Friendship Day???'

Long long time ago, when we were in school, the three of us would sit up on the first Saturday of August in our respective houses, making Friendship Day cards or bands for each other. We were very good friends, though at that time it seemed immaterial. We would do all things as were popular among young silly schoolgirls at that time. Debu would go to the nearby Archies shop to select the latest and smartest card of the year, Monali would make bands from wool and I would make a mess with my water-colours at home, trying to turn out decent cards.

Those were not the days of www or of e-cards, or of internet deliveries. We would meet each other at someone's place on Sunday and would exchange these gifts. There would not be any polite "you shouldn't have", the indignant "this gifts were not required", or the snubbing "again?you gave me a gift just a while back"; just a heartfelt smile, a warm hug and the genuine words "thanks for being my friend". We formed a group, a unit really strong and shared a love for each other which we didn't realize in those days. We also had mutually exclusive friends who we kept away from this core group. Debu had other childhood friends who came to visit her later in the day, Monali had family friends who would call her up later in the day and I was a little lost in the world of imaginary (and some real) boyfriends.

At that time, we had some 'Value Education' classes in school. Our teacher had told us during one such class that the friends we made in school would always be our favourite people, and typical of teenagers , we didn't believe her then. After Friendship Day,we wore our bands for the ongoing week and she laughed at the long row of students sitting with at least one band around their wrists. She told us that we probably would not remember the bands, or the year of celebration, but we would always remember the friends who made this day special for us.

Monali, the most mature among us, would sigh and say philosophically, "Who knows? after Board examinations, we may not even be in the same school anymore? Will be even remember each other, let alone this Friendship Day?" Debu would shrug,"Who cares? We just have to enjoy now." I, would be mute, scared of being left out and loving the way these two friends would take care of me.

This happened more than twelve years ago. Our teacher was right. Though I don't remember that day very definitely, I remember my friends. Very soon after, our trio broke up. We lost Monali to a tragic heart attack when we were seventeen. Debu took up commerce after school and I stuck to science. My education took my away from my friend and my hometown, and when I returned, she moved to another country with a husband.

With the internet and chat engines, we occasionally talk to each other, often discuss our lives.
It will not be possible to tie bands around each other's wrists anymore, sending by post doesn't have the same effect. But this Friendship Day, I do remember my two childhood friends and, for the umpteenth time in this life, I wish I could turn the clock back.