June23, 2007
He told me that it was his best friend’s birthday that day… your birthday. I was apprehensive. You know that I’m not good with people, especially strangers, and how I hate to make new friends. Hence, I was anxious and worried through out the day. I did badly at job, I snapped at my juniors, almost had an argument with my Dad… in short, I was not comfortable with the thought that I was going to meet a stranger whom I was expected to like and befriend instantly.
We reached the restaurant that you were waiting at… with your friends. As we were about to climb up the stairs, you came running down, hugged your friend and gave me the biggest smile and the warmest handshake ever. And I liked you, instantly. I smiled back.
June23, 2009
It’s been two years since then. We have been through a lot of up’s and down’s in our personal lives, as well as in OUR lives… but we have stuck together! And been the greatest friends ever.
It’s your birthday today… you turned 24… and it’s our anniversary too… of being bhai – behen (I still wear the black ring, you lost yours! Grrr), of being partners in crime, of being the masterminds behind crazy plans, of being associates for smuggling in all the cigarettes that we ever wanted, of being comrades while pulling off the most inane tricks on Anurodh, of being teammates while harassing Ansh and making the poor guy feel guilty for no apparent reason, of beings friends who stand for each-other , no matter what the occasion is.
Ihave never said it to you before… But my sweetest memories of Mumbai are related to you… sitting precariously together on the 9th floor slanting tank, holding on to each other, while enjoying the evening looking across the film-city mountains… locking me up in a room (on pretense) and arranging an awesome birthday party in a few minutes – complete with balloons, flowers, cake and a butcher knife…! Saying ‘yes’ to whatever demands or requests that I ever made… discussing film-scripts until the wee hours of the morning, when the rest of the household slept… watching ‘Requiem for a Dream’ twice, just because you knew that I love the film… playing Dumb charades in the middle of a busy pub, behaving as if no one noticed… doing a little rain dance with me in the middle of the road at Lonavla… buying me 5 stars every time you came over to meet us… helping me organise the surprise birthday party for Ansh (you and Anu actually took leave that day, when I couldn’t!!!)…
The list is endless… but today, I would like to say thanks for all the sweet as well as not-so-sweet things that you did for me! I’m lucky to have you in my life. I love you Manish. Wish you a very Happy Birthday dude. God bless!!!!
