Hi all. So what if I don't know to blog? I have come on the block. Oh! No, this is not me telling. You know I was pushed into blogging when I just became aware of the word. And the words above are the generous advice of that pusher. He is a friend of long standing. If I have to blame him, I have to blame for reasons that are countless. You know he is such an affable fella and a friendly devil kinda guy that you can't blame him even when you want to. Secretly I confessed to the fact that for many things I am today, he is the person that can take credit. After all why should he do it to me or is he just kind to me alone? He is a couple of years older than I. he was a form ahead of me in school too. He, as I know was the most bubly and chirpy guy as a school boy. Oh! My...he was talking from anything to every thing though the topics naturally were limited to our age bound world. The games, dresses he had purchased from his pocket money and that blue skirt of our teacher. I did really enjoy the moments he used to narrate all these in his inimitable style, sometimes exaggerating sometiimes in an emotional voice. I don't remember disliking or objecting to anything except for that one day when he described the length of his teacher's legs. I was a bit frieghtened as I protested. He laughed at me first and then just switched over. He was not like it as I knew. This thing bugged me all night long. I can't express what exactly I should call the thoghts that crawled my mind. But it is also true that appreciation for him surfaced strongly. But it never occured to me that he was growing up. Or was he grown up already? More than anything else what brought me to adore him was his integrity. For some reason or the other I could not go to school or play without him. With him by my side, I felt safer always. He made fun off me, ragged me. But as always, his pranks showed me I had to grow more. Now, in retrospect I think of him. He is coming back to our town after 32 years. They moved south after he finished high school. Later he called me to tell he had to give up further schooling for pursuing some job. He married a southerner taller than his own self. He built a home there and grew mango trees all around. This brings an incidence back to memory. In the mango season, while returning from school, we had to pass by a mangrove. And there was a hefty watchman gaurduing it. But my friend was all too clever for him. He used to yell and coo standing infront of the gate as if somebody else was trying to thieve mangoes and he wanted to alert the watchman. My friend was so quick to sense if the watchman wasn't around when he didn't turn up immediately. He would dash in, in big strides and whew.. would pluck a few mangoes. Always more for him and one or two for me. I didn't dare ask why. He is coming to me. To see me. He couldn't even attend my marriage. He just sent a condolence letter when my dad expired. This had disturbed me deeply as I needed him besides me when I thought the world was getting washed away from under my feet. When he called up to tell he is coming here, it relieved me. I didn't ask any more questions. I recieved him at the airport. My wife was all curious about him as she just knew him through my narrations. he was looking more aged than he actually was.A very thin grey patch on his pate. He just grinned to me but still I could sense the affection unaltered. Back home, he gave a shocker. He had blood cancer in the advanced stage. Over many coffees he narrated his story. He had lost hopes. His only daughter refused to see him for long time now for just he did not like her fiance. The boy belonged to a rich family. For once, he appeared to be seeking my suggestion. His days were numbered. He had built a big estate that he didn't just want to give it to his daughter or waste it. Even at his lurking death, it filled me with gratitude coz he was asking me for suggestion. My wife was watching him, tears filled in her eyes, as he shoved the registration papers of his estate. He made all properties in my name. He didn't give me any chance to refuse it. For nth time it reminded me why I adored him. He had all the faith in me. He had calculated everything in advance. He familiarised me with his properties, business dealings, and the charity that he started of late and requested me to continue. He didn't want to do all these at his death bed. I could not stop revering him for all that he is. A friend, a philosopher, a guide, and a brother. I am jumping into blogging (I hope this is not blogging) just because my thoughts can be understood by some soul just like him, on the net. |
