Shades of gray

For a long time, to me- parting meant I'd never see that person ever again. Everything was digitized- a 1 if I get to see/meet/talk face-to-face regularly, a 0 if they moved away, be it out of town, out of country or out of continent. Somehow it never registered that emails/chat and of course the more recent social networking sites would bridge the gap and make distances seamless. So I'd behave as if they were setting off on a spiritual journey in search of the eternal truth. I'd do lunches and dinners, parting gifts and then bid adieu. More importantly, I'd mentally check them off my mental address books as account closed and move on.

Everything was a black or white. Nothing in between.

Cut to the present.

I recently met an old co-worker, later a good friend, for dinner on a week day evening. He and I worked together, and over the years figured we connected well as friends. From books to movies, travel to food- we could talk for countless hours.

Aside, its a different experience to be in downtown DC on a cold, winter evening and to be that close to the "special house". He was in town for meetings and could spare some hours for a meal. His hotel was located very close to the Mall area, to restaurants, to the Metro and of course right on the political highway. The concierge was extremely helpful and valet parking- courteous and expensive. Armed with a sheet full of handpicked restaurants with plenty of veggie options, we set forth. As we walked the streets, it all felt surreal. Many years ago, when I bid adieu to this buddy I would never have imagined so many years hence, I'd be having dinner in downtown DC with him. Of course, we've been in touch...over email...for some years now. But it was mostly over New Year wishes and Diwali greetings. He has travelled all over the world. From the middle-east, to EU, from Norway to South America. He works as a management consultant and hardly stays at home in his apartment in downtown London. His wife travels extensively as well, so he tells me. Again, an air of surreality hangs heavy like a thick blanket. All I can think for the moment was "who would've thunk!".

The restaurant, true to the concierge's word, had plenty of veggie options for me. The service staff was courteous, noiselessly moving around serving and clearing away. The food and the location was right off what you'd see in gourmet restaurants in food network shows and culinary magazines. Conversation was smooth and effortless. Like fitting into an old glove and feeling the comfort and camaraderie. There was plenty of catch up on, after all how much can one be up-to-date with these new fangled emails and chats?

The only part that hurt was the going dutch part. Expensive couldnt even begin to quantify the price. That, coupled with valet parking and a handsome tip, I can safely conclude, I couldnt afford to do this on a regular basis. But once in a while, for a worthy cause such as this...meeting an old friend, for good ol' times' sake....definitely definitely worth it!

Like that ad says, for everything else there's Mastercard.

So why have I rambled along having started off with something about black and white, 0's and 1's? Well what I meant to say was, now I am quite comfortable in saying goodbyes without striking them off the mental address book. I am willing to wait and bide my time for such chance meetings...when it all feels like nothing has changed. Somehow, sometime, some place, I will run into each one of them. And when I do, life doesnt appear to be as stark any more. Its all about the shades of gray.

And of course, till then there's email and chat, facebook and orkut and such other (s)craps.

TGIF and apparently, the sweet smell in the winter air is mostly nostalgia.