On Friday got a call from one of my very old friend - his mother expired and the 11th day was on Saturday - the day on which, as per our traditions, family and friends are invited for a lunch or dinner. These are all our traditions to start life fresh again. The occasion was a bit very different in that, I knew, all our old friends would come there. All college friends from nineties with whom a lot of memory is associated and I think, they are going to be with us at least for this life. Usually I don't prefer to attend functions at short notice, because I need a bit of planning to make sure, things are taken care when I am not at home. But for this one, I instantly made up mind to visit and then the time spent there was really a reflection of all those old memories.
Those old days, when Cycle was our pride - going to all places would easily end up 15 - 20 kilometers a day. Going to college, going to tuition, go and buy vegetables, any other house hold tasks - never we would hesitate or deny. BSA SLR Cycle was the craze of that time - the guy having that would be proud but then who cares!! There was never any differentiation between friendship and money. Friends would always ask for or take away anything they would need - they would come to home without asking. In fact, there was no means to ask then, isn't it ? Today people call before coming - but believe me, these friends do not call even today. It's the same old school for us even today. If they know I am at home, then they would come without even informing. The same was observed that day - no question asked on who is earning how much. That same feelings, to tell anything to a friend or ask for anything without feeling bad about it - two friends called me and they ordered me to pick them up. That kind of friendship when we we always shared what we had - I remember, I used to get 100 rupee a month for eating tiffin at the college canteen. Don't consider it small , that time, it was no less. But in college we all would go together and then share whoever could buy. And thankfully, we did not have to buy mineral water - ya, the batch that drank tap water happily - no bottle or glass - direct from tap. It was so much fun to spend that evening, no one was in mood to leave for the dinner. And with a promise to meet again - I proposed to do a feast and spend the entire day.
And just to give you a brief about the friend whose mother died - we formed a batch of four to prepare for competitive because we did not have a lot of money to take any short of coaching. So every day, we would gather together and read for six hours - and that is how he got the job, first from our batch. There was lot of hardship, but together we passed that time and move ahead - we were happy with everything.
And then where ever I go, I take him with me and this was a special memory for him - every friend knew him. So much so that, sometimes my friends would go and eat at a roadside shop where they knew my father would come to drink tea. And they also knew that he would pay for everything - imagine the fun. It was not just a day or two - many days spanning over years. I realized it only after two years 😀 but then I was happy to approve it continue.
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