Last night, I experienced the joy of reuniting with old friends, though it was just five of us. Over a decade has passed since our last gathering, and then we were seven. Life, however, had its say – one dear friend left us too soon, and another was unable to join. This reunion stood as a testament to the powerful bonds of friendship we forged during our formative years. Back then, it wasn’t merely about going to the same school; we lived in different places, but were united by the moments spent on streets playing cricket, sharing jokes, and navigating the maze of teenage angst. Those years provided a much-needed sense of camaraderie and togetherness that feels scarce nowadays.
We chose a location for our reunion that was near where we all once lived, though only one of us still resides in that area now. The rest have scattered across different parts of the city as well as overseas. The neighborhood itself has transformed dramatically. It no longer has the low-rise buildings and open grounds of our youth, where roads were car-free and we could play freely. Today, soaring skyscrapers dominate, and cars clutter the streets, making them difficult to navigate. The once open ground where we played is now owned by a private club with restricted access.
Amidst these changes, some remnants of the past linger, like the Bhelpuriwala who continues to dispense delight. That vendor is partly to blame for my weight gain, thanks to the delicious bites we’d grab every evening after our games and chats. This gathering also reminded us of life's fragility. In our sixties now, the loss of a friend in recent years was unexpected, and beyond brief condolences, not much was discussed. We've accepted such incidents as part of life's tapestry. The home of our childhood is unrecognizable; fond memories, my friends and siblings are all that remain of those early years.
Reflecting on those times, it’s difficult to capture the essence of our youth. Back then, we could converse freely, often using language that, though colourful, has matured over the years. Now, most of us are married, and the allure of drink has replaced some of the simpler pastimes of our youth. Despite the changes, that underlying bond remains, a thread that ties us to who we once were and still are.
A school reunion : Happened last month
Road no 7 (still unnamed, the source of our cricketing exploits)
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