Rediscovering Myself 4 - When Past meets Present

I had to write this Special Edition primarily because of two reasons that I simply cannot ignore:
(1) Meeting my best buddy after 7 long eventful months
(2) My trip to New York City

Dec 23, 2:00 pm: I am busy packing all my things in my mini suitcase. I packed everything one moment and unpacked all the next moment. I felt as if I forgot my little belongings although I had literally put almost everything in the bag. I called up my friend every minute to ask him if I should get anything more. I was so nervous to meet him after 7 months. Last time I saw him, it was in Pune. After 5 years of staying together as roomies, we had parted. I was so excited to see him again. I was desperately waiting for this day to come.

My journey to New Jersey and New York begins here. I am accompanied by my college mate during the trip. He will be off to his uncle's place and I will off to my friend's apartment. We are supposed to board the 5:20 American Airlines flight. We reach on time but alas we learn that the flight is delayed. The flight finally takes off at 7:15 pm and we reach Newark Liberty Airport at 8:30pm. My friend's uncle is late to pick us off. He drops me at 98D Cedar Lane, Highland Park.

Dec 23, 11:00 pm: I was inside the car as it approached the NJ Transit bus stop. It was cold and dark outside and I saw a very familiar figure, waiting at the bus stop. Clad in a brown hoodie, I saw the face of a guy, I had been dying to meet for months. The same physique, the same build, the same unshaved face and the same cute smile. I saw my friend.
It was in Pune that I last bid him bye. I was leaving for my home and he saw me off in an auto and I kept waving my hand with a deep sorrow in my heart. Things had changed since. Eventful months in between...But US brought us back together.

We are friends again. Best friends like before - for five years we were literally friends, parents and siblings to each other. Perhaps life is truly strange. You always tend to do the worst things with the best of the people and then learn your mistakes. That in fact tells you how best that person is in your life.

My friend looked exactly the same. Its just that the surrounding had changed. The place was different, the time was different and the situation was different. I was clueless of how to react. I got down from the car, handed over my bag to him and smiled at him, as if it was something very usual; as if I was away for sometime and now I was back.

His apartment was very clean. He had cleaned it for me. I met his new roomies, all gujjus, quite expected. The guys were very sober and friendly. They treated me royally initially as if I was some guest. But it hardly took time to become a part of their daily chore. I was back at my place - felt so happy and relieved that my friend was with me like before.

My 10 days in New Jersey was so very peaceful. Life was so nice and sweet. There was no tension, nothing to worry about. Time just flew away. Almost all the time I was with my friend, talking and talking and talking. Our discussions never ended and as usual our discussion were varied. They began from Masters studies in NJ and NC, went on to College in Nagpur, and then our office days and then politics in Gujarat to Hollywood movies to communist policies in West Bengal to Barrack O Bama in US to Usher and what not. This is the best part of all. I have always enjoyed talking to my friend. Talking with him means learning and sharing. It's after all not those boyish and kiddish talks about who's the hottest girl in town. I am bored with all that stuff. And here I found oxygen again. It felt so relieving to be able to be myself with him. I was the real me after ages.

The stay in NJ involved hopping into MenloPark Mall and Woodbridge Mall, catching movies at the AMC Theaters (this was after a long long time...I have watched around 500 movies with this friend of mine....there was a time when every night when my Mom called me, she was fed up to hear me saying "Mom, I am inside the theater, I cant talk to you now, Call me later!!!"), cooking food for friends, drinking sparkling wine and american beer, watching movies on the laptop, and sleeping the rest of the time in peace!!!

My trip also involved twice travelling to New York City.
The All awaited NYC. If only life could be standstill. From the Empire State, to the Statue of Liberty, to Ellis Island, to The Charging Bull, NYSE, Times Square, NASDAQ, Rockefeller, WTC Site, Brooklyn Bridge and what not. I was just speechless, awestruck, dumbfounded and bereft of words. World No. 1 city NYC...and I was there. My friend made it possible. All credit goes to him. Thanks a zillion times that he accompanied me to NYC. We went to Madame Tussuad's as I had always pampered him about. And we did have great fun.
We went to Planet Hollywood, Virgin Studios, and Roxy Pastries to have $10 pastries. Life was at its peak...I was thrilled to be a part of this trip. It was all dream come true.

One whole week...time flew away...and when it was time to part again from my best buddy...my heart sank deep...emotions began overflowing...

Here I am back to Raleigh...busy all time in labs and classrooms...spending most of the time doing projects and assignments...torn apart from the fun life I envy of...eagerly waiting for a call form my friend...while most of the times getting succumbed to monotony and boredom and trying to make myself happy thinking of the colorful past and wishing only if they could be my present...

They say...life is all about bits and parts of events...which when put together at the right place and time makes it colorful...Thanks to my friend...whom I love the most...hat's off to his patience and intellect to tolerate me for more than 5 years now...thanks to God for making me a better person...so that I could come back to him as a trustworthy guy...and build up a bond that is stay forever.