Woh lamhein woh baatein

Since past two days, I have got calls everyday at 5:00 PM. Yes! its december and two of my friends left to go to India for a month long vacation. In the next ten days, two of my friends from Omaha are heading home. On both the occasions, the guys got me really nostalgic. Though, its not even 6 months, that have passed that I was home. On this instance, it was one of my good friends Pandyha who was heading home! So, this guy and me have been friends since college. One who knows whats best in me and whats worst in me. With whom, I share a love-hate relationship.Hahaha.."hate"is an extreme term to use in this case. But, he pissed me off really well, when he did. "You say that we've got nothing in common No common ground to start from" It was exactly that way. He the typical to-the-point Gujju and someone who was quite flamboyant and a "Kanhaiya" , always sorrounded by 10000 girls at one time:O A typical western-Bombay lad. I still do not know how we became good friends, but at times it is not necessary to think on where and how it all started! I recollect quite few instances with him. Mostly, all the stories start and end with laboratories. Each day, we had 4 hours of practicals in college. We worked in pairs and he was was my friend Mayura's lab partner. Oh..how she liked working without him:O. He did not mind it when I accidentally threw a test tube of "glacial acetic acid"(a corrosive chemical) thinking that it was water:O. I ended up tearing his jeans and injured his fingers too. One who: Was always late Never had any stuff needed for practicals (usually) Never had his lab journals completed on time Had a shabby handwriting. How he pissed me off when: He borrowed my clean lab coat Finished off my lunch-box well before lunch time Used to retort by saying "Dont think a lot, tere chote se dimag ko traas mat de" [Dont overstress your small brains by "thinking" He called me names such as "Mand"[slow], ghati [short for maharashtrians], pakaoo {one who can bore you to death] He would laugh, when I cried He used to give me "fundas" all the time He gave his stupid anatomy journals at the end of the year for me to draw diagrams With his carelessness With this big inflated ego (He is a Leo) When he lived by the philosophy of "I am the most important person in my life" He made fun of my sister also which she did not seem to mind:O Neverthless, he is one person who has been there at the toughest of times when the going got tough. Someone who always reinforced that "Sympathy is the worst emotion that one can have for anyone". He has taught me a lot of things too and with whom I have had the greatest of Mumbai experiences. By Mumbai experiences, I mean:- Helping me to navigate at Dadar station:- [Dadar is the most complicated station in whole of Mumbai. Its the place where, all the three lines viz Central, Western and Harbor lines merge leading to utter confusion in everyone's life]. At one time, I was waiting at the central side platform # 1 and he was looking for me at the Western railway terminal. Without a cell phone, during those times, getting lost at Dadar station is not exactly the nicest thing:O Traveller and eating buddy: Mumbai life is no fun without food. Him and me had the traveller's spirit. Though, we lived far from each other and during the times when we finished our B.Pharm and applying for Programs at US, we did travel a lot. From Kalyan-Dombivli-Mulund-Andheri-Bandra-Churchgate (all located in a 2 hours distance]. Eating everything from Pani puri, Raj Kachori, Bhel, Canon Pav-Bhaji. During Applications and coping with rejections: Still remember the day of GATE results. I was one paranoid soul, who used to cry incessantly in anticipation of results. Though, I was confident that I would pass with nothing less than a first class. During, one such time after I had taken my GATE exams (for getting into M.Pharm) when I wanted to go check my results at IIT-Bombay. Man! it was crazy. Poor guy, was laughing all the time in the rickshaw as to why I was crying when it did not even matter if I got into M.Pharma or not (at that time I was intending to take my GRE). He accompanied me everywhere from then. He almost killed me when I cracked the exam and secured admission for M.Pharm. He has acted as a sponge absorbing whatever I threw at him. You always need a friend who would switch on your logic button whenever it switches itself off. Later, when I was intending to take my GRE and I did not even have my passport. This guy accompanied me everywhere right from Passport office to USEFI, that involved so many rounds of passport office. One who knew that I am going to mess up in the "Analytical"section of GRE, coz he was aware that my logic sucked. At times of utter confusion: During those times, when I was going crazy, torn between continuing my education in Bombay or coming to US. Helping me make a decision. Those walks at Juhu Beach: & in the hustling bustling Marine Drive Somehow, his presence at that time when life was almost as clear as a foggy day, made a huge difference. When life was at the threshold and probaly one of the most confusing stages of my life. Don't we all need a friend who can act as an anchor? One who can irritate the life out of you, still provide a comforting shoulder for you to lean on?? Later, who accompanied me to the "Visa office" too. ********************************************************************************** I think our journey is left incomplete. Just like any other friendship, we also suffered few setbacks, just when I was set to come to US. 20th July, 2002. We talked few times, but the equations were changed. What curtailed is something that probably does not hold any significance in present. Sometimes, things go wrong without any reason. The last, I saw of him was at the airport when he came to see me off. I was done with the immigration check and everything by that time. I had almost given up the thought that he was going to show up, but at a subconsious level, I was looking for my friend. True enough, when I was given the permission to see my family just for 5 minutes, thats when I saw him standing there sipping "Nescafe". We still talk, maybe we still try to connect just like we did before. But sometimes, even though a torn dress can be patched at some places, you cannot get the original appeal. Now that he has gone home, I truly hope he brings back memories that we lived by! I don't think, I ever had that kind of guy-friend again!