Every story has a beginning. The place where it all started.
For
"The beginning is the most important part of the work"
-Plato
However
"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end"
-Seneca
Prelude
“I am getting married”
There. Let
it sink in.
Woah, hold
your horses already. It is not me!
That came
from an old friend of mine, who just announced it when I was coming back home
from a busy day.
| Picture Courtesy: katcrunch |
2019 - the
year, in which I made a resolution to be more open, and socialise as many times
as possible to let go of my solitary state; my physiatrist calls it as a
behaviour or trait that I need to let go off as soon as possible. Perhaps he
is being overcautious in his approach or it might be just a necessity to bring
in some change.
And hence;
I planned many adventures and experiences (which I perceived to be worthwhile),
to be spent with friends or known associates. The year which would be filled
with many interactions, crazy hangouts and so much more. The heart which will
be filled with joy, with ever lasting memories of friendship in good times; the
moments which are rare to come by these days.
Those plans
took a weird detour with the arrival of an unknown factor – Marriage!
Well, again,
it is not me; but it is for my friends who caught this fever this year. The
detour in a highway, which once taken can never be undone; the path to oblivion. Those were the words of the same bunch of people
who have suddenly chosen the same detour, instead of the adventure road planned
by me for the whole year.
Buddies,
what the hell?
It is not
that I had not seen it coming, but really; I did not want to believe it at first
but it felt shocking to see a major chunk of my friends getting hitched during
the same time.
Am I
missing something? Is god laughing at me by arranging this forsaken coincidence?
Well I have
no idea. I feel gutted but I feel happy for my friends at the same time. Weird
right?
In fact, it
is a very weird feeling. A feeling that I am yet to comprehend, but perhaps I
will get used to it. The sooner the better!
Even then
when my friend called in, I never knew that he would also be the one dropping
the news on me.
“Well…umm…yeah…that’s great man!” I replied.
Smiling shyly, he says “It
is buddy”
“So, when is it?” I enquired cheerfully.
“Well,
that’s on 17th” he replied feeling excited.
“Feb or March?”
“No,
it’s in Jan only”
“Jan?”
Yes. Jan?
and Jan 17th?
That is the
career anniversary day!
A group of
nobodies, started the journey to their careers on this eventful day, together
with their many imperfections and here are we today, a bit battered and bruised
but feeling proud of what we have accomplished till date. Looking back, it does
feel nice; the journey which we embarked on from that date has been mostly
successful and eventful and it has been only possible because we had the
support of each other.
But the journey has only
started and we have miles to go. We might have found many companions and peers
along the way to share this journey, but I feel we would need each other’s
support more than ever. What shall we do? What should I do now?
“Remember the date okay? You have to come”
“It’s career anniversary day”
“I
know right.? A nice coincidence in fact!”
“Yes, it seems so” I smiled
“and
yes, the reception is on Sunday. We had to skip one day; don’t ask but just be
there okay?”
“I will have to check once” I replied not knowing if I have anything planned on that date. But does it matter?
“Please? Come to the reception at least. That would be perfect for you for sure”
“I will really have to check buddy. I promise to get
back to you as soon as possible”
“But
you will try to come right?
“I will try”
Laughing
he says “You will never change hah! I will await your answer. Have to go though. Bye”
That was
how it started. I didn’t know what to say, neither I had any plan to visit back
home during that time, and the thing that he sees me still being the same old
me has taken me aback as well.
Have I not
changed a bit?
I checked
my calendar and after some time digging into mails and going through some calls, have found out that I would definitely not be able
to attend the marriage on 17th, rest not celebrate the career
anniversary as well. But one thing I
was certainly capable of doing, was to attend his marriage reception.
Cause I have to!
That’s what are friends there for. Aren’t they?
Typing the
message, I sent it to my friend:
"I am sorry, but I would not be able to attend your marriage, but would
be able to join the reception on Sunday."
Memories
came back to me of those good times we had, when we shared the same apartment.
Those days of playing FIFA for countless nights, having chicken for successive twenty
days, being the wingman in respective date nights still bring the smile on my
face. We had a stupid but a great life back then.
A short
time back he replies:
"I knew you would come. Thank you so much for this."
They know
you so well. Don’t they?
I looked up
in the sky. The birds were flocking back home together. The haze will help turn the
colour above to pitch blank very soon. I looked back at my phone. Shall I call
home?
Kids were
still playing on the public ground, while I walked past a group of parents
cheering their kids; perhaps one scored a goal. Some wished if it was the last
kick of the day. One of the parents from the group was already calling the kids back, explaining to them that it has been pretty dark already.
I looked
back in the sky. The birds were not there, I could not see them anywhere.
Perhaps
they are at home, and
Perhaps it is time for me
to go home as well.
***
The story continues!
Perhaps time for u to get married 😂
ReplyDeleteahh...not yet!😂
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