a marvel to me and I vividly remember how I used to wake up in the night every time it stopped droning. I was a little annoyed when her father asked me why my father hadn't bought any scooter and why we were living in a rented house....
There were riots in my hometown last week after Hindus saw some Muslims slaughtering a cow. I think we are being unfair this time - we can't stop someone from eating his food! Anyway, by the time things cool down, the cow would be forgotten and all that people remember is whose shop was burnt by who and who hit who. The story will continue next time. I think we just don't want to live a peaceful life.
All of a sudden in the last 15 days got to talk to 3 of my oldest friends, SM, SA and SD in that order. I gave a surprise call to SM on her birthday and she had told me about having talked to SA after a long long time, how her voice sounded like a big lady and all that. I didn't know whether I should take SA's number because I had really lost touch with her since 10th standard. But then the next week, there she was on the phone talking incessantly about her life, my marriage and everything sounding like my aunt and it felt really good to be connected again. Then I called up SD and I hope I keep them within reach always....
We along with AS were a gang of 5 in school, the common factor being our ability to sing decently(I strongly suspect another common theme also). SM's house nearby was the favourite haunt, being much bigger than mine which was not far either. I have spent innumerable evenings there and gone home dreading mother's reprimands. Out of the 5, SM and SA were close, their mothers having been schoolfriends, I was always trying to be close to SM and SD was trying to be close to me. I have never been very close to AS much, not because of any particular reason, though I used to envy her on account of 'Iceberg' at one time. SM that time was quite orthodox and SD had confessed in me once that she treated her quite badly some times on account of being a Christian. All that is changed now, they are the best of friends amongst us.
SD and I used to visit each other's house quite regularly those days, in spite of our grumbling landlord. I have fond memories of the overnight stays in her house where I had my first brush with a foam bed and the fridge. The fridge especially was a marvel to me and I vividly remember how I used to wake up in the night every time it stopped droning. I was a little annoyed when her father asked me why my father hadn't bought any scooter and why we were living in a rented house....
There were riots in my hometown last week after Hindus saw some Muslims slaughtering a cow. I think we are being unfair this time - we can't stop someone from eating his food! Anyway, by the time things cool down, the cow would be forgotten and all that people remember is whose shop was burnt by who and who hit who. The story will continue next time. I think we just don't want to live a peaceful life.
posted by Liz @ 2:09 AM
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