Doggie bag memories

Two of my very close friends shifted cities yesterday. We decided to spend the last day together and as the morning melted into noon and then the evening- furniture diminished, clothes vanished, utensils were given away, brown boxes were sent to new destinations, broken kannada bye-byes exchanged, even the dustbin was said farewell to- and there were sat, three girls holding each other, bursting into hysterical laughter and tears.

As they left, they gave me a big bag filled to the brim with things... D and C laughed and said it had many a marvel- the boring book D never finished, bunch of oregano shakers and other Italian seasonings, plum preserve, candle and stand, vitamin C tablets, empty wine bottles for decorating, C's soups, cornflour and crab chips, D's never used barley, an admired skirt for a colleague, match boxes and ciggys for another, sabji masala, extra mattresses for my house (so i can have friends over), dry fruits- the list goes on. We said our goodbyes cracking bad jokes (coz thats how we deal with separation) and reassuring each other that we'll always be in touch.



As I got home feeling mixed up at their departure and began unpacking, I realised how much of all those things in my doggie bag were placeholders for the marvelous times spent. It captured the quirkiness of these two women, it had their moods and passions written all over them. The cornflour was to thicken the many healthy soups I learnt from C, the book a reminder of obsessive reading exchanges between D and me, the crab chips of the innumerable times D&C joked about me being the only vegetarian in the group and bought me 'pity paneer', the candle and stand- of the birthdays, guitar playing, song sharing sessions while B'lore went through its power cuts, the mattresses had memories of 'going to the mattresses' at office and of many an overnight stay full of corny movies and soulful conversations.

I couldn't help but laugh and yet feel saddened by my strange stock.

We know we will see each other but somehow one cannot help but feel a wrenching inside. We have shared much, known much, done much- together. Too many moments of confronting ones own fears, of being lost, of illness and health, of holding each other through thick and thin- and so much laughter and joy, have been stuffed into this year that while emotionally we will always hold on, the physical distance seems right now to yawn across chasms. This year, in so many ways, was made special by their loving presence.

Will miss you both soooo much D&C!