Full Circle

“I don’t want to leave my friends mamma”. Anu was telling this to her mother since morning. “We don’t have an option Anu; daddy has to leave to Bangalore. We can’t leave him alone. Can we? ” Radhika tried convincing her daughter. Anu went to her room sulking.

“Daddy, why do we have to leave now? Can’t we atleast leave after my summer vacation?” Anu was asking for the nth time that day. Satish answered very patiently, that they would come back someday just to meet her friends. Anu wasn’t convinced, but she had no option to get into the cab, which would drop them to the airport. Her best friend Ramya, had come with her dad to see off Anu. Both were hoping against hope, that Anu would stay back. Since, that did not happen, they exchanged their address and promised to write to each other.

It was 6 months, since they reached Bangalore. Anu had new friends here. The memories of the old city had started to fade out. Radhika was happy that her daughter had stopped whining about moving to Bangalore. She then realized that life was a full circle. 10 years back, when she got married to Satish, she had to move out of Bangalore. And today life had brought her back to the place where she started. She like Anu, had got new friends in the new city, in the process, she lost touch with her old buddies. And those were the times where communication was not so easy. Today, when she came back to Bangalore, she dint know what her old buddies were upto.

Radhika was busy shopping and she spotted a lady, who looked very familiar. The lady also happened to be staring at her. In a few minutes, she was gone. Radhika was trying to recollect who she was. On the way home, she passed by a coffee shop. That was once a hangout place during her college, she realized all of a sudden, the lady she saw earlier was one of her best buddies. When she got married, they had promised each other that they will stay in touch. Today, when they saw each other it was just a faint familiar face.

At home, Anu was playing with the gift Ramya had given her, Radhika was having tea and thinking about her past. She realized, all her old friends were nothing more than strangers now. She decided she will try to find out the phone number of her friends and try to rekindle the friendship they had. Just when she got up to do something about it, she thought she has to do something else.

She got a notepad and a pen to Anu, she also had an envelope with Ramya’s address on it. She told Anu “Don’t you want to tell Ramya, how much fun you are having with the gift she gave you. I think you should thank her for this”.

Anu smiled and said “Oh yes mamma! I almost forgot to write to her. Can I ask her to come over to Bangalore when she has holidays?”

“Definitely dear” Radhika said and walked towards the phone, to get back to her past.

Huff!! Puff!!

Suresh knew his dad wouldnt be coming back home until 6.00 PM. He had 2 more hours. The offer his friends gave him was good. After all it would take him just a few minutes. "Few minutes, few puffs, your dad wont know" is what one of his friends' said.

They stood in the corner of the road, near the pan shop. All of them had one each in their hand. They were very busy creating circles in the air. Just then, Avinash signaled to Suresh, his dad’s cab was taking a turn. All of them threw their cigarettes down and blew it off. Suresh, was confused, how his dad came home early that day. He was hoping, his dad hadn’t seen him smoking. He went for a round with his friends, reached home after half an hour. His dad was sipping the hot filter coffee and snacks which his mom had prepared.

Suresh tried to escape his dad’s eyes and was about to snoop into his room when his dad called him.

Dad – Suresh, I don’t like you to waste my money. Infact, I don’t like any of the guys wasting their father’s money

Suresh – Sorry Dad

Dad – Here, these are the cigarette buds you guys threw, after spotting me. I have got them back to you.

Suresh (puzzled look)

Dad – When you earn, you can waste your money. This is the money I have given for your books and studies, but if you want to use it for smoking, utilize it correctly. Please don’t waste the cigarette.

Saying this, Dad placed the newspaper with the half burnt cigarette buds on the table and went to his room.

Suresh could see the disappointment in his dad’s eyes. He promised himself, he would never let his dad feel so bad, ever again.