Monday, May 14, 2007

friends forever..

I don’t like it when my phone rings at 6 30 am on a Sunday morning, but as my brain started recognizing the user specific ring tone, I woke up instantly. I have kept a special ring tone for people belonging to my inner circle, my closest friends, my actual friends.

It was Purav Badiani, my friend for the past 15 odd years. We have had some wild times together. Trying to outrun an express train, getting into fist fights, the works. Somehow, till date, whenever his phone rings, I manage a smile as all those memories come rushing back to me!

The bugger owns a juice shop which is the best in my town, and I’m not saying this as I’m biased. He is not one to exchange pleasantries when works a waiting, and gets straight to the point. He wanted my bike for a few days, 24/7 as his had broken down, and as he had to travel all over the town to disburse orders, he would need transportation. I own a Bajaj pulsar, 180cc black motorbike. And I love it very very much. It was the first thing I have brought from my own money, and so, I may not have a home to live in, but I do own a bike! This said, one could comprehend my love affair with that mean machine, and my apprehensions in loaning it to anyone. I have had to deliberate a hundred times over a thousand issues, which was done all to quickly, some being analyzing the person asking for it, his track record, riding skills, friendship rating, usefulness to me(heh heh!!), reliability, relationship with the local police, financial potency or backing. The list goes on!
Surprisingly, when Purav asked for it, my mind was empty, and I said yes without thinking, but it still felt right! I was taken aback at this change in behaviour! That got me thinking. Why is it that when some people ask for your help, you gladly oblige as if it were your duty, and when some do, you try to run away from it?

Sub consciously; my mind had included some people in my ‘inner circle’. These fell in the tried and tested category, as they had faced the trails and tribulations faced in a relationship, and had come out with flying colours! They did not require constant review or monitoring. They had been there, done that. They were people whom I could trust implicitly, and who trusted me completely. We were not blood, but we were family. My inner circle is restricted to a few people, and I love them all a lot. I have made many friends before them, and many after. I enjoyed with some, fought with some and still keep in touch with some. But I could call them mere acquaintances, or good friends.
My inner circle? They are different.Not all are school buddies. But all of them have one thing in common. Mutual respect for one another. All the 5 are not best friends amongst themselves, they are from different walks of life, different religions, different mindsets, and different opinion on things. But somehow, strangely, I blend with them, and my frequency matches with each one of them, separately!
Life becomes easier after you have found such a bunch. I have five places to hog food at, 5 beds to sleep, and five shoulders to cry over!
Many a great people have said it, but ill repeat it. Make a few real, true friends, people you like hanging around with, who respect you and your feelings, people you can trust in time, and people who want the best for you. You will never feel lonely, and you will live a peaceful gratifying life.
No, its not easy, to choose, decide. But I was lucky enough to have finalized them at a young age. I may meet a few more people in life, and maybe, they shall be additions, but there shall never be any subtractions.
The key to it, or for that matter, any other relationship, is respect, concern and a sense of duty. I don’t expect a lot from them. I don’t want a lot of their time, money or t shirts! What I want is for them to understand, why I am the way I am, and what makes me tick. I want them to stick by my side, in a street brawl, or when im receiving an award. And I want them to know that ill always love them, come what may..

With love, Kartikeya Dwivedi.

Copyright © 2007 Kartikeya Dwivedi

7 comments:

Monica said...

Hey Kartikeya...amazing piece of work...absolutely attention capturing...you know what I likes most - the lucid style of writing....words just seem to flow in the write up each loaded with sense yet ease! Keep writing....would love to read more!

misti said...

hey,i feel d more i read d more i find u intersting,it feels nice 2 no such pure n personal views abt u ur frnz........cheers buddy m glad i met a person like u ,n hav u as 1 of my buddy in life.........

Kartik said...

wowsa!!thanks misti!!

Amruta said...

I liked the choice of your words..but somehow I found that you didnt put your soul in it completely or were not able to..completely...and it feels a bit incomplete..I guess while you were in the flow of writing,u paused somewhere..in the expression of ur thoughts..Anyway,thats how i found it to be..but..good work.. :)

Kartik said...

Thanks Amruta. I will pay heed to your comment.

Anonymous said...

Well said.

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