"Great evening Jass" said a hoarse voice. "Sume!!! You almost scared me. Good to see you my friend". "Am happy too. I wonder what keeps you so pretty even at this age. Your looks make me swear that you are in late forties." "I am sixty one. That's what you wanted to know right?" snapped Jasmine. "Am sorry. But you are too clever, old lady" replied Sume smiling shamefully. "Never mind dear" said Jass as she turned her watch to check out the time. "It's the fifth time Jass.. That watch of yours wont go any faster if u keep on looking at it. What business brings my fair lady here, may I ask?"
"Oh! You very well can. Am waiting for my schoolmate, Dora, a very good friend of mine right from the age of 10. We meet every saturday here in this very place" said Jass as she checked her watch again. "Don't tell me!!!! You people are still in touch? Oh that's lovely." "Yes!!! It's lovely to have her as my friend. She's the angel of my life. Simplest and the brave woman in the world."
"Haven't you both quarreled at all??" asked Sume. "Oh! Why not? When you love somebody dearly, you have more expectations from them. And sure... A few unfulfilled Expectations lead to quarrel. We're not exceptions of this. But... We knew that our friendship outweighed silly expectations. 'Forgive and forget' is, was and will be our motto as far as friendship is concerned. Infact it all began with a quarrel... A silly quarrel" so saying Jass checked her watch.
"Oh! tell me, no?"
"Yeah sure.. But it's all a 50-year old story".
"Please do tell me."
"I will if you would let me finish this knitting. Am doing the final knot as you can see... It'll take a minute or two."
"I'll wait" said Sume as she saw the old lady complete her knitting. 'Friendship!' The word that creates a magic around people has never left any deep impacts in Sume's life. Ofcourse she had many friends... Many claimed to be her best and intimate friend. But still she had always had the feeling that people are more self-centered. Only one in a million has the kind heart to care for others. She had always wanted to know what is friendship and were there people called 'true friends'. She believed Jass's story would provide a good answer to many such questions in her mind.
She saw the old lady trying to complete her work with much eagerness...
(Dusk continues....)
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