I just spent the day hanging out with a person for what is the first and in all probability the last time. The person in question used to be my batchmate in college where I studied arts for a year before joining law school. We never really exchanged more than a few words back then and only had one class (english) together. Coincidentally, he left college at the same time that I did only to come to the same city (pune) and join the defence academy. We have both been in Pune for the past three years and apart from a phone call in the first year I had no clue about how he was or what he was up to. Until two days back when he messaged me and we planned to meet up.
Strangely, the meeting that I expected to be extremely awkward and weird turned out to be quite a fun experience. His stories about training to join the army were amusing to me as his life is as far as it can get from what mine is now. They aren't allowed to keep phones or laptops. They do not have facebook. And they aren't allowed outside except for certain Sundays, and even the areas they are allowed to go to are restricted!!! To add to this, they wake up at three and sleep at ten. Their punishments involve running around at 3 in the noon with 18 kg s of weight strapped to their back with a rifle!
And I complain about having to study for exams......
The three of us (surabhi my flatmate was with us as well) chilled for the whole day and we had to leave by 5 as he had to keep to his curfew of 8 pm. I was surprised to find that it actually made me feel a little sad. It struck me then how easy it is to miss out on things because we are too caught up in our lives and so happy with the familiarity of things around us to even think about anything beyond what we already have. I am glad that he made the effort to make a plan to meet. Had he left it to me, I would have never bothered to get to know a person who I should have ideally been good friends with by now.
The chances of us ever chilling together again are scarce, because he will soon be done and posted at deheradun and we have exams till then. Also, as I have mentioned before, we are still practically strangers and so there is no real compulsion to meet.
I am however glad that I have the memory of a fun day spent and a new friend made. I also hope he does well and stays safe wherever he goes.
Life is strange and unpredictable.
And I love it.
I am glad that you have that memory too, but I do think you should maybe hold out hope that you can still meet up with him again.
ReplyDeleteI certainly hope I do Mark!
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