Strange tribute

“Hey what are you doing?....Avi and I have just started a lunch in Red Hot Chili Peppers…? Can the assignment wait…? I am just suggesting you to drop everything and join us? …No Excuse.

That was Debasish speaking to Saikat, while I was deeply engrossed with the Roasted Chilli Pork chops.

Debasish and Saikat are two of my oldest friends. After high school we went separate ways. Debasish went to study Engineering, Saikat to become a photographer and me a Market Analyst. After a long winded path Debasish and I landed back to our hometown, Calcutta. Saikat never left. It was more than eight years, since we were getting a chance to sit and cherish our past while sighing about the unknown future.

Saikat was in by 10 minutes. It was one of the most memorable lunch, I had. We promised each other that since we are in the city we must meet at least once a week. We realized that despite our ages, when we are together, we become not quite different from what we were as teen agers.

Little we knew that after two of three such meetings, we will be separated again. Debasish, traveling for several assignments across Europe for his firm, and me leaving everything that was dear to me to carve out an academic career starting with a PhD. Once during my high school days I spent nine months in Delhi. It was pre Internet days. Ever week I wrote to Saikat and Debasish. Fountain Pen and white paper. They wrote back. Today, despite the endless possibilities with advancement of Internet, cell phone, web 2.0, the email addresses or Saikat and Debashish are hardly typed, when I write anything. Strangely though I miss their company and distinctly remember every incident associated with our last few meetings.