For Taishi

As a young kid, you were one of the first friends I had. I have always remembered you as my very first best friend even though the two of us couldn’t spend a lot of time together owing to my dad’s transfer to Hyderabad.

I remember you as a cute, chubby, boy cut haired girl who lived two storey’s above me. I remember coming up to your place to play with building blocks or the kitchen set. Our mothers would drop us to school every morning where we mostly sat together and played together. The memories of busy bee’s play school, learning in that hut like classroom and playing in the orchard are probably my best times as a child. And your presence in those memories makes them even more special. 

Remember how all us kids would meet every evening to play in the buildings garage. I remember marching in the most humorous manner to the tune of “Sandese aate hain”. When I did leave Bangalore I wasn’t very sure about how much I would be missing you. After all we were kids then and there wasn’t much we could do about it except remembering each other.

You had once come down to my place in Hyderabad and I had been so excited to see you then. In spite of meeting each other after about 6-7 years or so we both still shared that old camaraderie. We had seen Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets at Abhinav bhaiya’s place. We discovered that we both loved Harry Potter and Enid Blyton. Looking back now I wish we had stayed in contact because I am sure we would have jelled well.

I probably never had a heart to heart with you the way I have with my friends now and that somehow doesn’t matter. The age we knew each other in never needed heart to hearts for two young minds to connect. I might not know you as well as your other friends do but your sad demise leaves a hole in my heart.

When mom told me about you I had nothing to say. 18 is too tender a year and life seems to have wronged you. Still, you’ve spread enough happiness and smiles in those 18 years.

I hope to meet you again in a new life as my first best friend and hope to remain as the last one.

You are missed dear old girl.

Rest in Peace.