Loss of a Friend

Today was a good day. I had fun, studied a little, woke up early and bathed. It was perfect.

Night fell, and I opened facebook. Usual notifications on likes, comments, apparently a request to like a page too. I scrolled through the chat screen. There! Bharath was online!

"Hey!", I started.

"hi dude"

"Wassup?"

"Hey Vk, one sad news dude"

"what?"

"Our school friend Bhargava passed away a day before yesterday in an accident"

My fingers were typing the condolences and sad smileys; and my mind was pre-occupied with the moments which come up whenever I hear "Bhargava".

Rewind to 2007, my first day in higher secondary school. I sat with Bharath, Muthu, and Bhargava. I had many other friends like Chetan, Jaspal, Jigar, Karthik, so on. . But, its Bhargava who died. So, I'll write on him to vent my regret. I remember him as a good, lean guy who was never afraid to do anything -- literally anything.

There was one day, when he came to my home for group study. We had our board exams. He entered my room. And, "Enna da! Evalo books ae vechi enna panna pora? Potti kada torakka poriya?"

\*translation -- what the hell! What are you gonna do with so many books? Planning to opening a Petty shop?*/

And we studied. I was in computer science group, and he was in biology. He came for chemistry. He even noted a jar of water with 2 glasses on my desk. He told, "You're a pakka Seth. ." I snapped, "It’s a plastic jug dude!"

\*Translation -- Seth vaguely refers to a Madu (Marwari) guy*/

2 weeks later, I went to his home. He guided me to his room. There was a hill of books, neatly piled up one on the other. The pile was taller than him, and I was 1.5 feet taller than him. I chuckled. I didn't have a camera then. I saw a jar of water on his deck. I asked, "what's that?". "I borrowed your secret for scoring high marks", pat came the reply. I sighed, "If you have bowel movement problems, then that jar will help you". We laughed.

He was so good. One day, I fought with him. In class. A local rowdy style fist fight. And, it was a draw. After school, we parted our ways. And never heard of him. And when I did, he was no more. A car run over him and his bike  near  Light house.

I couldn't say him good bye. I couldn't be there for his funeral. I couldn't tell him how good a friend he was for me. When I had the time, 3.5 years to be approximate, I thought "I'll meet him later. Where's he gonna go anyway?". Well, he's gone for good now.

I want to cry, sob. But; all the memories I have of him are so jovial that I can't stop smiling and roll on the floor laughing. Maybe he wants to be remembered that way. Or maybe, I'm hysterical.

Reaper, you made your presence felt. Don't let me forget that. Don't let me forget the eternal truth.

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