Sweet memories of a friend forever

It is well known among my "friends since long" that i dont take insults lightly. And anybody who rubs me the wrong way gets it back in some or the other way. But there are two people who have been successful in avoiding my wrath till date.

A businessman who owns a PVC pipes shop at a place called Indi, Bijapur.

A guy who did his engineering from a college in Bijapur.

There is one common factor between these two different people. I doubt if they have ever met. No the common factor is not the district (Bijapur). The common factor is a girl who claims to be my best friend. Of course her claim is valid i accept it. (but since she has not yet found a girl for me, i think i should reconsider her claim. ) It is almost a decade now since the first day we spoke to each other. Well, i was speaking and she listened. She had to. Afterall i was kind of mediator in a silly confrontation between her and another guy in our class. For that mistake of mine i am enduring the senseless and childish talk of her till date. But thanks to ISD rates, its not as often now.

I was such a nice guy in the college. My lecturers never had any problems with me. My regular absence from theory and lab classes ensured it remained that way. But one fine day, this girl instigated me to show my missile launching girls. Was it a challenge rather? But whatever it was, i took the pamphlet of the "Beauty saloon" she passed on to me, and launched it at the poor new lecturer who was scribbling something on the board. What followed next can fit into bollywood masala movie.

The lecturer turned back "Who did it?" ( I fail to understand why do people think a thief would say he stole the goods )

All faces were blank. "You there." She pointed towards me. I guess she noticed another pamphlet which i was trying to conceal under the book. I stood up hoping for the worst.

"Who did it?"

"I dont know mam"

"You are in the last bench. You should have seen from where it came from"

"No mam. I did not notice. I was writing down notes in the book"

"I was not dictating the notes.." ( Yes she was not. )

"" I was silent.

"Tell me who did it?" She asked again with lot more conviction.

"I dont know mam" I sounded so confident, i myself was surprised.

"Ok. I will complain to HOD about whole class. Did you see who did it?" She asked other guys. Nobody replied. At least there we showed unity as a class. But normally not many could dare to mess with me.

"Who is the Class Representative?" Another question of hers.

Again no reply from the class.

"Will the class representative please stand up?"

"He is already standing mam"

Somebody informed her. After that i dont remember anything. But over the time the lecturer became casual with me. In fact even now it makes me feel guilty.

My best friend made me feel guilty. Hmmm... But i can forgive her for that. Was not she the one who took two copies of printouts of c , c++ and lisp programs even though the lab incharge always was grumbling. One for her and one for the master of the world playing in the ground. In last 10 years we have had many arguments. Most of the arguments i had to lose unwillingly just because she said "Kaisa dost hain tu..." in a tone that still keeps me confused. I don’t know it was pity, sympathy, ridicule, convincing... or what?. One of the often repeated argument was about "the great" and "the greatest".

"There are only three greats. Ashoka, Alexander, Akbar and the fourth is me" She used to say and my reply would be "and only one The Greatest. That’s me". I was good with words even then you see.

She enjoyed lot of privileges being my best friend. And one of those surely backfired. She is the only person on earth who can call me kameena and still get away with that. Ironically i too don’t take offence for that. When you look at her you feel you are looking at a kid who denies to grow up. Well i wont dare to mention a peculiar hobbit of hers which will prove what i am saying.

In her own words i am the only person who can "bear" her tensions. But truth is i am the only person who listens to her dumb thoughts. ( I know she will kill me for this line. ) During college days and few years after that, if there was any sense of adventure in my life, it was due to her. I can narrate lot of incidents here but she has threatened to sue me if i mention them. Not that i am afraid, but just want to keep those incidents as little secrets and special memories which i will narrate to her grand children. Only after she got married that i got rid of those adventures. Thank god for that. (But on second thoughts i miss them like hell...)

People ask me how am i able to hear clearly even a whisper on the phone. Practice makes a man perfect. Thanks to her and the late night calls. How many people can actually use a cell phone while at home and still keep it untraceable for more than 2 years. Have to be someone like her. We usually talked for hours in the night. Well i used to talk and she used to whisper. There was somehow a kind of telepathy between us. I never believed in telepathy. But more than once she mentioned that whenever she felt "upset" her hostel phone would ring. And the caller is me. I am still not sure about this though.

Some of my earliest philosophies and thoughts were first showered on her. You know she was the only one who saw sense in what i talked at that point of time. And now lots of guys agree with what i post on my blog. I can write volumes about the 10 years our friendship has seen. May be some day. Oh forgot. I am the one who will teach her kids about everything that is bad in her opinion. She doesn’t want that to happen. But being what i am ( And she knows. Ram apne iradon ka pakka hai.) given a chance i will do that.

For now i will stop this. Because if i continue it will go on for ever. Comming back to the two guys.
That businessman is her father. And the guy was her classmate.
Her father snatched her purse, which i was holding when she bent down to tie her laces, and stared at me in college campus. Think about it. Unkown person staring at ME in MY college campus in front of MY friends.

When she was doing her engineering, i went to bijapur on a business trip. She was not available and so the chocolates i got for her were given to this guy to pass on. He never did. And i was termed as irresponsible and got a earful from her. Hmm...
My goal is to steal atleast a small PVC pipe from her fathers shop. She said she will help but never did. Obviously family bond is greater than other bonds. ( Now i am damn sure of that call from uk and getting earful for this line. )
Then when i get a chance to meet this guy.... I have not actually thought what i will do. Will think about it.

We have shared so many laughs and tears. So many thoughts and feelings. So many special moments. When i started this post i thought i will write them all. But words fail me. Let them just be that. Sweet memories of a friend forever.