[So friends finally I
present here the last part of the series. In the previous instalments, you saw
how different incidents made Mitika angry at me and everytime our friendship
had to face hard time. Hope you would like this last part too.]
Few days after the last incident, I decided to make Mitika
understand that whatever she said that day was not correct. I tried to call her,
initially she didn’t pick up but I didn’t give up. After some more efforts she
received the call and I tried to talk as nothing had happened. She also seemed
cool with that. I thought it’s better not to bring that topic again and explain
my side. Sometimes, it just happens that you value your friendship over
anything so much that you don’t want to defend yourself even after knowing that
you are innocent. And when it happens, it is divine!
Slowly things started becoming ok between us. Being a technical
student I can totally relate our relationship with the elastic nature of
rubber. When a piece of rubber is compressed, the two ends of that piece come
together very close and as soon as you leave it from that position rubber
expands and the two ends move to the maximum separation but then both the ends
cannot remain like that at the maximum separation. They again start coming
close and slowly reach a normal state.
Similarly, we were again coming to normal state but this
time it was taking little longer due to so many repeated incidents and their
traces left in our hearts probably. Though some how we were again back to good
terms.
March-2011
I was on an energy
project in Aurangabad. By this time I was promoting my own startup based at
Ahmedabad and Mitika, she was working at a reputed software firm in Delhi.
It was Tuesday morning in Aurangabad. And after tucking in my
light purple shirt with black formal pants, I was just spraying my deo-spray
all over my body. Suddenly my phone rang.
I hit the green key and it was Mitika again.
“Praveen, I need your help. Can I talk to you for a minute?”
She sounded a lot worried.
“Yeah, of course, you can talk to me. Tell me”, I asked her
“Praveen, I have been given a program by my Team Lead. This
program has to be converted to CSV from XML. I don’t know how to do it. Can you
help me?” She asked.
“Hey, you know I am a mechanical engineer not a software
engineer. How can I help you?” I replied but I paused for a moment and said,
“Wait, I know somebody. He is my friend from IIT and he is very good at these
things”
“Really..” she said.
“Yes, send me your program. I’ll forward him and ask him for
his help,” I said
“Ok. Will send you in 15-20 minutes,” she said.
Actually, in Aurangabad, I had an appointment with General
Manager, District Industrial Centre (DIC) at 11 am. After getting ready I was
about to go for my breakfast and then leave for this meeting but had to hold
myself back due to this urgent work of Mitika.
Within next 30 minutes, I received that email from Mitika.
The moment I was checking my emails, I received another call from Mitika.
She said, “Praveen
you might not be knowing how important is this assignment for me. You see if I
will not be able to deliver this assignment in time, they are gonna transfer me
to Pune. This means i will have to relocate to Pune from Delhi. And since my
parents, my sisters, now everbody stays here, it is really going to be very
difficult for me to actually leave Delhi. And time limit I have is till 4pm
today. ”she said anxiously.
“Don’t worry. I will try my best” I told her and tried to
calm her down.
“I know Praveen. Thanks for being there” She was little
relieved. Sometimes few words and good gesture helps a lot.
Anyways, I emailed that program to my friend Ankush,
explained him the situation and requested him to do it as soon as he could do. I
gave Ankush Mitika’s email id. He assured me that he would be able to really do
this in time and send the program to Mitika.
Then after informing Mitika that her assignment is in good
hands, I left for my meeting at 10:50 am. Since, I was already late, I had to
skip my breakfast. I reached DIC but it was 11:15 am now. I was carrying only a
diary and pen with me. As soon as I reached this place and enquired about GM, I
was informed by a peon that Mr. GM was waiting for me and just left but will
come back in an hour. So I thought it is better to sit and wait for him. Also,
it was my mistake that I couldn’t make it in time. Anyways, Mr. GM came back at
1:30 pm and signalled me to come in. We started our chat but in next five
minutes Mr. GM wanted to go for the lunch and wished to resume the conversation
after the lunch. I again waited for next 45 minutes and he came back at around
2:15 pm. But this time he had some more visitors too. He again asked me and 2
other visitors to come in.
Mr. GM said, “Praveen, if you don’t mind, can I have 5
minutes meeting with these gentlemen. Actually they are trying to see me for
last one week.”
“No problem, sir,” I said politely and with a fake smile.
On the other hand, I was also worried about the program
which my friend Ankush was doing for Mitika. I wanted to text him to know the status,
but when I was about to type the message, I noticed my cell phone was out of
battery and with a beep, it was switched off. I thought as soon as I am done
with the meeting, I will go to some telephone booth and call Ankush.
Five minutes meeting of Mr. GM had already completed 20
minutes. I was really worried, more because of Mitika’s work. I was again and
again looking at my watch. It was 3:20 pm or so when my meeting again resumed.
After having a discussion of 15 minutes, I said, “Sir, I beg
your pardon but can I come back to you after half an hour. Actually, I just
need to finish a work as after 4 pm it cannot be done. I am so sorry but I
really need to do this, Sir. ”
Mr. GM was little upset with this sudden request but probably he
could actually see the anxiety through my body language and he said, “Fine go,
but come back before 4:30 pm. Today, I am leaving for Singapore and will be
back after a month only. So, better finish it today itself.”
With his permission I rushed and took an auto to search some
telephone booth. After 3 km I got a telephone booth. I was pretty relieved and
I wanted to call Ankush to know whether he had sent the program or not. But the
moment I touched the receiver, I realised that I don’t remember the cell number
of Ankush. It was in my cell phone only which was switched off. Neither did I
have cell number of of Mitika for the
same reason. Anyways, I started enquiring about the Nokia thin-pin charger with
the people present at various shops in the vicinity. But unfortunately nobody
had. My throat was choked with thirst, hunger and stress. I looked at my watch
again, it showed 4:15 pm. I was feeling really helpless at that point of time
and also I had to reach Mr. GM by 4:30
pm.
So, I took an auto again and asked him to take me to
District Industrial Centre. In the way, I was hoping that Ankush would have
sent the completed codes to Mitika in time. But since, I couldn’t talk to any
of them, I wasn’t sure about what would have happened there.
Well, I reached DIC at 4:35 pm exact. This time Mr. GM was kind enough and resumed
the discussion as soon as he saw me on the other side of the table. I was
talking to him but other side of mind was just praying that Mitika would have
got her program from Ankush.
Well, my meeting was over by 5:30 pm. I thanked Mr. GM and
rushed to my hotel. I reached there by 6:00 pm. After getting my key from the
reception, I hastily entered my room, threw my diary and pen without worrying
where I was throwing them and plugged one end of my Nokia charger in the power
and other end in my phone. I switched on my phone.
I searched for Mitika in my contact. I was about to call her
but at the same time my phone started ringing and flashed the name “Mitika”.
Without any delay, I received the call.
Before, I could say anything, I heard her words.
“What the hell, Praveen.” She almost shouted.
“Yeah, I know. My phone ...” Like most of the times, she
didn’t let me complete.
“You know I was so trying to call you. I can’t believe you
switched off your phone. Your friend didn’t send me anything yet. You should
have told me if you were not able to solve my problem. Do you understand how
much I was stressed? I had already told you about the seriousness of the
situation. And you didn’t take it seriously and switched off your phone.”
“No no no. Can you please listen to me first,” I requested.
“No, I won’t. This is breach of trust. Is this the way a
friend cares for another. You know I waited till 5pm but neither you nor your
friend sent me anything. So, I have given this program to somebody else and
he’ll do it for me. So, I don’t need any of your help now,” She said furiously.
But more than her anger, something else was bothering me. So
I asked her.
“What about the deadline then which was today at 4 pm? Have
they extended the deadline?” I asked.
“No, deadline is after two days in the first place. I told
you today’s deadline so that I can get it in time. But I am really disappointed
that you don’t understand what a deadline is. And for God sake, please do not
give any explanation for this. Bottomline is when I needed you, you were not
there. ” She said it with the subsided
anger.
“Wow... I was not
there when you needed me. Great, you concluded it. You know what.....” I still
wanted to say what I was upto but she again interrupted me.
“Whatever, Praveen. Forget it. We’ll talk later. I am not in
a good mood,” she said.
“Fine,” I said and the next moment phone was disconnected
from the other side. Now, I was also furious at Ankush. I called Ankush to know
why he wasn’t able to send the completed program to Mitika.
“Hey buddy, I was so trying to call you up but your phone
was switched off. Actually I was working on that program but suddenly all of us
were called for an emergency meeting by our VP. It took hell lot of time there.
I messaged you also about the situation I was into but I didn’t receive any
response from you. I could have emailed your friend also but I was not with my
laptop. Anyways, but , I am working on it and in the next one hour, it will be
done. Can she request her seniors to extend the deadline by few hours,” Ankush
said it all which made me understand the whole situation.
“Leave it yaar, it is not required anymore. And really, I am
sorry I bothered you for this stupid work.” I said to Ankush.
“What? Leave it? Are you angry with me?” he asked me with
surprise.
“No no no, I can’t be angry with you. Never, ever. You have
been my best buddy. I am angry with myself that I asked you to give your
precious time to this stupid work. That friend of mine has now given this work
to somebody else. She doesn’t trust me. On the top of that she told me that
dealine wasn’t today at 4pm but it is actually two days later.” I told him.
“What? I am sorry but she is such a..”Ankush wanted to say
something but prevented himself.
“It’s ok. Please don’t work on that program now,” I said
with a deep breath.
“Fine, I won’t work on this. But you ok, Praveen? Coz you
sound little dull.” Ankush asked.
“I am fine. Absolutely. Will talk to you soon,” And I
disconnected.
Now, I was sitting in my room alone. I switched on AC and
TV. I was looking at TV but my mind was so not at peace. Multiple thoughts were
coming to my mind.
“Am I a good friend? Was it completely my mistake? Am I
really trustworthy? Is this friendship with Mitika really a friendship or it’s
just me who is trying to carry the burden of this friendship?” With all such
thoughts, I don’t know when I slipped into ocean of slumber.
The last nail in
the coffin
The last nail in the coffin just happened few months back.
Right now she is in the United States.
What I did this time... I emailed the link of the first part
of this story to her too.
So, she again called.
“Why are you sending my stories to everybody? It’s
ridiculous,” She said in her familiar irritated voice.
“This is the story of a character Mitika not yours. Why do you relate yourself with this story” I
said.
“You have just changed the name but story is about what
exactly happened between us.” She argued.
“Whatever. I have already sent these to my friends. So I
don’t think it can be undone. And it has nothing to do with you. And anyways I am
not going to stop writing it,” I said.
“That’s it, Praveen,” she kind of screamed.
“Oh really. Fine,” I said. And this time I was cold but
firm.
This time I was not
so very keen to keep my friendship alive. I was kinda tired of being sorry every
time. So then I didn’t actually reciprocate my things.
This was possibly the tragic as well as the happiest end of
our story. We might still be in talking terms but that warmth will never come back, I guess.
I know many would suggest me to try once more.
But I guess, the limit has reached!
