Full circle

Post 5th grade, my father got transferred quite a bit. Until then I had moved on year to year in the same school, to the same section, with the same set of "buddies". There were only about 20-25 students in a class- probably around 16 boys and 8-9 girls. And I was short. Invariably I was a first bencher. Now comes the interesting bit, there were two boys who were about my height as well. The seating configuration was thus. Me sandwiched between these two, year after year, without fail. Hence we became "best friends".

Lunch breaks, games, distractions, getting into trouble and all and sundry was always as a "Team". The two boys were only children to their parents and luckily lived right next door to the school. One of them had his mother handing over a hot lunch box at break time across the common wall that separated the school and his house!

The tiny tidbits of fun that ensued during these wonder years, predictably so, is worth being gold plated for posterity. Each of us have stored many incidents that draw out a chuckle, or a grin, or an irate retort or even a tiny smack! Once I left that school, as is wont at that age when childhood friendship isnt exactly a nostalgic tonic a teenager wants to soak up on, I moved on barely able to conceal my excitement at oncoming life and its challenges and merits. In all the years, I never gave half a thought to how those two boys had turned out. Degree completed, a career to be made, prospects to be explored...so much to do! Who has the time and patience to dwell on sentimentality?

2 years ago, as I was talking to my cousin(not a cousin I interact with regularly), he tells me that I should probably say Hi to someone I know from a long time ago and hands over this phone to said person. After initial pleasantries were exchanged, I discover its my school mate from eons ago. Yes, one of the two "buddies". There was so much catching up to do. We exchanged emails and then that was it. It was a pleasant surprise, and life goes on.

Six months ago, I received an email requesting me to join an e-group of this school. I joined in eager anticipation. For the past few months, its been a nostalgic ride, reconnecting with long lost friends, exchanging updates, posting about every little memory that we could jog out of our jaded cells.

Two days ago, I sent an email to these two asking if we could meet, since I was in town. It was around 7 in the evening. Within an hour, I was picked up by them and a few more they'd gathered en route and off we went for an impromptu dinner get-together. Another girl was also in town from abroad. 6 of us, it was really like good ol' times.......

The dinner outing began quite late in the evening... erm make that VERY late. We set off at 9pm. In a frenzy, amma hands me her cell phone. At 10:30 sharp, having rounded up 2 more long lost classmates, picked a restaurant open long enough for us to eat something decent, the cell rings.

Amma : "Do you plan on coming home tonight?"

Me : "Erm, yes I still live there. There are 6 of us, I am sure one of them will be kind enough to drop me back"

Amma : "Alright, come soon!"

Dinner turns into a loooooooooong guppa session(of course, if you're meeting schoolmates after 20+ years!). Pretty soon its midnight. The cell has rung 2 times by then. We decide to call it a day! As we drive towards my home, Amma calls again.

Amma : "Really, where are you?"

Me : "2 mins from home, be there soon"

I hang up and one of them asks with concern "Do you want us to come in and explain? She must be quite worried"

Erm, worried? Sigh!

Every evening I get a call, asking if I could meet for coffee, cos another classmate was available and wants to meet. I get picked up, dropped off within curfew limit times; they walk up and talk to Amma cos all the moms knew all the students(there were no school buses at that time, it was always parents picking up/dropping off). Some of them bring their kids along, we sit at any random coffee shop that catches our fancy and gossip while the kids play near the fountains.

While I am on my second sip of some Kalmane coffee, Amma calls...

"When do you plan on coming home?"

"Soon ma"

One of them goes "We'll leave in 15 mins ok? Tell your mom not to worry".

What the!!!???

Yes, suddenly....we've all become kids all over again!