Times to Keep

  A sense of urgency suddenly flooded me , it usually does this time of the evening . I looked at my watch . It was 6.30 .

"6.30 !!!???!! Already !! " , I gasped . I still had so much to do , so much to finish . But still  I can't hold my feet in the office after 7 , 7.10 maximum . So I rushed up , finished as much as I could and rushed out of my desk , texting  : " wru ? I'll be out in a min " .

I was near the door , when I mobile beeped with the txt msg , " Im out . you come out soon . "

When I opened the door , there he was - Siva , sitting on the stone bench smiling warmly as always  . After an apology for making him wait , we dashed down the subway to the parking area , which is the easiest access for all the buildings in the complex .

"Gunda !!! Née overa vela seiyura da ippo .. Suthama seri illa " , complained shiva . This was an usual statement . After a blunt reply as always , our conversation moved on to other topics , like , what would u do if had a girl friend like deepika padukone , and how fat I am , which by the way is a big lie , but he likes to tease me that way , not only him , even Anand . I have grown to like that in a way .

We were walking to our meeting spot , enviously staring at all the couples passing by and wondering when we ll be like them and lamenting that all the good looking ones are always already taken and sulking over the same thing .

A big smile invited us . It was Nikita . But soon it vanished and her eyebrows went up , questioning . I opened up to give the same old answer , that I give everyday for coming late , but she just waved the answer away . We three sat there chatting .

 Nikita always saying something about shiva and me jumping in for his defense , which will finally end up with her making a face and muttering , " can't u stop supporting him even for sec " and me grinning for that question and shiva tapping my shoulder and saying  " Nanbaen da !! " -  Is almost like a daily routine . At one point of time , when he is really into it , he will start singing with expressions that even the over-acting actors will try to avoid .

Suddenly , from the back , another brilliant voice ( :-p ) , joined him . It was anand , our hero-director-writer-singer and so on . As many would like to call , he is a fun bomb .   With aishwarya and mohana joining me , in the " OMG !! Not again " , sorta reaction , we begin to plead them to stop singing , which they will do after a long time .  And then comes Jahir ,  walking towards us in his usual dance like motion , signaling that he is happy . He starts blushing even before we start asking him anything . He is the luckiest one among us , with a team full of good-looking girls . " Damn u , Jahir " .  He then starts talking about his team , making us terribly angry . He just liked seeing our face go down in jealousy , and laughing at our poor pity state .

After some time , Jahir and Nikita will leave for their buses . I have to stand in a long queue , right from 7.40 to get a seat in my 8.15 bus . But I'm usually accompanied by my friends till I get a seat . One small chocolate , or anything edible is enough to make anand , jump in joy . Even a sugar packet from the cafe would do the trick . His eyes will open wide and his lips would curl up to a big wolffish grin at the very sight of food . His reactions will automatically make u feel light and smile . He seriously is one big fun bomb .

Then we take turns teasing each out for a while . It usually starts with aishwarya , the so - called jenelia of our gang :-p .

Okay , one thing they usually come up with , teasing me , is how I blush . They have a set a questions which just makes me blush that way .


"hey ! Hari . See . That girl is staring at you ". 


" when do u plan to get married ?.  " 


" hey hari ...there are few girls in my hostel who keep asking about you " 

And sometimes even ,

"hari ippo blush pannuvaan paaren "  .......Would have me blushing . Darn it ! I just couldnt control it .

The bus engine roared to a start , and I turned back and started running towards it .
" hey ! That wasn't ur bus . It was the one standing behind urs " , yelled shiva and aishwarya . But I didn't care , I just kept running towards my bus . It's not that I find it hard to board a running bus , but still ...... U know .

After finding my seat , I wave at them , receiving a big ta-ta in return and slowly the bus begins to move .

These happen almost daily . Smaller , it may be , but still these things , make my day .  With friends like these around you , there is no room for any stress or depression . Thank god for everything and I'm really glad for having such friends . I wish to have the memories saved for a life time and so , here it is , in words - to remind .