'Do you remember that spot where we used to keep away our stash of all our secret precious things?' my friend asked me.I held her hand tight and smiled.
There I was , looking at my dearest friend Tina, since childhood.While at Sherwood, we were neighbours, friends, schoolmates till I left for boarding after my 10th grade. She chose to stay at the same place, graduated in science stream , got married and had two beautiful children.I left the town to pursue my dream, completed my engineering, became a software developer, got married and settled as a metropolitan.
After my parents left Sherwood, I never did go back there.During the initial years after I left the town, I used to write letters(emails weren't fully prominent then) to Tina , who used to reply animatedly telling about everything happening back then at Sherwood. Further down ..we progressed to emails , but Tina couldn't mail me much as her accessibility to internet was much less.Understandable.. but that gap stayed and the frequency of mails from me decreased over time.I was enjoying a new life, new friends , better style, status while poor Tina regularly mailed me, updating with news from her side. I got caught in the whirlwind life at the city and maybe used to reply her when I felt to.
18 long years passed and one day while sitting idle at the office , I browsed through my personal emails and noticed an email from Tina.It was after a long time. I smiled and opened it.My smile vanished..
Tina was suffering from fourth stage cancer which had spread across her body from her recent bout of breast cancer.She wanted to see me before her feared death.I was numbed and a splurge of guilt flashed all across my face.I had ignored her, all these years..I didn't make any effort to stay in touch with her and I had a folder full of unopened emails from her..I opened the attachment she sent.Her latest photograph with her kids.Gosh..they looked grown up , Matt and Jenna and of course Peter, her husband. She looked shriveled, her hair all gone, the smile still the same..the big earnest one..the one I used to receive when I was 5 and my day started.I shut down my system and made a few calls.Next day I flew down and was by her side.
Sherwood, was a beautiful town.Its skies had the most beautiful colour and brightness and the flora and fauna made it heaven.Be it summer or winter, spring or autumn, it had a rare beauty which I had missed all these years.Now, as I looked around , Sherwood was like any other US city. Neatly made roads, pavements, cottages.Gone were those rickety fenced houses, the unevenly spread woods, the sprawling large , empty lands where we used to camp, cycle, play all our pretend games on.
Tina had a quiet funeral. I stood at the corner, looking at each and everyone paying her their last respects.Many were familiar faces, from my school days. Her family which included her husband, children , her mother Ellie, her sister Mary and few uncles. I looked at her children. Jenna was a splitting image of young Tina and I was having a tough time facing her. I walked out, for some air and into the woods.I was surprised how small the woods had become.I remember we used to be scared of getting lost whenever we used to venture into the woods.I found Mark, Tina's brother and together we walked silently.
Suddenly, Mark took my arm and he said 'Come..you need to see something.' We walked over to a tree, a very old tree sans leaves.It looked old and dying.As I approached it, I could feel a strange sense of feeling coming on to me.My heart beat faster and I looked around.I looked at Mark and he smiled.
Yes ! This was the same , old tree under which Tina and me had stashed away our treasure chest.I bent down and furiously started digging.My handed clinked at a metal and I tugged at it.There came out the chest, still intact. It was handmade by my dad who had made it on my request.I cleared off the dust and took a deep sigh..Mark walked away..I opened it..
There were newspaper clippings, photos..then some clay models which me and Tina had created, few Christmas presents we had given each other..our bad mark cards(LOL!). I picked up the clippings..it was of those in which I had appeared during the International conventions and meetings I had appeared.Then prints of my family which I had mailed her some years back..some facebook pics of me and my husband..pics of her children..their childhood..poems which I had written to her on her birthday.
Oh Tina!!all this..and I simply didn't know..
I looked up..the breeze whispered sounds into my ears..sounds of her laughter..The branches of the tree under which I was sitting were swaying into a dance..The day was over and the skies had turned a bright orange..into the darkness which I was now being drawn into.I realized what I had lost..leafless..lifeless like this tree..I stared at the chest and tears welled up.I cried out load..my cries drowned in the breeze..I placed the chest back into the same place and covered it up.I covered up the last remains of what I had last of my dearest friend.No ..I didn't want any of them with me..a constant reminder of my terrible soul..I stood and walked a few steps..turned back..There it was..that soulless tree..like me..holding the memories of the best and worst times of our friendship..I walked away..this time never to turn back..
I am sorry..Tina..Please forgive me..
Painting by my sister and best friend..BIJNA RASHIK..
There I was , looking at my dearest friend Tina, since childhood.While at Sherwood, we were neighbours, friends, schoolmates till I left for boarding after my 10th grade. She chose to stay at the same place, graduated in science stream , got married and had two beautiful children.I left the town to pursue my dream, completed my engineering, became a software developer, got married and settled as a metropolitan.
After my parents left Sherwood, I never did go back there.During the initial years after I left the town, I used to write letters(emails weren't fully prominent then) to Tina , who used to reply animatedly telling about everything happening back then at Sherwood. Further down ..we progressed to emails , but Tina couldn't mail me much as her accessibility to internet was much less.Understandable.. but that gap stayed and the frequency of mails from me decreased over time.I was enjoying a new life, new friends , better style, status while poor Tina regularly mailed me, updating with news from her side. I got caught in the whirlwind life at the city and maybe used to reply her when I felt to.
18 long years passed and one day while sitting idle at the office , I browsed through my personal emails and noticed an email from Tina.It was after a long time. I smiled and opened it.My smile vanished..
Tina was suffering from fourth stage cancer which had spread across her body from her recent bout of breast cancer.She wanted to see me before her feared death.I was numbed and a splurge of guilt flashed all across my face.I had ignored her, all these years..I didn't make any effort to stay in touch with her and I had a folder full of unopened emails from her..I opened the attachment she sent.Her latest photograph with her kids.Gosh..they looked grown up , Matt and Jenna and of course Peter, her husband. She looked shriveled, her hair all gone, the smile still the same..the big earnest one..the one I used to receive when I was 5 and my day started.I shut down my system and made a few calls.Next day I flew down and was by her side.
Sherwood, was a beautiful town.Its skies had the most beautiful colour and brightness and the flora and fauna made it heaven.Be it summer or winter, spring or autumn, it had a rare beauty which I had missed all these years.Now, as I looked around , Sherwood was like any other US city. Neatly made roads, pavements, cottages.Gone were those rickety fenced houses, the unevenly spread woods, the sprawling large , empty lands where we used to camp, cycle, play all our pretend games on.
Tina had a quiet funeral. I stood at the corner, looking at each and everyone paying her their last respects.Many were familiar faces, from my school days. Her family which included her husband, children , her mother Ellie, her sister Mary and few uncles. I looked at her children. Jenna was a splitting image of young Tina and I was having a tough time facing her. I walked out, for some air and into the woods.I was surprised how small the woods had become.I remember we used to be scared of getting lost whenever we used to venture into the woods.I found Mark, Tina's brother and together we walked silently.
Suddenly, Mark took my arm and he said 'Come..you need to see something.' We walked over to a tree, a very old tree sans leaves.It looked old and dying.As I approached it, I could feel a strange sense of feeling coming on to me.My heart beat faster and I looked around.I looked at Mark and he smiled.
Yes ! This was the same , old tree under which Tina and me had stashed away our treasure chest.I bent down and furiously started digging.My handed clinked at a metal and I tugged at it.There came out the chest, still intact. It was handmade by my dad who had made it on my request.I cleared off the dust and took a deep sigh..Mark walked away..I opened it..
Oh Tina!!all this..and I simply didn't know..
I looked up..the breeze whispered sounds into my ears..sounds of her laughter..The branches of the tree under which I was sitting were swaying into a dance..The day was over and the skies had turned a bright orange..into the darkness which I was now being drawn into.I realized what I had lost..leafless..lifeless like this tree..I stared at the chest and tears welled up.I cried out load..my cries drowned in the breeze..I placed the chest back into the same place and covered it up.I covered up the last remains of what I had last of my dearest friend.No ..I didn't want any of them with me..a constant reminder of my terrible soul..I stood and walked a few steps..turned back..There it was..that soulless tree..like me..holding the memories of the best and worst times of our friendship..I walked away..this time never to turn back..
I am sorry..Tina..Please forgive me..
Painting by my sister and best friend..BIJNA RASHIK..
Good one, :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Mayur...
ReplyDeleteGreat Story.. Well Written
ReplyDelete