Dated 16-06-2003.Manasa was her name.A bubbly,prompt and an excited girl whom I had met on day I had enrolled myself into a new school.She sat next to me on day1 and gave me a pleasant smile but I hesitated to even grin.It was then in me the pride of an andrewite and I choose to remain an introvert to the new ones.Days passed and I still continued to hold on to the same temper..she smiled again till she saw a proper curve on my face..i took the initiative to accost and ask her whereabouts..we chatted like crazy..the whole day we discussed about our common likings..I got to know her..I got to observe her..she was one of a kind!An artist! A dancer!A lover of mankind!n yeah ...sometimes a nerdo!
It was after a month or so that I found in myself some state of happiness for meeting a girl who loved to learn,loved to share and loved to love.We travelled,played and prepared for exams together putting in all our sincere efforts to learn more and grow more.We just got along so well.Though I was then a reserved kinda girl,I was glad to find a friend to whom I could express all my ideas,feelings...n yeah..to depend on!We passed our tenth exams with flying colours and celebrated on the happy note.It was time for us to decide upon our careers and the two of us wanted to be doctors!I was crazy for the tag "M.B.B.S"and she was a girl who wanted to pursue her bachelors in medicine as she had an inexplicable liking towards the poor and the disabled.She confidently took up BiPC and expected me to do the same but I faltered.Her dream was real..She breathed the air in optimism that one day a disabled person would have a breakthrough in life and be honoured because of her.She lived every moment!!!
It was a bright sunny day when she called to tell me that she wouldnt be attending the class that day for which I asked her if she wanted to chill out sitting in a cool room .. she said she was admitted in a hospital because of malaria.I met her after a couple of days in a govt hospital of the railways department...the premises were bad and I doubted on the treatment they provided...all that I could do was to give her more courage and hope that she would be fine and we would meet and chat regularly as before...I left the place..I was missing her..she was away from college for 15 days and things around me just appeared insipid.
When things all appeared normal ..through one of my other friends I got to know that her body started degenerating...liver failure..excess skin pigmentation and extreme low haemoglobin levels..I was flabbergasted when I realised that she hid the fact from me for so long and avoided meeting me as much as possible..I was so desperate to see her and rushed to a private hospital where she was admitted...after a long altercation with the ward in-charge I stepped into the room.. I saw a girl with extreme hair loss having a frail and a pale figure equipped with a dialysis machine..I choose to ignore and my eyes were in search in her unless I met hers and she waved at me..It was her!!!I was dumbstruck to see her in the most pathetic condition I had ever seen a human...she was suffering from white jaundice..a disease that was misinterpreted as malaria and hence given the wrong treatment..All wretched and disheartened I went back home hoping for a miracle to happen..I was haunted by nightmares that night and had a restless sleep..the next day somehow I managed to go to college and to attend a math class..I was struggling to crack a tricky trigonometry problem..my thoughts were all about her..our togetherness was shattered...
It was the 12th of july..unexpectedly I was called by the principal..I was informed that this beautiful soul was freed from the shackles of materialistic world and was liberated to the heavens.To the love of God,I cried till I had no more energy to shed even a single drop.In a way I was happy that she did not have to suffer any more ..I was left alone to myself.My friend!My stalker!My best companion I ever had!I love her!
At the start,I had no courage to think over all that happened and put it down in words but today I am glad and proud to be touched by her.For all the times I fumed and fret..she consoled.i call her a friend..indeed a "true friend".Her purpose of living was over.She inspired those around her and spread the aromas of cheerfulness!Now and forever I shall always love her and keep her memories close to my heart and be grateful that I still have her friendship all alive!
