Whenever the song அந்த நாள் ஞாபகம் வந்ததே நண்பனே telecasted in TV, I used to tell about my Best, Good old school mate Sekar. We both studied together from 3rd standard to 11th standard in St. Joseph’s School and we almost used to sit in the same bench or just behind. He also stayed in Babu Rao Street with his grand parent. We were together till 1976.
After school, he joined AU for PUC and I shifted my residence to Deevanampattinam and subsequently he went to South Tamilnadu for college study and we could not meet each other.
We both along with some of our friends used to go to school together, come back together, play together, read together and days went like this.
There was an unforgettable event happened during our schooling, a silly thing but viewed very seriously! I think, we may be in class 8 and we were very crazy to ride cycle whenever chance comes as we leant cycling during that period. Sekar’s mama purchased a new cycle and he used to ride it in the evening. Being a new cycle and also may be as per his uncle’s instruction he did not allow anyone including me to touch that cycle. Because of this, I just kept a piece of brick on the carrier of the cycle and Sekar scold me for my act. This led to a tussle between us and we two stopped talking. It last till we complete our schooling !!! The funny part is even though we don’t speak directly with each other, all earlier activities continued – going to school together, playing together, even reading together. I still remember that we two along with a common friend sit together for preparation of 11th exam and I used to ask for clearing doubt to him through 3rd person and he will also clear it through that person !! At last we all scored good marks in 11th Exam. He is also one among the top 5 in the class, all the years
The hand writing of Sekar is excellent and often I tried to replicate him but could not. Also he had good voice that led him to get selected for singing prayer songs in the school daily.
We got separated after 11th Exam, even without talking a single word even though my inner voice asked me to talk but ego stopped.
It was 1978, one day, I saw him sitting in the திண்ணை of his house, and probably he might have come to visit his grand parent. Two year separation softened me and without any hesitation I went to him and started speaking. What a relief I felt on that day !!! We started speaking of our college life and he asked me to accompany him to a film also. With good feeling he went back for his college studies and again we could not able to meet or speak.
The separation continued for next 12 Years and my entire search could not yield result to find him out. But just before my marriage in 1990, I could get his where about and came to know he is in Thirunelveli and working in Post Office. With lot of Joy I spoke to him, shared my contact details and invited him for my marriage. Due to some unavoidable work, he could not make to visit and again because of his transfer and my movement to Delhi, what to say, we got separated.
The power of friendship and my inner voice continue to tell me that we will meet again one day.
With the available knowledge about him - working in Post Office some where near Thirunelveli, having good voice, about my age - I again searched for him through one of my friend in Thenkasi. That friend’s wife is also working in Post Office and she asked my whether Sekar is a singer and used to give program in All India Radio & his nick name is கரிசல் குயில் ? As I don’t know about him, any how I got the contact number and dialed. What a surprise – it was the same Sekar !! I again got him after a span of 20 years…
It is an example that real friendship will never die !!!
We started sharing information and started speaking regularly. We want to meet each other but somehow it was getting postponed.
As I planned to visit Chennai in the first week of Feb 2012, I asked him to come to Chennai anyhow and he also made it.
It was 12th Feb 2012, we planned to meet. Till now we did not exchanged out photos and I asked him to come to T.Nagar to meet me. It was 1700 hours on that day, he told me he is waiting near “Thaayar Dairy” on Ranganathan Street, wearing Blue shirt.. I came and we met each other --- after 34 years……. Words are not there to explain the happiness. More than us, his wife was very much excited and was online to know about our meeting, asking about me.
We started speaking about these long years, sitting on the shore of Bay of Bengal till 2100 hours. I was impressed when he mentioned about my activities while going to school, about the help I used to get from my mother before going to school and all other small things happened in our school life. Time was not sufficient to recollect everything but was an enjoyable time we spent together.
After having dinner together, he went back to his stay place and in the next morning again he came to Thiruvanmiyur and we did our day’s business together. We were together till 1600 hours and he left back for starting his journey to Thirunelveli.
I am sure that this friendship will continue for ever as this was started when we were young & started without any expectation from other.
Thanks Sekar for making the day and let us continue our life further, together !!!! Let us not forget the person who bridged us… Ramanathan from Thenkasi.
Vasu
After school, he joined AU for PUC and I shifted my residence to Deevanampattinam and subsequently he went to South Tamilnadu for college study and we could not meet each other.
We both along with some of our friends used to go to school together, come back together, play together, read together and days went like this.
There was an unforgettable event happened during our schooling, a silly thing but viewed very seriously! I think, we may be in class 8 and we were very crazy to ride cycle whenever chance comes as we leant cycling during that period. Sekar’s mama purchased a new cycle and he used to ride it in the evening. Being a new cycle and also may be as per his uncle’s instruction he did not allow anyone including me to touch that cycle. Because of this, I just kept a piece of brick on the carrier of the cycle and Sekar scold me for my act. This led to a tussle between us and we two stopped talking. It last till we complete our schooling !!! The funny part is even though we don’t speak directly with each other, all earlier activities continued – going to school together, playing together, even reading together. I still remember that we two along with a common friend sit together for preparation of 11th exam and I used to ask for clearing doubt to him through 3rd person and he will also clear it through that person !! At last we all scored good marks in 11th Exam. He is also one among the top 5 in the class, all the years
The hand writing of Sekar is excellent and often I tried to replicate him but could not. Also he had good voice that led him to get selected for singing prayer songs in the school daily.
We got separated after 11th Exam, even without talking a single word even though my inner voice asked me to talk but ego stopped.
It was 1978, one day, I saw him sitting in the திண்ணை of his house, and probably he might have come to visit his grand parent. Two year separation softened me and without any hesitation I went to him and started speaking. What a relief I felt on that day !!! We started speaking of our college life and he asked me to accompany him to a film also. With good feeling he went back for his college studies and again we could not able to meet or speak.
The separation continued for next 12 Years and my entire search could not yield result to find him out. But just before my marriage in 1990, I could get his where about and came to know he is in Thirunelveli and working in Post Office. With lot of Joy I spoke to him, shared my contact details and invited him for my marriage. Due to some unavoidable work, he could not make to visit and again because of his transfer and my movement to Delhi, what to say, we got separated.
The power of friendship and my inner voice continue to tell me that we will meet again one day.
With the available knowledge about him - working in Post Office some where near Thirunelveli, having good voice, about my age - I again searched for him through one of my friend in Thenkasi. That friend’s wife is also working in Post Office and she asked my whether Sekar is a singer and used to give program in All India Radio & his nick name is கரிசல் குயில் ? As I don’t know about him, any how I got the contact number and dialed. What a surprise – it was the same Sekar !! I again got him after a span of 20 years…
It is an example that real friendship will never die !!!
We started sharing information and started speaking regularly. We want to meet each other but somehow it was getting postponed.
As I planned to visit Chennai in the first week of Feb 2012, I asked him to come to Chennai anyhow and he also made it.
It was 12th Feb 2012, we planned to meet. Till now we did not exchanged out photos and I asked him to come to T.Nagar to meet me. It was 1700 hours on that day, he told me he is waiting near “Thaayar Dairy” on Ranganathan Street, wearing Blue shirt.. I came and we met each other --- after 34 years……. Words are not there to explain the happiness. More than us, his wife was very much excited and was online to know about our meeting, asking about me.
We started speaking about these long years, sitting on the shore of Bay of Bengal till 2100 hours. I was impressed when he mentioned about my activities while going to school, about the help I used to get from my mother before going to school and all other small things happened in our school life. Time was not sufficient to recollect everything but was an enjoyable time we spent together.
After having dinner together, he went back to his stay place and in the next morning again he came to Thiruvanmiyur and we did our day’s business together. We were together till 1600 hours and he left back for starting his journey to Thirunelveli.
I am sure that this friendship will continue for ever as this was started when we were young & started without any expectation from other.
Thanks Sekar for making the day and let us continue our life further, together !!!! Let us not forget the person who bridged us… Ramanathan from Thenkasi.
Vasu
