Day of All Friends

Day 1 – 14th August 2009 – Friday – began with much disappointment. We were in the train – of course, sleeping. I do not know how suddenly I woke up at midnight. I sent Abhilash two text messages – one to wish him on his birthday and second to ask him to board any train for Bangalore from Chennai on the same day if he feels better. But he didn’t reply. I learnt he is still ill and won’t turn up. I couldn’t contain my anger. I wanted to slap him for two reasons. One – for not visiting a doctor even after I repeatedly kept asking him from Monday. Two – for being sick and not boarding his train for Bangalore from Chennai on 13th night.

We got down at Bangalore City station at 9.45 am and went to Banashankari – where Sindhu Nair (my college friend who works with Accenture Bangalore) had arranged accommodation for us. I am really grateful to her – else we would never know which place to head towards after getting down at Bangalore. Freshened up at Sindhu’s Friend’s place – me and Sujesh left for Bang-3 office which is the most special for us – as it was the one where we spent most our weekends during Training to have lunches, dinners and games in the cafeteria.

As we reached there, Sujesh headed towards his previous project bay to meet his ex-teammates and I went to Tower-C cafeteria and called my Training friends there. After all, they were the only people I knew there, but they worked for different projects. Anitha and Karunya who were looking stunning in the Saris they wore for their ethnic day came to meet me there. “Adi, you have now become trendy. Looking cooler than previous”, I received the comments for my outfit – the ones that I was really waiting for. I had purchased the outfit only to show them. Anitha’s happiness was obvious from her smile and Karunya hadn’t changed at all. Her sentences still begin with “Ha da, No da...”. Joining us there was Manasa who was on bench in Pune for about 9 months and then relocated to a project in Bang-3. But I had too less time. With the inter-office shuttle that leaves Bang-3 at 1pm, I had to go to Bang-4 to meet another set of Accenture Friends. I was fortunate enough that I could meet Meera and Saigeetha before the shuttle started.

At about 1.30pm I reached Bang-4. Lucky enough, I could have lunch with Reshmi and Nilesh. Reshmi was looking “simply” beautiful in her pink outfit. I purposely quoted the word “simply” to highlight her simplicity. Though Bang-3 is a bigger office, I could meet most of my friends at Bang-4. Ankit, Jineeth, Sindhu Namithesh, Ashwini, Girish, Mohan, Saranya Balraj – you name them and they were there. Fortunate enough, I had ample of time to meet each one of them. The next office I had to visit was Bang-6 for which the shuttle from Bang-4 was at 4.20pm. Sindhu Nair – a sweetheart that she is, accompanied me to the shuttle. Her sari, jewellery, accessories and make-up perfectly suited her. She looked like the most eligible bride. Alas, I am not a Malayali.

At 5pm, I reached Bang-6. I called up Chetan who belongs to the same hometown as me – but we had never met before, though we had a set of mutual friends. He directed me to the cafeteria where I met Kavipriya and Sindhu Ramakrishnan – only to listen to the heated argument asking me why I got down at Bangalore if I wanted to go to Coorg the same day. Why did I visit them if I was so bad at finding time for them? To be frank, it wasn’t an argument. It was only an announcement. I had no answers to their questions. But I didn’t want to go back from Bangalore without meeting all of them either. Each one of them is very special to me and each one of them means a lot to me!

Then, from Bang-6, I and Sindhu Ramakrishnan headed back to Bang-4. But this time instead of an interoffice shuttle, I was traveling in a Bangalore Municipal Volvo. Sindhu Ramakrishnan was smart enough who took this decision and we reached Bang-4 to re-meet most of our friends. The reason we came back to Bang-4 was that Sindhu Ramakrishnan wanted to see Sindhu Namithesh who was looking gorgeous in her black sari with golden embroidery and matching accessories.

At Bang-4, I met Sujesh with whom I had parted ways in the morning. Me, Sujesh and Reshmi went to Forum – the best destination at Bangalore for youths to meet. Waiting for us there was Chetan – my hometown friend whom I met only in Bangalore. And joining us there was Malvika, our Accenture Friend. The boys’ dinner at Forum that night contained a Mc Veggie Burger and the French Fries that actually were ordered by the girls and emptied by the boys.

Waving a good-bye to Chetan, Malvika and Reshmi, me and Sujesh headed back to Banashankari – as we had to collect our luggage from there and begin our journey to Coorg with College Friends. At Banashankari, I met Sumesh, Mervin and Sindhu Nair – who had returned from their dinner. In a few minutes, joining us were Vanita, Pinky and Umesh who had spent their day at Infosys Bangalore.

From the last time I had met them, there was a remarkable change in each one of them. Pinky – with whom my conversations never longed more than Hi and Bye was now talking so much that even a gossip monger like me was speechless before her. Mervin – who was the most obedient scholar in the college now appeared like the Lord of Back Benchers. One thing I must say – may be he has taken his singing talent too seriously. It doesn’t matter to him if we are on a street or in a mall. He begins his performances wherever he is, much to amaze his fans. His body language and expressions add more life to his performances. Umesh, who was a boy next door in the college – now is referred as Omi, and this name suits him perfectly for his impressive looks and well built body. Though this name suits him, I found it a little difficult to accept it – for I have always heard him with the name Umesh. One thing that hadn’t changed in him was shaking his head while talking, to cause his hair brush his forehead.

It was first time after the college that I had met these three folks – Pinky, Mevin and Umesh. I’d met them after 27 months. Considerable changes in each one of them! And I loved the changes I noticed in them. But no one noticed the changes in me. “You still look like a kid who studies in ninth standard”, everyone has the same comment for me. I still wonder... what is the reason that I do not grow???

Peep... peep... blew the horn of the Tavera. It had arrived near Sindhu’s Place at Banashankari. We all jumped into it. Mervin and Nilesh sat besides driver – the place where no one among us could disturb their privacy. Behind them were Umesh, Pinky and Vanita and couple of bags. And in the dickey were Sumesh, Sindhu, Sujesh and Me.

“Ganapati Bappa Morya” we alarmed the beginning of our journey towards Coorg at about 11pm. Each one of us had a long day on 14th August. Umesh, Nilesh and Sindhu had returned from work. Sumesh and Mervin had spent their day roaming in Bangalore – causing profits to the auto drivers. Vanita and Pinky had met their respective friends at Infosys Bangalore. I and Sujesh met ours in Accenture.

Even after such a long day, the energy levels of each one of us were on a high. We all had a lot of enthusiasm. I guess when friends are around us, our body automatically generates the positive energy to keep us get going. We had so much energy that Sujesh and Sumesh even exchanged the seats with Nilesh and Mervin – Right from driver’s side seats to the dickey.

“Gori Tera Gaon Bada Pyara” and other yesteryears classics were being played by the driver uncle in the Tavera. Soon the disc was replaced with Tashan with everyone humming the lyrics of “Falak Tak Chal Saath Mere”. Soon, we asked to power off the music system and powered on the songs in the cell phones. “Pehli Baar Mohabbat Ki Hai” is the one I will never forget – for the most interesting rhythm and most relatable lyrics. As the cell phones instantiated our singing skills, we began singing the rhymes which had no rhythm. Yet, they looked melodious when we all were singing together.