Tribute to a Friend…A toast to our friendship!!

Day 1 at Trivandrum –
I was there to start the professional front of my life. Reached the venue provided by the firm a day prior. The room was allotted to me and I got busy settling my belongings.
Also, was eager to know who my room-mate would be. I soon learnt who my room-mate was and then, after some introductory chit chat, we both got busy doing what I was otherwise doing all alone, till sometime back.



Day 2 –
I got up real early and found the temperature awfully low…Managed a shower and got all ready for The Day. It was to be my first day as a professional. The buses were ready to pick us all up. We had to just grab a seat for ourselves.

This was when I noticed her, may be she did as well. We didn’t know each other, not wanting to know either…We were busy in managing a seat for ourselves.
We reached the premises; we reached the beautifully constructed office at about 7:30 am. The very first step into the workplace gushed a sense of pride within. Clearly, felt like I had moved one step higher in life.
 
I met my other friends and assembled in the auditorium after my breakfast. My friends were on my left and the seats on my right were vacant. We were chatting away to glory and gave it a quick full stop when the HR (Human Resource) executive entered the auditorium to address us. No sooner did I greet the HR head, unanimous with the crowd, I noticed the seats on my right occupied.
It was she again. She was sitting right beside me and her friends on her right. This time, we exchanged warm glances!

The day was packed with generic orientation sessions and that’s how the hectic day saw an end.
 
Day 3 –
We got to the office at the same time and had a few common sessions in the auditorium which was followed by the announcement of our batches; each batch having about 25 folks. The batch members’ names were announced and I couldn’t identify any familiar names in my batch. Every batch was routed to different laboratories. In any case, I had to move to my lab now.
 
I entered my lab and saw a few already seated. People were still coming in. I looked around and took a seat. The lab was big and the chair was comfortable. But my eyes were busy looking for an acquaintance…Alas, all in vain!
So I was all grooved to make friends now :) However, it looked like I was the only one whose vocal chords weren’t occupied…The others were all busy talking to their friends in groups. Soon, our technical coordinator entered the room and gave a greeting which was loud enough to break the deafening noise around. We were soon given unique identification numbers which were serial in order. We were then made to sit according to our Employee Ids.
My id was called out and I was allotted a system. I got seated comfortably…Eagerly waiting to know who would occupy the seat beside mine as I was horribly bored of being mute since quite a bit.
My wait was over and what a finish! It was she yet again!! She was not only in my batch but was also in my neighboring seat!!! I wondered why our paths were crossing every now and then…Was it some kind of indication!?! We now shared a blank smile…

Our coordinator took her turn to speak once we all got settled. All our ears were concentrating on what she said. In a while, we were introduced to the best way of gaining knowledge; SELF STUDY as it was proudly used! We were then left to spend the rest of the day with the online study materials.
We (read me & my lab neighbor) looked at each other at the same time and said “Hello” almost at once. The chat took off right there. We were having the usual introductory talks, trying to know each other. I felt great, as I could see a smooth connect happening between us. She seemed to be as loquacious as I was, making it all the more better! :)

Day 4 onwards –
The hesitant “hello” now became a beaming “hey”! We started knowing each other better every second we were together.

Most of the hours of all those training days were spent in our lab, growing to be the platform for more and more fun with a perfect blend of study combined! The breakfast and lunch time started happening together as well.

Dinners were always the most sought for, as it was the only meal of the day when we ate with a huge smile. The other meals were just an obligation to the hungry tummy. Obviously, you can’t smile when your taste buds are weeping!!! We, especially the two of us, used to so totally compensate for the day’s damage, over our dinner. The hot paranthas (Indian whole-wheat bread cooked in pan) with butter melting over them… Lip-smacking they used to be!!!

To top that, we both were the only ones in our gang who seemed to eat not to fill our tummies but to pacify our taste buds!

The twosome we shared was amazin’!! By default, it was assumed that Ahi & Tilu (yes, this is what we fondly called her) got to be together. It would come as a shock to the others if it wouldn’t be so; the shock giving rise to weird questions we could just laugh off.
Here’s somethin’ I can possibly never forget…I would clean my room every weekend just to be in her room for the rest of the time, never realized though. I could have rather cleaned her room!?! ;)

Whenever she called me on my intercom, she always found me cleaning or washing…And she used to hate that! Gosh! I miss those sarcastic bomb-shells she would bombard me with…I have to mention one of those: “Ahi, why just your room, clean others’ rooms as well honey. Also, the kitchen downstairs; you know it stinks, please clean that first…I will ask the cleaners to take an off!! They will bless you!” Phew!! No prizes for guessing what my reaction used to be then. I would laugh out loud coupling it with my apologies, irritating her all the more.

 

We shared our days, hours and seconds together,

Those programs we wrote, like we were programmers forever,

Those long talks, those fights trivial,

The weekends we freaked out, couldn’t have been more jovial…!

 

We’ve spent less than 4 weeks together,

Now its 2 years that we’ve known each other…

Wish we have more days of life together in this companionship,

Long live our friendship…!!!

 

Well, she is my absolute buddy named Tilanjali, who I fondly call Tilu. She is the best thing that happened to me in this phase of my life! No wonder, these days were so delightful…
Will always miss you dearie!
 
- Ahi : just a simple friend! :)