When Harry met Sarry

Before your wild imagination takes you to the wilder South African forests let me clarify that I haven’t tattooed his name on my wrist yet. Neither has he cut his finger to put the sindoor on my head. I will keep you informed the moment we decide to elope singing pyar-kiya-tho-darna-kya… So till then you can pass time thinking of Rakhi Sawant & Mika Singh

Sometimes we have no explanation as to why we meet some one. Somebody just walks in and be a part of our life. So much a part of our day to day existence that a life without he/she becomes so painfully unimaginable. All my life I had been really lucky. And when it comes to people, I was luckier.

This guy walked into my life one fine day with his ever enchanting smile and became a big part of my small and messy world. We are not bound by any social or genetical obligation. Still we go on. If you still don’t know who am I referring to, you can check this or this.

"He is weirder than you told me”
That is what exactly what I told my friend when she introduced her school time pal to me for the first time. Well, there was more for me to find out.

Every one else kept wondering how could I laugh on all of his PJs and I was wondering how could he remember all of those PJs since time immemorial. He not only could recollect those but also narrate it so lively that I could laugh even if I was in a funeral and till my tummy ached threatening to throw up all the chicken I just ate.

We could talk about anything under the sun and were happy about each other that we got someone who actually cared to listen. Nothing was taboo. While on the roller coaster ride he would try to give me tips as to how I could avoid my fear, which I would understand only after the guy who operates stopped the whole thing fearing I would jump out of it and somebody poured the entire bottle of Pepsi down my throat.

In the mornings it always used to be a whirlpool experience before getting into the office. He would promise to pick me from my place and drop me before he went to work. He would stop in front of the roadside shop to force me to have breakfast. I would yell and abuse him with my witchiest of tongues that I would get late for the office. He would still remain calm and try to force me have food. He would plead and cajole me into eating something, promising lots of rewards in return, waking up the stubborn five year old in me. I would oblige by pushing the food down my throat. And he would fly with a scared-to-death me with eyes closed sitting behind.

He would call me and keep talking to me till the time he realises that I fell asleep long time back. I would hang up on his face on a rage of fury and he never hesitated to call back. I never remembered or noticed that he needed something but he noticed it was winter and left his jacket at my place.

We have tried cooking together but couldn't agree upon the amount of chilly to be put. We fought in the kitchen with the knives, still had food with so much relish that everyone else thought we were just back from Somalia.

He would gift me anything and everything and I, being my same careless wicked self would lose it somewhere. After that it would be Rose's responsibility to go on a frantic searching mode just to confirm that "it is lost". He would yell at me for not being careful but buy me the same thing again hoping I would change one day.

His perseverance is really admirable. Even after knowing me for more than a year, he still believes that I would change one day. Something like one day I would get up and call him to tell, look I have decided to keep things in order, apply for my ECNR, have food at proper times, be careful while walking on the road and …. and … and …

When I was moving out of Hyderabad, I knew he is going to be the one person whose absence will always stand in the way of my liking towards Mumbai.

Last weekend, he was here. Though he was bit lost with his sweetheart (;)), he managed to rejuvenate our warm friendship. We had a real blast. So much fun for two days.

I didn't know where to take him. I was equally scared to introduce him to the Mumbai trains. But I had no choice.

We were at the railway station. Anyone who has even heard of M of Mumbai must have invariable heard of its railway stations and trains. He had heard about it too. But he wasn't sure if I was just exaggerating. (Can’t blame him for suspecting that).

"I want to try the train"
"Sure? You may not find it easy"
"Phew"

OK. I was scared that it would be too crowded and messy for him. So we took first class ticket. The station was not as crowded as I thought. Still there was the typical hustle bustle. We stepped into the station and I was walking fast towards the platform dragging him along.

"You are careless while walking"
"Me, why?" I didn't get it.
"Don’t you see these perverts coming and hitting you purposely?"
"What? Common, everyone is in a hurry; you are getting worried for no reason"
"You don't know about men"

He literally managed to get me to the platform with nothing but the hot & humid air touching me. I can't describe the look he gave to the fellows who dared to pass anywhere near me. He would stand as a wall between the crowd and me. We had to get down at Dadar to change to central line. He got a view of the crowd from the top of the over bridge. He couldn't se anything other than people's heads.

"What an uncivilized crowd?"
"What crowd?!!!!!!!!!"
"I don't understand why they can’t maintain any decorum"
“!!!!!!!!!”

The train came and left in less than half a minute. He kinda got to know the reason behind the barbaric mumbaikars. On our train journey back, he looked at me with the innocence and regret of a 10 year old.
"I didn't know that these trains are such a mess. Sorry dear"

He was shaken and I could see the concern in his eyes. Then came a list of do's and don't do's to be followed while entering/traveling/exiting the trains; a long list indeed. I lost count after the 102 tip.

If you want to know a first-hand narration of the weekend, you should check here.

Man, we all had a great weekend. All of us – me, Rose and Nair, managed to keep our lazy ass selves in the closet for some time and managed to catch up with you. Come down more often. We are all waiting for you.

Now you know why I call him my best friend. They say friends are god sent angels. I don't know about everyone, but he truly is.