Friendship Diaries- Chapter 2

There is a belief that friendship is not an accident, well that’s the real McCoy. That doesn’t repudiate the fact that friendships are unexpected. The bond builds organically with proper communication and support. Friends are those who mutually roast you day in and day out regardless of being under the gun. But the same friends won’t run out of words while enchanting your achievements in front of others. Having close friends and making memories is an important thing but what your conversations often lead back to is the time you met and spoke for the first time. Honestly the first interaction you had is one of the best jokes you’ll burst out laughing, when that incident crosses your mind. Even in a group of friends, the vibe you share with each individual is very different from one another in spite of the whole gang sharing the same friends. Might seem like I just got up after getting enlightened under some tree still all that mentioned is true. As promised, I’m back with the Chapter 2 of “Friendship Diaries”.

There is this custom of my community followed at native. On every Shukla Ekadashi all the villagers from the community gather and chant in praise of God. It is mostly the men who come together and participate in this monthly ritual. Yes, it seems like a male dominated village and it is a patriarchal society. Women not playing a part in this, is a whole different point of discussion so let’s not get into that. But one thing is sure that it is through their choice and there is no such obligation for women not attending. Nonetheless this ritual is like an assembly hosted in the form of rotation i.e families take turns and host at their place so that it won’t be a burden on a certain family.

It was my Maternal family’s turn to host. All the preparations were checked and the people started arriving. I was the waiter for the day, so had to go around supplying the welcome drink to the guests. Then it was the time of executing the main agenda for the day i.e Bhajans. My father a very active personality on the social media, didn’t wish to run short of footage so made the waiter a videographer. As a very sincere videographer carrying a sense of persnickety, I shot videos from all angles. In the course of which I heard someone in the frame giggling and whispering. My reflex was to give them a death stare. It was a trio striking as the reincarnated version of Rama’s army men from the Ramayana. I overheard them whispering about me, honestly seemed like street dogs creating complete chaos with a sight of a dog from a different street walking in their province. If I would have stayed there for another minute, I would not have been abled to control my laughter any further hence I escaped. I was mimicking their hilarious actions in front my Nani in the kitchen. As a response she uttered an eerie idea. I had to shoot a video for which I was on the lookout for the cast. She suggested me to take their help as their college was yet to begin and they were free, sounded wacko at first but then didn’t have any other option either. No sooner the Sankirtan ended, I was there to start a conversation. They were too shy to talk initially as I might have seemed like a preserved specimen at the museum through their lens. They were too sweet that they agreed to help me out without giving a second thought. My floccinaucinihilipilification about them was proven wrong through their sweet words, there was a caprice with respect to my opinion on them and vice versa.

That friendship was totally unexpected but I am forever grateful for my grandmother for making me meet my invaluable friends Sanathana Damle and Navaneeth Damle. They have been one of the most supportive and caring people in my circle ever since. They haven’t ever promised to be there for me in my wax and wane but actually have stood by me in rain and shine. If I am on the stage, they cheer sitting in the front row not giving me an opportunity to even feel tad bit nervous. They promote any program or event related to me on their social media regardless of it not being very significant.

A few years to our friendship we got to know that when we were very young, they were one among many notorious kids of the village whom I used to run away from as they would get on every other kid’s nerves. Back then we were in opposite parties, the troublemakers and the victims. Fortunately, they had to give up on their mischiefs as they grew older; if not they would have ended up behind the bars since it is not congruous for their age. They fill-in in almost all roles right from a friend to grandfather as the circumstance demands. Might sound like swanking about them but listen to this. I had fractured my foot due to an accident at native. I couldn’t even walk. They knew how bored I was so they would visit me every single day rescheduling everything else. Maybe not very significant for everyone but definitely for me as my emotional state was very poor. That was them entertaining me at my worst and they have been undertaking such novel ventures which gets them closer day by day. 

Sanathana knows I find it hard to wake up early so he troubles me every morning in order to wake me up. At that point he asks idiotic question until I’m completely awake as he is aware that I’ll doze off right after ending his call. Even if I get very annoyed at the spur of the moment while he chews my brain early in the morning, later I end up being glad for waking up on time. On the other hand, Navaneeth often surprises with small yet cute gifts. He never forgets to call me everyday atleast for 2 mins. He is more like my Bobo doll where I can share anything without any hesitation.

Did I mention they pat my back in front of me? No, they never. Though they are my well-wishers, they never show it in front of me. They put up a show as if anything I do doesn’t matter to them. But when asked by a third person about me, they would answer it in a few paragraphs even in the case of the question to be answered in ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Like the Napolean code, even I run on eye for an eye logic here. The friendship which Navaneeth, Sanathana and I share is nothing but supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. There isn’t a time I have returned from native without meeting and hanging out with them. Whenever I miss their calls they start calling my sister to verify if everything is fine. I hope we will be able continue this lovely friendship forever.  I have realized that in a long-distance friendship the mutual bond and support eliminates any distance.

 Stay tuned to follow up on the Chapter-3 of Friendship diaries!!!

Aapti Patwardhan