PUSH ! Pyush ! Push !!!!

God Gave you Friends, as a way of apology for giving you relatives.

There is this day in the calendar year that is called Friendship day.,

Hmm., there seem to be so many days,
Mothers day, Womans Day (cant both be combined? seems logical),
Valentines Day (to fall in love)
Hollowveen day (almost every day once you find out the true nature of your girlfriend/boyfriend)
Obesity Day, Sandwitch day.,
Fathers Day.., (the proverbial bankrolls)

Why dont we have – long suffering boyfriend / husband / Inlaw day. (Which in my view should be changed to Out Laws).

Anyhoo ., Friendship Day ., when friends Get together and celebrate their friendship.
(all other days they spend pointless in coffee joints)(who the ^$%& needs one more separate day?)

This was a concept alien to me, as i never had very strong and firm friendships – being content to sit in my castle like drakula binging on Tea.

The year 2009 however will go down in the annals of history when a bunch of new found friends came home to take me for a friendship day drive.
(New Found – key word – they found me ., )

It was a sight to behold., i step out of the house with my Left foot – and the whole cosmos was quavering with anticipation,
the 33 crore gods jostled to get the best view, the wind blew, the birds sang., in fact even a coconut fell down from the tree, inches away from my head (seems like an OMEN).

There they were ., the three new found friends (read keyword) ., Akash, Pyush and Poornima, and they yelled and waved and said “come on – lets go for a drive”

With minor trembles and knots in my stomach – i got into the car, with chills down my spine.

Sitting in the car i realized that i was actually in a group of young people – i felt like Gramps !!!

A few yards into the drive – they wanted to put on music, and i settled in to listen to a musical symphony., nay ., a rhapsody.,

Well……., Rhapsody turned out to be some Shoddy (c)RAP..,

but i was not complaining.,

I was like this kid who had stumbled into a group of Cricket Legends., wide mouthed and even wider eyed …,
(they exist!!!, they exist!!! friends really do exist!!!!)

A snap argument - oops., “friendly discussion” took place as to where to take Gramps ., oops ., me .., for a drive.,

They just pointed the car where it went., and allowed faith to take over., much like americans without health insurance.,

Soon i found myself in a most idyllic road., surrounded on both sides with coconut trees, with the full moon playing hide and seek.,
the cool breeze., soft music (they had changed the CD).., and company of friends who did not judge you, accept you and share a space of trust with you.,

ahh……., so perfect., so perfect.,

till………,

GOd decided to throw a spanner in the works ., literally.,

The car came to a grinding halt ., and suddenly i found myself in a desolate farm stretch ., in the dark night ., with people i hardly knew
(interesting how fear can strip out all the poetry and peace)

I was white faced with fear (even for a Gujju., I was errie white).,

I turned around to see Poonima had clambered half the way out of the window ., clinging to the roof and looking at the moon.,

Poorni – “The Moon is sooo beaudyfulll…..,” (my heart sank deeper to my ankles)
Me – “What is she doing?????”(Eyes as big as dinner plates)
Puysh – “Hmmmm…., i wonder if we can get some thing to eat around here”
Aksh – “Oh ., that is normal for Poori….,” (was he referring to my friend or to a snack??)

There she was ., Poornima ., full moon ., looking at the full moon ., hanging out of the window .,
much like a Bat with a distorted sense of direction (hanging right side up)

And i felt like the Prisoner of War in an ancient Inca temple., heart beating wildly .,

From no where ., this form glided up to my window (which was unfortunately open – why, why, why ., did i want to get the bloody breeze?)

“Hello ANNA ……,” said the grating voice (i almost screamed like a schoolgirl)

There in front of my was my ex-staff, Office Boy Kadiravan – I Used called him Kadi-Raavan …, he had the personalily of GodZilla after slimming sessions.

He could not believe that i had actually ventured out of my home and got into a car .., with other people !!!!! It was too much for him to take.,

He mumbled something, turned tail and ran into the bushes..,

Somehow the car would refuse to start – and a sense of panic gripped me., and i sang like a canary.,
“We are going to push the car ., push the car ., push the car …, “

Poorni ., had enough of the moon ., had slid back into the back seat and looked at me with grimance., (it was her car after all)

After a lot of tries., the car spluttered to a start .., and i spluttered back to life ..,

Reached Home ., Thank you Jesus !!!!

Said my “Bye …, we should do this again some time” (when George Bush converts to a Buddhist monk)

And it happened Again …., the car stopped ……, yowza !

Ok ., nothing to do but to push the car .,

Poorni was out of the car .., again looking at the Moon ..,

Akash was at the drivers seat and and puysh and I had to push the car .,

There is no justice in the world., Akash was a tad Portly ., and Pyush and I were as thin and shapely as Priyanka Chopras legs!

And it did not occur to any of us college trained people – that we were pushing the car uphill…,

Pyush – “Akash ., bloody! what are you enjoying the ride??? floor the accelerator!!!”
Akash – “Push some more., i still need some momentum”
Me – “What bloody Push and Momentum …., this is not a constipated person waiting in the loo for momentun, pressure and pushing!!!!!!)
Poornima – “Weeee …, he he .., the Moon looks so Beaudyful .., and if you chimps dent my car ., i will wring your swrawny little necks !!!!)

So much for friendship day.,

Needless to say., the car did not start ., The friends had to walk home .., and it is an utter mystery how the bloody car started as soon as the mechanic touched it the next day!!!

Anyhoo .., I publicly thank my thee Amigos ., to boldly go where no sane man has gone before., you took Drakula out of his castle and showed him some kindness and friend ship that he had not felt in a long time.

Lets see what the next Friendship Day brings.,

with regards,
Bhavesh.K.Joshi