Beyond the line of control...

When we first met, there were fireworks all around... literally! I had blown my top off when the luggage you carelessly shoved under the seat had ruptured the skin on my feet. The flames of bitterness were fuelled further when you feigned ignorance and refused to apologise. Had your father not intervened that day, this post would never have materialized. That was not a dream finish I would have liked as an occasional visitor to Kerala; also, because I was already feeling nostalgic after visiting my grandma. More than the wound itself, the lack of acquiescence hurt. I decided that we will never talk again. But I failed to understand that a deeper force within was plotting against me. Today, when I look back, I feel ecstatic about the way our friendship has blossomed.

During the train journey, the infantile fight apart, I sensed gentleness and warmth in your actions. The initial unpleasant experience faded quicker than I thought. I began to look for ways to get closer to you, without your knowledge, of course! Then came Vimla like an angel at the next railway junction. She was talkative and friendly. Soon she became the bridge between you and me. I still remember our playful arguments and how you would use her as a mediator to talk to me.

There is something very special about you. I like your childish behavior and mature thinking - I had noticed with excitement how your eyes would sparkle at the mention of 'Mickey' or 'Tweety'; in the same breath, you would speak volumes about life and relationships.

I didn’t believe our acquaintance would last beyond the train journey. We exchanged numbers. I was very happy to get the first SMS you had sent out to thank us for making your journey pleasant. But the message sounded more like ‘good bye’. For about a week or so later, I would impatiently wait for a message or phone call from you, until I decided to call you one day. Your voice was sweet and warm. I had a hundred things to tell you; but, when I heard your ‘hello’, I began to fumble; there was a lump in my throat. All I managed to get across was a confident ‘bye’, very much relieved that I didn’t make a fool out of myself. In retrospect, I began to wonder if your gentleness had an overwhelming influence on me. I was to be proved wrong again.

A few SMSs later, your calls started pouring in more frequently. You would call me up from office. After getting five or six calls, if I didn’t return one, you would tease me and call me names. During these calls, you would tell me about your friends, fans, crushes, colleagues, relatives, parents, brother… you had something new to tell every day. Sometimes, our calls would extend beyond office hours. On couple of such occasions I have had to spin stories at home, painstakingly explaining who had kept me on tenterhooks for such a long time. My parents would not believe me. To rub salt on my wounds, you would play all sorts of pranks like making crank calls and sending silly SMSs.

You have a pride of place in my heart, especially because of your tensile nature. Initially it would surprise me that you could get tensed at the drop of a hat – for getting calls, not getting calls, talking, not talking, staring, smiling, gifting, listening, riding bikes, on dimly lit roads… there was not a minute when you were relaxed. It took me some time to realize that this is how you told your friends ‘how much you cared’. Others would dismiss this as rather outrageous. But I know you are simply being yourself. And believe me, that is not easy.

You are a great stabilizer and neutralizer. In times of mood swings, I have found you are a great passage for my emotional outbursts and volcanic eruptions. At times, with great maturity you would give me reassurance; at other times, like a kid you would play with me to ease my nerves. Always, you have stood by me like a rock.

The best part of our friendship is that we have never let the flickers of our first meeting to die out; I mean those verbal duals. You are a perfect foil for my grand ego. I love you for accepting me as I am.

At the dawn of our friendship, your garrulousness had brought me closer to you. Now, we enjoy silence and stillness. Our relationship has matured over time. I think about your genuineness quite often and feel happy that I came across you. Though you don’t visit me even in my dreams, I take pleasure in the fact that you touch my life in more ways than one… most importantly, as a friend.