We have known each other for 30 years. I remember the first day I noticed her, she was wearing a lime green dungarees, with white cotton shirt, rolled sleeves and collar flying. I wasn’t sure what to make of her, she seemed to me then to be one of those spoilt brat. I know, I can be quite judgemental even when I look unassuming and unaware. Let’s just say I didn’t care too much for her. She walked over to me and asked to be my friend, I felt she must have gotten me mixed up or something. As far as I was concerned, we were the most incompatible, I was very serious amd sensible, she looked unserious and not sensible. Anyway I have my decent person reputation to protect so agreed to this unequal yorking reluctantly.
And so our friendship commenced, I was forever trying to get her to tone it down and she was forever trying to get me to live it up a bit. We were definitely not a march made in heaven. Notwithstanding we kept dragging the ship of our friendship along. One day life threw us apart, school was over and we went our different ways to different states, we lost contact and didn’t hear from each. That was when I realised how dear my friend really was to me. I missed her sorely, I made new friends, but none was like my faithful essentric friend. Days turn into weeks, weeks into months and months into years. All these while my friend remained somewhere on my mind, even if not the forefront.
17 years later I ran into my friend, I couldn’t believe it was her, she looked different, not just age, she was much calmer and grounded, more so than me, I must add. How time changes people? We exchanged pleasantries and our phone number. We didn’t hit off on reconnecting or just picked up from where we parted. A few phone calls here and there and then quiet. It was slow and unpromising, I gave up any hope of re-igniting our spark. Then one day I saw a missed call from my friend. I called her back and she apologised that it was a mis dial, we exchange our usual shallow pleasantries and I was about to end the call, when I felt I should probe a tiny bit, so I asked if all was truly ok, she couldn’t hold it together anymore, she broke down and told me all she had been going through, it has been a difficult journey, I gasped and empathise with my friend and that was how we started rekindling our friendship. It started slowly but went from strength to strength. My journey hadn’t been all that smooth either, (whose has been?) Anyway we got to do lot of things together, we would go window shopping together, (of course we had no intention of buying anything), bowling when we had the money, we went to the movies, the theatre. Some times my friend would come to my office, we would eat together, open a bottle of non alcoholic wine, drink and dance around like silly children. We would have deep belly laughter at our silly jokes. Sometimes we would have long walks in the wood appreciating nature, quiet as we take in the beauty. We were such an encouragement to each other. My friend helped me to grow and I helped her as well. Our friendship was a comfort to each other and escape from all our pain and confusion, or at least I thought!
I got a call from my friend today, she sounded low and morose, I was quite concerned, she then apologised to me, saying how sorry she was, at this stage I was very confused. I wasn’t sure if this was a joke I wasn’t getting or something. But it was no joke, my friend was very serious. I asked why she was sorry, she told me that she has been advised that because we are from different place and belonging to different class, we were not meant to be friends. I felt a pain go through my heart. I then asked my friend how she felt, she paused for a while and then echoed the same sentiment, my jaws dropped and I bide my friend farewell.
What is the value of friendship?
Beautiful Ivory 