How varied can life be. Little do you realize this
when you are 12 years old, sitting under the Centre Tree in the shade from the
Malwa Sun in October, having lunch with 5 other girls – who you think are
exactly like you. You belong to the same class. You wear the same uniforms and
identical pigtails. The only difference there is what you have got in your
tiffin box – Aloo Sabji and Rote, Paratha and Achaar, Bhindi and Roti, Methi ka
paratha, Mutton Samosas and Orange Marmalade Sandwich.
I never realized then that life could take us where
it has. Of course, I never assumed that I’d still be in touch with them even now.
We have grown up to be the best of friends, with nothing in common. Out of the
6 of us, one dropped out – we are not in touch anymore – but is a happy mom.
One is a doctor and new mom in Gujarat. One is mom of two, teacher for creative
writing flitting between Indore and Gujarat. One is a Doctor (PHD) in Optics
(or something on those lines), a mom in the US, one is a CA, now a stay-at-home
mom of two at Mumbai. And there’s me – married to and at Bombay, a trying to
find my footing in Corporate India.
When we chose our streams back in class 11, little
did we realize the diverse paths that were ahead of us. When Fatso (name
changed) took up Commerce with Home Science – I thought it was a sheer waste of
talent – but she had to – she didn’t want to be over-qualified for a suitable
match in her community. Well, later on, she studied the most amongst us – a
double MA, tutor on the side, and English teacher – one girl who beat all odds,
stood by her principles and did what her heart told her to – without ticking
anyone off. Now happy, with the life she has – two lovely daughters, the good
life. I also had notions about who would get married when and in what sequence
– I always thought that Fatso would be the first to bite the bullet, followed
by K, then me and then, Amu. It so happened that Amu was the first to get
married!
We have very different lives now – a different set
of friends, varied eating habits, different routines – different priorities in
life. But at the heart of it, we are still the same. We still managed to meet
up at Bombay after eons – husbands, kids, et al. We could still talk about
everything under the sun. I may not confide in them may latest trouble at work
or home, but I know they are around. I could always fall back on any one of
them. And most of all, even with all the distances between us, even now, when I
call one of them – we have plenty to talk – plenty to last us an hour!
Guess that’s what the recesses under the Centre
Tree did to us.
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