Friends forever

Have you ever felt regret that the clock couldn’t be turned back? Regret that the past actions cant be undone?

I have several times & for the silliest reason. One incident in particular was more traumatic than the rest. I had a childhood friend. We grew up together. We were associated in several ways, we were neighbours, we played sport together, my mother taught him etc. Inspite of the fact that my younger brother was his buddy, I always thought of him as a a really good friend. As luck would have it we worked for the same firm. The first house my

I stayed in was also the first house he & his wife stayed in(An awful house he had remarked with a smile… :-)). After about a year & half in one place we moved to different places and specialised in our own fields. If you wonder why I am going to such elaborate extent to justify he was a friend of mine…. there is a reason… He was an eternal optimist, with a easy smile which would brighten a room already illuminated by a 100 halogen lamps…. He was a prankster who looked like a prankster with no apologies… it was an honour to be in his company…..

We kept in touch. I know we were aware of each others triumphs & tribulations, we also exchanged notes ever so often when our paths crossed. After almost ten years I was back at the place where it had all started. I was in a teaching position. The course of instruction was difficult and long. I saw the list of people attending the next semester had his name on it….. I was happy to have him on our team…. I met him shortly & it was no chance meeting. I had planned for it to happen…. We exchanged notes as usual and I made a small request to him…. I sat him down and told him “its a gruelling training schedule for this semester and i Know we will have discussions, arguments & fights as two professionals who are good at their job would….. but we MUST under all circumstances part as friends….

To cut a long story short we didn’t part as friends….. not too long after that my friend was no more… his life cut short tragically in an accident…. any one he had even a passing association with mourned him…. he was such a guy…..

His absence was felt by me with an added regret that we didn’t part as friends…

Loss of speech, hearing, a lost limb or a sincere regret, the hardy human invariably survives even if badly scarred….. So did I…. I could only feel the hollowness inside silently as I read multitudes of messages on his facebook page beautifully crafted as he was one true gem of a guy…. I did so without contributing to it….. I just wished I could just make up……

We all are very good at getting on with our own lives, I am no exception… the only difference was that I got a chance…. I was fast asleep one night and there in front of me was my friend… with that unmistakable loud happy voice saying “Hi Aviator!!!!”

In my sleep i remember sobbing…. All the time thinking I must make up with him….. I must make up with him….. “Show me your latest gadget he said” I took him to my workplace showing him…. He kept remarking “wow yaar”… “this is truly amazing, if this stuff was with every one our work would be so much simpler” etc etc. All the time I was thinking… I have to make up with him…. again & again….

After I had finished telling him whatever I had to…. there was a long pause & grabbed the opportunity … I asked him “you know what Really wish we could have parted as friends”…. he looked down briefly then looked up and nodded… then we hugged as friends, as we always had….. childhood friends……

I woke up still sobbing but ecstatic and happy……. I don’t know, whether in your book if some one can make up in his sleep….

I honestly dont care as I am at peace on this issue, I really am :-)…..

The saviour….

Have you ever heard about someone who volunteers for tasks which are absolutely unbelievable, extraordinary or superhuman? someone who does so with absolutely no regard for personal discomfort or safety? Things you wished you could do, but are perhaps not capable of or too bound by the society’s correct path to actually throw caution to the wind and just do it?

I will share the actions of one such individual with you….After the Tsunami I was told about this individual………

An Indian Army Special forces guy, may be about 27 years old…. on a well deserved chutti in Secunderabad…. As soon as the true scale of devastation by the tsunami became evident he started enquiring how to reach the worst affected area namely Carnicobar… after a day of enquiries he got a lift…hopping a couple of aircraft he landed on the devastated island of Carnicobar…..

Like every one involved however remotely, he too was shocked by the scale of devastation inflicted on this once enchantingly beautiful isle….. He too was overwhelmed by the unmistakable stench of death which pervaded every inch of the base….. He sat down crosslegged in a remote corner of the dispersal, making his plan of action…. Finally after studying the map he had managed of the island, he collected his supplies organised his haversack and left the base…. His supplies consisted of about a dozen packets of emergency rations(Each packet contained Jaggary, roasted gram, two packets of glocose Parle G, a small packet of hamam soap) two canteens of water… 5-6 bottles of mineral water…. a first aid kit with extra bandages, pain killers, cotton etc.

He was dressed on his combat fatigues indistinguishable from the scores of Army troops deployed to assist in this time of need….. the only difference was that he carried his commando knife….. This was too early in the tragedy for the calamity hanger ons who invariably appear on the scene to hog the limelight after a large chunk of the relief effort has been successfully initiated by the military… This was while the military was still purposefully and single mindedly assisting the devastated population… The green, white & blue uniforms were involved, helping the civil population & each other….

This young soldier left the safe confines of the base within an hour of landing and disappeared into the thick equatorial forests with which this island is covered…. No one knew who he was, what he was doing there and where he went…. he reappeared in two days his uniform a little worse for the effort, a two day old stubble adorning his sweat stained face, his eyes probably glowed with satisfaction which comes when truly a selfless task is done well…. he was physically carrying two badly hurt Nicobari tribals while a third followed him…he took them straight to the medical tent…..

Then he rested , gave himself time to have a bath, changed his clothes, stocked up on his supplies of food water & medicines before setting course once again onto the jungle….. this routine continued…. He would return every few days carrying one or two badly hurt terrified Nicobari tribals (Holchus) to safety… Each subsequent trip was deeper into the jungle… After 7-8 trips into the jungle saving the life and limb of more than a score tribals he was back at base… collecting his belongings as his leave was about to end and he had to head back to his unit!!!!!!

You might wonder why I haven’t told you more about this brave superhuman… such as his rank & name or shown you a picture? honest to god I would if i could…. But I don’t…. Before you cynically choose to dismiss this man’s work as my mediocre effort at fiction writing, I want to assure you that I was told this by someone else who believed in it being a true incident….

Whether you believe it or dismiss this a desi version of Urban legend is purely your choice, but I believe it from the core of my heart…. I feel more comfortable believing such people exist……don’t you?