.... Yet another confession...! This one has been closely held for long... now the world needs to know...!
March 5: I woke up in a chirpy mood I was all excited about my day, got ready unusually fast and eagerly waiting at the breakfast table half an hour ahead of my daily scheduled 9 am…!
YES I had a reason to be so excited … I was going to meet the Best friend in my life…! A friend, who just adores me, loves me, pampers me and above all has never ever failed to cheer me. My wife got a bit curious, wanted to know why I was in a real bubbly mood today… she did notice that… and also this was not the first time I was thus behaving! I wanted to brush aside the query – but worried of the further queries – I told her I was meeting an old friend, a trusted friend.
What I didn’t tell her about this friend was, it was one who I so secretly admired and who I met more than once a week sometimes… and above all I never delved into the gender part – thankfully even she didn’t ask me whether it was “he” or “she” I was meeting. All she asked was - what it is the meeting about – I nervously said “I’ll be getting home things my friend showers on me and share it with you…!”
I checked my wallet for the contents… “Disgusting”, I told myself… “Buying something expensive for your friend?” she asked – “Nah… I am broke” I said, She knew I was lying… I wasn’t broke!
As I rushed out to start my car… my wife noticed a wry smile on my face, I too noticed her… and feared more volleys, but was pleasantly surprised as she said… “Have a Nice day and yes! convey my regards to your friend” – uff… did she say “her” – nope that wide smile meant she didn’t – I cranked my car and was off in a jiffy…!
I was now getting much restless… the peak hour traffic was slowing down the pace, I already started thinking of how I would handle the excitement of meeting her… do I hug her, give her a peck or plain handshake… Well why do I have to think about all this…? I know what I do every time I meet her… It’s become a routine… and I was not going to think of anything more now…!
The snail’s pace of traffic was getting on my nerves… the honking got louder and as I was getting late for office… I knew there was very little time for her… I even contemplated postponing the meeting to later in the day or may be to the evening, on my way back home…! I knew for sure – she would wait for me till eternity and would never complain whatever time I met her, I still remember the time I sneaked out of home at midnight to meet her. She never complained and welcomed me with the same warmth as ever.
Then it happened all so suddenly… I parked my car at her gate… walked in and had the customary exchange of pleasantries… (well no details of how or what) she knew the purpose of my visit… I just had to give her one…hmmm! And she gave me back hundreds…! was I counting? No never, I never counted…, I was now blushing…! The meeting over; I rushed out in a hurry… I didn’t say a word about when next…? She never asked…! But I knew it wouldn’t be long… may be in a week’s time, looking around if no one noticed, I tucked into my car and joined the traffic which was now much faster.
My heart was pounding with excitement… always found it difficult to handle the post meeting excitement, it was always the one that was well… aah…! I started planning, actually planning about what all to do, till my next meeting with her…!
That evening I couldn’t conceal my happiness as I reached home, I had some goodies (bought on my way home) for my daughter and some groceries my wife wanted… she then asked what my friend gave me…?
Now I garnered all the courage and told her in plain terms… I didn’t ask for much from her – just got Rs. 10k, the rest will go directly to the housing loan emi, the car loan emi, the personal loan, the consumer loan, the credit card repayments etc.
She always knew and never held any grouse over my best friend in life – my dear atm! It is this any-time-money, the best friend in my life; I meet on my salary day… and keep meeting “her” on and off throughout the month. Yes I love her… she never fails to cheer me… and gives me hundreds when I need – all I do is give her that one hmmm - card…!
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