Nurungukal..2..contd…

      It was a shock to hear the death of one of my ex-collegues and dear friend Vinoben. We joined on the same day in Southern Railways in 1963, the year in which I lost my father. Ever since for many years we lived together along with other friends in several places. Although he left Railways to join in Central Warehousing Corporation, we maintained our friendship and it remained intact till his death a few days ago. It was he who promted me to join CWC. I do not know what attracted us both to be so close. May be the mind set or wavelenghth or the chemistry in our attitudes or approach to issues that we face in life. It was quite sure that both of us endured challenges in a positive spirit and was free of worries. Our life style matched almost same except when it came to traditions. I would say that he was one step ahead in breaking the bonds of values wich lacked scientific rationale.

       It will be very intersting if we,at a later stage in life make an evaluation of the diferent types of bond that one had with friends at varrious periods. My experience was not different. Take for example our class mates in primary  school. Most of them were benchmates. It was casual and temporeary. Wereas from high scool onwards we had a tendancy to select or choose one who fit in to our standards. In college the friendship attained more meaning and that made us close life long in certain cases. I think that may be one reason why we refresh the friendship by organizing get togethers.

        As we move from one place to another in our official or social settings many faces remain with us subconciously for years. Like that of our family docters, shopkeepers with whom we have an account, the rickshaw wala who used to shuttle  our children to and fro or a family friend whom we might have choosen either from our official or social circle or rarely a collegue or very often a good neighbour.

         Still more interesting is the friendship we acquire in the course of a train journey, especially when it is to a distant destination. But that would happen to only those who engage in conversation as the journey proceeds. The process is slow. It often starts with an enquiry about our destination, the intention, followed by a curiosity about our job and slowly it will slip into a vociferous debate on th current politics and policies of the Govt. I remember about an incident in which a co-travellor who was silent all along suddenly became furious about a remark I made on the integrity of a local politition. I was virtually taken aback from his sudden reaction and had to seek the help of other passengers to get extricated from a bad  situation which would have culminated in a phisical tustle. I was always comfortable in the company of soldiers as they had many adventurous stories to depict which often kept us away from the monotony. They became saviours to those who need some physical help. We felt a sense of security while travelling in their company.

       My wife used to get in friendship with our neighbours more easily than me, although she is not talkative, yet confirming to the saying that a silent listner is a good conversationalist. Normaly I used to be a bit choosy in picking up neighbourhood friends.

       Apart from many dignitories with whom I could fortunately develop a raport, I have in credit a strain of friends from th lower strata of life also. I proudly consider the network of friends I could maintain through this media and the personal contacts as an asset which provides me a linkage beyond the geographical barriers. They often appear in my dreams or solitude to provide a nostalgia beyond description.