Thursday, August 26, 2010

A lost friendship, but a memory I find within.

It was one of those random school years when all of a sudden, new kids flow into your school as a fresh year starts, and there's tonnes of excitement about the new faces, the cute ones, and the smart ones. And no matter how old we grew, there was always this thing about looking forward to school just cause you made an interesting new friend.
He was that. That random new friend who didn't talk much but was somehow someone you wanted to figure out. His silence was a constant indication that there was something going on in his head, which was a constant mystery. When he spoke, he spoke soberly, calm and composed. Never was he in a rush to make the other person hear what he thought. And when he listened... You felt like you were the most important person in the world, waiting to be heard.

My attraction for him was completely platonic. However, the few words that made out of him compelled me to try and trace where they came from, and which cobweb of a thought's part were they. When I spoke, the way his eyes fixated at my face was almost like he's peaking deep into what's in me, and reading in between the lines to what my voice tried to deceive.

We didn't talk much in the beginning. I decided he wasn't my type the moment I realized he wasn't a chatter box like me. He chose to sit with the dorkiest guy in class. The fact that he didn't like tomatoes was the final cherry on the cake.
Ciao New Guy, not very nice meeting you.

Every day at school,every class, I'd be looking around bursting bubble gum balloons rebelling and expressing boredom, and he'd do a better job of it by drawing hate cartoons on the back of his notebook sitting on the front seat in front of the teacher.
Now that, I liked.

So slowly, I started finding things I liked. Things I hated. And slowly I started finding him. He never let out too much quickly. So every time, I was left trying to find the latter end of the story.. The more frustrating it was, the more I got hooked to it.
With time, I realized he wasn't all about silences. He spoke so much. So very much. We started exchanging emails, texts, phone calls, and then finally started meeting up in the evenings. It was strange, cause we didn't really talk much in school. He didn't have the time, he was in the student council which leaves you with nothing but the classes to attend. Every other spare second would demand you to be out of class.
But probably that was the beauty of it. Probably that is why, I could talk so much to him. Maybe that is why, that space was maintained.

He being a Gujrati had a totally different upbringing compared to my Punjabi upbringing. He had crazy curfews at home, while I.. I couldn't get tired of roaming around the streets at odd times, singing loudly with friends, clicking photographs, and all sorts of time-killers.
He and I belonged to different worlds. Yet, there was so much beauty in the very fact, that it was always a pleasure to read each other and where we both come from. It was always fun to over react a little and go "wtf that stuff happens at your place?!!"
It was always fun, to realize that a person who has no idea about my roots cracks up with me in the middle of the night laughing his rear off trying to picture a funny tradition- not making fun of it- but laughing at the funny "nice-ness" in it [as he liked to put it].

We did our share of craziness for the two years that followed. We did our share of making every teacher hate us while still getting staright As. He had his first time night-out partying, thanks to me. I had my first time to a Kumb Mela, thanks to him.

Four years later, after school and graduation finished, Those photographs I clicked in the Kumb Mela were selected in an international Photography Exhibition by the UN. And my career took a new turn from a boring HR job.. And he.. my gujrati best friend- left for Manhattan to follow his call for singing.


We're no longer in touch, it's been years I've heard anyone speak of him now.
But it hasn't been long enough for my old self to forget how a random new gujrati school boy taught me a lesson- A lesson to realize that memories are in abundance.

It hasn't been long enough for my wrinkles to forget when he told me sleepily,once upon a time - "Your imperfection is perfection to me" .
Each an every wrinkle of mine, carries a smile. A smile to a memory a gujju guy taught me.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Waiting for all your feedbacks!
Ckear skies and memories,
Nil.

36 comments:

  1. Tonight, after work, I'll set about finding a publisher for you. For sure.

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  2. TBGGGGGGGGG! You absolutely make my day.
    No seriously, I'm not even kidding.
    Thankyou, so much :)

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  3. i think TBG m there supporting you..i can pretend to be Nils elderly corporate"knows everything" sister so we can help her publish this stuff...briliant baby..brilliant...so freaking proud of you mmuahh

    he dint like tomatoes!!! ohhh how could you

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  4. Sulaganaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Babe,you ARE my elderly corporate pinkpatiyalasis :)
    And thank you so so much, I swear I'm super kicked you liked it!
    Iloveyou!

    And hahahaha I knoww right! :O

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  5. You know we never had any student councils in our time.

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  6. @TBG: Heyy that sucks! :O

    @Meera: Haii bhagwaan, I need to hug you right now!
    Thanks so much hon, seriously, all the encouragement from you guys means tonnes to me!
    <3

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  7. After all this time, I still wonder whether you are such a young child?
    “***Wondering: Kuch pichlay janam kaa connection hai kya???”
    Your fiction is awesome. The way you wrote it from beginning to the end is something which only matured and seasoned writers are capable of. Hats off to you girl :)
    I’m proud of you.
    Way to go child prodigy!

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  8. Asif! Wow I'm seriously glad you liked it so much! And heyy I guess 16 ain't that bad, hey? :P
    Haha seriously, you are much too kind.
    I just hope my work keeps you guys happy, I hope it forever remains with a purpose :)

    Your feedback's much appreciated, thank you once again buddy :)

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  9. You know nil, the beauty of this post is NOT the fact that it's well written or that the story goes so god damn fast or the fact that you have used some really strong expressions here that make me think... The beauty of it is the thought behind it, the fact that it's a positive, happy post that somebody in a bad mood would read to bring a smile to their face, because the thought just kicks you into THAT happy place. It made me realize that memories are NOT supposed to make you cry. They're the reason you can smile! You reinforced my belief in the saying - Don't cry that it's over, smile that it happened. And memories are worth remembering only if they make you smile.. those are the only wrinkles you want on your face!

    Sigh. My favorite because it made me smile! :)

    Love.

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  10. i was seriously reading this as if it was happening right now. i really didn't think this was fiction until you started talking about HR and wrinkles. :)

    love the wrinkles line, by the way.

    http://ohtobeamuse.com

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  11. My God who would believe that a 16 year old wrote this?

    Just awesome!

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  12. I have a feeling that I know who this is based on..
    ;D

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  13. All I have to say is AWESOME !!!
    I learnt a few things too from your story and the Key word is memories ..........
    Loved it !!!!

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  14. wow what a beautiful innocent story...u have a power with words indeed girl....hats of you to gal....and i so agree with TBG ...u ought to be a writer :)

    And fiction tha yeh...*Faints*

    Find a publisher samjhee :D

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  15. Captivated beginning till the end! Trust me, I tend to leave posts half read when I see there's quite a bit to scroll down!

    Liked this

    Will read your books some day FOR SURE, no doubt about that.. and I'll feel so good that this girl read my nonsense once in a while! ☺

    all the best!!! I hope TBG manages to find a good publisher for you!

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  16. Tithi Diiiiiiii......Sorry for ignoring your blog so much......but you're the best!!!!!

    Btw, where do you get these amazing templates??? I dont think they're on Blogger

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  17. @Shiv: You know what makes me happiest? The fact that my work did what it had to- make it a little brighter for all you guys.
    I'm glad you had a better day after reading this,seriously, that made my day, you know that :)
    Yes, shiv, Memories are worth living. And only good one's are to be remembered.
    And yeapp, the other day when I spoke to you, I remember saying the ditto; Don't cry that it's over, smile that it happened :)

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  18. @Cheryl: Aww honey, thank you so much! Your feedback means tonnes to me, seriously.
    yeaa I like wrinkles, too. They're cute =)
    Love.


    @Anonymous: eeeeeeeeeee thank you SO much!!!
    Cheers and hoots to you!

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  19. @Rem: You always do :) ;)


    @Mohua Didi: Didiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! Thankyou so much. And wow coming from you, that means alot. A LOT.
    much much love!
    hugggggggggggggggzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

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  20. @Scribbling Girl: Lady, you make my day! Thank you so much, and wow haha yeah publishers are a far cry from where I stand! come on!
    But thank you so much, hon.
    Seriously, it means a lot to me..
    And hahahaha!
    Yeaaahh fiction, it is! :P

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  21. @Diptiiiii: Heyy gorgeous!!!! *jumping up and down to see you here*
    =P
    Thank you so much... and awww haha TBG is just biased to me as a kid ;)
    And lady, your stuff is good okay!
    Its nowhere close to rubbish!
    But I'm seriously glad you liked my work, Diiii.
    Thank you,
    Love!



    @Eesha: Oh honey that's okay. Thank you so much,baby. I'm sure you'll be much much much better!
    And I got the template from Pyzam :) Just added a picture of mine, which adds up to a whole new design :)
    check it out!


    Cheers to all of you guys, your feedbacks are precious and I heed to each one of them, you guys help me improve all the time.. I couldn't be more happier.
    Thank you. Seriously :)
    Have an awesome weekend!
    LOVE. Love, lots of love! :)

    -Nil.

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  22. haha, wrinkles are super cute!

    check out my Jewelry and Dior giveaway on my blog!
    http://ohtobeamuse.com

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  23. Ok, now I'm EXTREMELY sorry for checking blogger late.

    Awesome post, Nil. I really didn't think it was fiction until you mentioned Gujrati (so ok, I was thinking of someone in our class; laugh all you want :P ). But really, it was so true to life that it's really easy to believe in it. Great way to carry a message of what YOU believe.

    And yes, I totally agree with ALL the previous comments. Especially the part about getting published :) I think all us readers are really lucky we're getting to read your early works before you make it big time. Remember us then, ok ?

    *Applause*

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  24. i think a story is worth it wen u get to the end part and den realise..."wait a sec...isnt nil still in school...how come years passed...oh fuck its fiction"

    fav line :"The fact that he didn't like tomatoes was the final cherry on the cake."

    glitch: if years have passed den wen dey were in school i dont think dey had emails and texts to share!!

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  25. Cherr, cauze I'm back with a shout yo!
    Sorry about not callin' you back the other night. I slept off the screwed musles yo ;|

    This post.. what I still try to go figure is How? How do you friggin' do that? I mean, your stuff is trippin'.
    It messes me up, I told you that before yo.
    Another not-quite-a-fiction hey. I thank my stars for these guys to yell for a publisher. You friggin' need to sign more books yo.

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  26. Hey get online Bratt! Been a while.. haven't quite peeped on to your end ^_^

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  27. Heyy bitch =)

    sunny side up today? =*

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  28. This has got a be a nightmare.

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  29. Yes, and I still look pretty hey =)

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  30. Whatever dipshit. Go away and leave your friggin' farts for somebody else's blog, yea?

    Buhbye =*

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  31. Aww is that all your poor blondie hundred chambered fetus brain can come up with so early in the day?

    It's cute =")

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  32. You're the thumb sucking tiny ape faced shitface here.
    Yeah that sounds so gross, but I'm sorry. Cute people state facts "yo".
    =)

    whatever meat ball, I'm off to get some sleep. Like normal people. Like, unlike geekfaced elephant sized spectacled Physics preppies.

    yea baby brother, my cute little furrball, I'm lookin' at you

    Teeeawwww! Don't you look Ahhhdorable in that angry baby chin up =*

    Nighty night buttercup

    </3

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  33. Did you just call me furrball and meatball together in the same friggin' comment?

    Mrinalini Abot,
    forget the sunshine now. Your pink little happy things are going to die.
    Today.

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  34. @Charu: Heyyyyy! You're back! and thank you SO much! haha yeaa it's pretty much fiction. Lol Im glad it sounds that way, helps the reader connect ;)
    why thank you so much, I'm completely flattered darling.
    Thank you. These appreciations from my readers really keep me going :)
    much love!


    @BuckingFastard: Awwww thank you so much! and yeaaaah you and I share the same favorite line :P
    And about the Glitch,
    well, lets just say we're takin about 2020, yea? ;)
    hehe
    cheers to you! and I always love your critique, thank you :)

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  35. @Ro: DUDE. You're BACK!!!!! I MISSED YOU ON MY BLOG :O and your super awesome critique!
    Thanks Ro, seriously, I missed your feedback, and Im just so glad you're back :)
    and HAHA about getting published!
    LONG way to go for that :P


    @Mrill and Ro: YOU GUYS ARE SUCH IDIOTS. It's called effing GIVING ME A MISSED CALL!
    BUT SHIT IM SO GLAD YOU GUYS ARE BACKKKK!!!!!! I missed you guys fighting on my page like Craaazzyyy! shit shit shit you guys are baccccccccckkkkkkkkkkkk <3

    HI :D

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