It was my 29th day to school. That’s what my grandma told me and that’s what I remember it to be. Amma was running around the kitchen packing my Tiffin-box as granny forced me to drink the much hated Horlicks and me pinching my nose shut while drinking it. Dressed up in my green pinafore uniform with a white handkerchief pinned on my chest and the letter V carefully embroidered on the end by my Grandma. Frowning as my mother managed to tie my hair which usually ended up looking like a hibiscus flower sprouting from the middle of my head. Two green eyes trying in vain to make Amma know that school isn’t where she wants to go today. I was forced to wear my school bag with the bottle around my neck and I hated everyone at that moment. Papa gave his bear hug and I tried to wriggle out of it.
Auto- uncle came with his ever smiling face. He took my bag and said “Aaj tumhe kisi se milaunga. Tumhari nayi dost.”
As I walked towards the auto I saw a girl my age, with a pinafore longer than mine sitting with her head bent down and shaking her legs. Nervous was what I became then. Many things were running through my head. “What should I talk?” “Why is her uniform longer than mine?” “Her hair is better than mine” “She has a Scooby Doo bag” “Does she too like power-puff girls?” and so on the thoughts went.
As the auto started, the alien girl managed to look at me. I saw big black almond shaped eyes staring at me. The Kajal was running down her cheek because of the tears. Auto uncle said “BABA, aaj uska pehla class hai. Beta, Baba ko apna naam batao”. So the Auto-uncle had cracked the ice. The girl looked at me and with her voice cracking through the tears she told me “ASHIMA”. Then the silence continued.
The auto came to a stop outside our school and the driver gave us our bags. Since I was 29 days more experienced than her I quickly put on my bag and started to walk. Something made me look back and I saw the Almond eyed girl struggling with her bag. Something made me go back and help her. Something made me hold her hand and make her walk with me. Something made me tell her “KG 1 mera class hai, tum mere sath baitho”. Something made me share my pencil when her pencil broke. Something made her smile. Something made me feel like coming to school every day.
Its been 17 yrs of friendship now and she will always be my First Bestfriend. She is States away from me, but even when you do not get the time to message or do not call for months, the friendship never fades. When you finally get the time to talk, it feels like you have been in touch everyday. I have been lucky to find some gems on my way and she is one among them.
I plan to remain her friend till we are as old as these two ladies and if there is any beyond, then that too :P
I plan to remain her friend till we are as old as these two ladies and if there is any beyond, then that too :P
Photo courtesy- http://www.mathcats.com/explore/numberstories.html
