Catching up with old friends...

Hi,

It is true - Internet has brought the world closer...social networking sites have brought long-lost friends back in touch...professional networking sites has managed to bring complete strangers on some sort of a common platform. At the same time, hasn't it taken us farther from a few people who matter...well, that is not what this post is about!

Today, I did something that I usually do once in a blue-moon. Take out one hour from work and call up a few friends, who matter but I still don't manage to be in touch with them regularly. And it feels great...it takes me back a few years and this experience cannot be explained.

I started with calling up Samar, this was actually a return call. He had called a few days back and I had politely told him that I would call back, which I just didn't find the time for (or so I make myself to believe). But today evening, I just did. Both of us are the kinds, we stay in touch with those who want to stay in touch and make efforts in doing so...basically bad at networking and bad at keeping in touch! We spoke for 10-15 minutes, shared good amount of information from how each other had been doing, to how others from our batch (TSM-XII) doing, to our past days as co-students and then colleagues...Talking to Samar is an enriching experience everytime...he is one clear-head and clear-heart person. Doesn't mix his words as this thoughts are usually crystal clear.

After this, somehow, I was on a roll and called up Prashant, a.k.a. Mallu. Now, I last met him sometime Aug / Sept last year and would have spoken to him about 2-3 times in between. He's in Ahmedabad - but that is not the reason for this low frequency of calls. Just that both of us are like that only. Talking to him was a laugh riot, as always...he brought up his biggest passion - Cows. He is one person who started a dairy farm, had cows of his own and has participated in helping a cow deliver a calf! An excerpt from our tele-chat:

Me: Hi Mallu, how have you been?

Mallu: Arre bhai-saab, aapka phone aaya hai, to theek hain

Me: So - what's new?

Mallu: Yaar, kuch acha nahin lag raha hai...

Me: Why, what happened???

Mallu: Saala, bahut development ho rahi hai sheher mein...

Me: That is supposed to be good, no?

Mallu: Haan, lekin ab road par gow-mata kam dhikhti hain...isliye thoda pareshaan hoon...

There is another joke related to this...we used to tease Mallu that looking at cows is the closest he can go to looking at a naked female body and that is why he just likes them so much...tacky joke, but then between friends...I am sure you would understand!

After this, I spoke to Mr. Jai Sogani...he is one of the first true entreprenuers from our batch. He always dreamt of owning an ad-agency and today he's been the boss of one for a few years now. He has lived his life on the edge, lived a roller-coaster life. Wasn't sure of where he is going or even where we wants to be at a time...took refuge in a few bad habits, had the guts to kick that bad habit out of his life, was one of the least probable to pass out with all of us...but he did and now is his own boss as well. The best thing he did was to find his anchor in Gunjan...his wife. He's just been blessed with a baby girl and thus his life's a different sort of a roller-coaster these days.

After this call - I dialled Calcutta based Soumya. Now, she's one of the rare girls from our batch that I am still in touch with and actually enjoy talking to her after all this while. This could be probably because I respected her the most (amongst women in my batch) back then...She's been doing good...just returned from a phoreign trip and keeping busy managing her job and nine month old baby girl.

My last call in the series was to Saurav, a.k.a Chakru. Well - he is one bengali by birth but a Goan by heart. He has recently been promoted in his company, now he is a DGM (ahem ahem) - really glad for him. He has been in the media business since ever. But, has been ever-evolving and ever-moving ahead kinds. Thus - success hasn't come easy - but has come for sure to him.

Well - now I had spoken to 10% of my batch and that ends my list for the day. I could have called another 3-4 guys, but ran out of me-time-when-at-work!

Guys - there is nothing just as good as catching up on with good ol' friends. It has made my day...completely! That's it from me for today...take care.