Few, but still many!

by Janhavi Patel (India)

Making a local connection India

Oh god! It’s so high. See there’s a beautiful yellow tree which is almost unseen from here. Don’t worry! I’ve heard the weather is pleasant there- I said to my father before departing for the city. It is 8 june,2018 and the green bushes, broad roads, huge buildings and obliging people have already welcomed us to Pune. The driver to our ride is already a friend now, and it feels great. An Indian city, also known as oxford of the east and has its great history and heritage. That is what I knew about it. And here I am, all settled for Pune, giving farewell to papa- ‘The hardest goodbye of all times.’ My first time in such a big city and I see it exquisitely beautiful. Not even a week here, and a brown headed tall girl, with long nose bridge is already wandering around along with a black headed short girl having a comparatively longer lower jaw in search of diverse cuisine and culture. It’s always thrilling to relish with friends. It’s 3rd jan, 2020 and I’m left with few of them though. So, back in 2018- my first year of college. I built permanent connections, we were a trio now. A dark skinned, south Indian boy has joined the company of these two crazy girls, one of which is me. He’s a localite and knows few good places to visit. We three go together like bread, butter and jelly. So, one another day we decided to visit a friend’s house. We reached there, in our two-wheeled open motor vehicle crossing all the traffic , highway scenarios consisting of asymmetrical mountains, slant roads where we did not accelerate our vehicle and just sit tight to one another, looking to each other’s amused faces, shouting in great elation, wohooo! I reached first, you lose- ‘the evergreen old school things.’ All the bushes, an old fashioned house covered with a layer of cement without being painted is right up to my oval face. And here, I see new faces including few animal faces too coming one after another, one of which seems quite similar to my friend’s face. They welcomed their son’s huge gang and the utensils filled with appetizing food is already decorated and placed for us. The Maharashtrian dishes are delicious and I’m already full but my tongue demands more. So, I accepted the offer of more fried rice from my friend’s second mother. We sat together with his father, both the mothers and his sister who recently turned a mother, watching the beauty of his house with cracked stairs and walls, holes in the window, beam of light coming besides the top floor’s room and hitting our faces. The room had some bad vibes and spirits at few unusual nights. He had experienced it and it was horrifying- he said. We breathed deeply listening to it, and went into the daylight near the mountains, watching his six years old brother riding a white horse; it seemed like a local breed. While we were scared to even come closer to the horse with shiny white hair. So, we walked ahead in search of a place to eat and relax. We found it. The three of us felt the closest that moment. We shared memories, about family, problems, embarrassing experiences and everything. This is my world I knew. It is 1st jan, 2020. I’ve already shifted to a 2BHK flat with my short friend and one other. Today, we wish each other a wonderful new year ahead, except we lack one wish. It’s almost more than five months since we haven’t seen his face and spoke to him. We see him pass by the college sometimes but making fun together is not really a part of our routine. Not even an eye contact is considered necessary. Worst is, none of us had a closure. Memories became enchanting, Things meant to happen for the good. I took that. And, here I’m 2 years in pune already, sitting at the peak of the same mountain with one hand on my friend’s shoulder, holding my pen and book with the other, making memories. Oh! Eliza look I see a yellow tree. It’s beautiful.