Coming across to an old friend —

Not long ago, I chanced to meet an old friend after a long span of time. Although, now a days, it sounds awkward to say ” after a long span of time.” Since, when every one is equipped with the facility of smart phone to communicate in audio and visual form, then it’s assumed that etiquette of “well being” might have been conducted intermittently.  But a “real friend” never gives a ring to his friend but in dire need only. Otherwise he doesn’t care of him. The same category of friend was this of mine. But along with all the “dame care” attitude, a unique kind of feeling always exists.  Even if, such friend , happen to meet after a long span of time, their demeanor remain fraught with warmth, cordiality and intimacy. And they behave in a way, as if, our last meeting was held just a week ago only.

On seeing the friend, the the first important thing, that came to my notice was his changed “appearance.” Prior to this meeting, I always found him clad in mod, smart and branded costumes. He was always over cautious about his dress sense. Apart from his costumes, he ever was in habit to change his two wheeler vehicle after a gap of every three to four years.  Always he preferred a new vehicle. But this time, his entire ” appearance” was changed. He was clad with white hued Indian Kurta (shirt) and Pajama. On feet he wore the leather sleepers. Even his scooty looked quite older. I mean, I could easily put his two wheeler into a “knackered” category. It surprised me, but I avoided passing any comment about that all. The ups and downs may assail any one in the life. Though he was in a good job in Central Government Department. As I knew him from past experiences, I was assured, he by himself was to tell about that certainly.

We began our conversation. I inquired,” You are meeting me after long years, any “fresh tiding?” He responded, ” though some major incidences occurred  in between these long years are no longer fresh to me. But it may sound fresh to you.” I said, “narrate that all in detail bro!” Upon that, he assumed a staid posture and began, ” You already know, I had had an arranged marriage and that was solemnized when I just had stepped on into my early prime youth. For just after completion of my college life,  I was blessed to secure a good  central government job. Every thing was going smoothly in life. But deep down in my heart, I was ever haunted by a “wish.” Alas! I too had had an opportunity to be in “love affair” with some lady other than my wife.”

I was intently listening his narration. Encouraged by my this focused attention, he went on,” Now you look at me. When I was running in my early fifties, then god fulfilled my this wish but in a horrific way.” I incited him to speak his mind, since a curiosity arose in me about knowing his “love story.” He began, but as a pretext he cited some poetic lines of renowned Urdu poet Jiger Muradabadi. This poetry conveyed a philosophical meaning as, ” This  love life is not easier to survive and for that, you have to go through an ordeal. Ordeal is a “gulf of fire’ and you are bound to swim across that.” I conceded to his poetic introduction but asked,” I heard about this, but what prompted you to swim across this ” gulf of fire.”

Friend heaved a sigh  and spoke. ” Dear! To every man fallen in love, the experience of this “gulf of fire” varies according to his situation and he swims across that accordingly. It differs man to man. Just look into my case. When at the age of fifty four year of age, you chanced to get entangled with a woman of thirty year of age, then this is bound to count into madness of old age love.” Suspecting some comments on my part, in advance he rose his hand towards me and said, ” You please don’t interrupt in between, let me continue and finish my story in a single lap. At this bend of life when you already have got children of the same age as that of your girl friend, you always live under a constant fear of being caught. To avoid that, one is bound to take all kinds of precautions, lest no one should come to know about your affair.”

He assumed a silence and continued, ” But my brain was already fried by finding this awesome opportunity. I used to take her on date to another city distant from my home town.  I realized there, this girl was in habit of costly shopping. She insisted me to buy her hefty costumes and pay enormous bills. On one day, it felt to me, my own wife in life had not insisted me to buy such hefty clothing in her last three years shopping collectively.  Not only this, she succeeded in taking hold of my mind and tactfully got me mentally prepared to take her old scooty  ( he indicated to his knackered two wheeler,) and give her my new brand two wheeler to her, which I happily did as an obedient dog.

Further, she forced me to buy her gold jewelry and you know bro, how costly gold items are now a days. Besides, in another district the heavy expenditure of staying in costly hotel and of quality food. Along with I ever remained under a constant psychological fear. If my this malicious deed happened to come into  knowledge of my wife and children, then what kind of dreadful out come I might have to suffer in consequence of. I ever fancied of being caught red handed by my wife and children and found myself left marooned into “old age home” after my retirement. This affair made me suffered from heavy monitory loss friend!”

When my this poor friend said this last sentence about the monitory loss, in deed he groaned out his torture. When he was saying this, beads of sweat perspired on his face, as if, he was treading through a hot, scorching desert. He began again, ” finally to end up this torture, I was left with one option only to get rid of that bitch. Grudgingly, I maneuvered to get my posting transferred  to far distant Southern Indian branch at Hyderabad.  Side by side, I changed my SIM card. I stayed there for long three years at that station, just only I have been transferred back to my home town office. Now  only two years left to my retirement from the government job.” He finished the story and exhaled a long sigh of relief.

I patted him on his back and asked in a consoling voice, ” and what’s about your habit of taking hard drinks? Still you take that regularly or that too quit in suffering of this tormenting angle of love?” On that, he responded, ” bro! Still I am a regular drinker but have adopted some changes in that drive.” I asked him, ” what kind of changes?” He said, ” in fact, I succeeded in developing friendship with a physician doctor at Hyderabad there during my posting. That doctor advised me two important things regard the hard drinks. First, as much as diluted alcohol one takes, this helps linger on this hobby life long. Since, by taking dilute drinks, it does not affect our vital organs adversely. Second, a drinker need not necessarily take non-veg stuff with drinks. One needs to take his regular meal unconditionally with in thirty minutes of finishing the drink. That is sufficient to supplant all the nutrients and my experience confirms this.”

Now, it was my term to offer him some thing. I suggested him, “bro, it’s been long talking in standing position. Let us have a cup of tea.”   The friend at once rejected the offer by saying, “I have given up taking tea.” On that I suggested, ” you can take some cold drink!” Again, friend’s neck began to move like a clock’s pendulum in “No.” He spoke, ” the fact is, I altogether given up taking sugar in any form. Even I don’t eat any kind of Indian or other kind of sweets.” I was now off the track in irritation hence queried, ” then what kind of stuff you take as soft drink?” He gave the answer, “In place of tea, I take hot, boiled water added with fresh lemon slices in it.” I argued, ” but in this way, your body system may suffer from the sugar level deficiency, That too is perilous to health. What you do to supplement that?”

Friend answered smilingly, ” the same, I was just talking about. At the evening, I take my fixed quota of alcohol. The same doctor friend had revealed me that the chemical composition of alcohol and glucose is almost the same. Both are the converted carbohydrate. Well, the evening drink helps to supplant and maintain the sugar level of my body constitution.” Friend completed the sentence with a triumph. He threw a victorious glance at me and without saying a good buy, started his scooty and silently sped away.You know, all intimate friends often don’t say good buy when departing. Penned by — Vinay Pharasi —–