We both had colored umbrellas almost similar in color. And had you been one of the young adult couple of now-a-days looking at us walk, you both would have said ‘how cute!’ All you could see is neat black school shoes with white socks, smoothly pulled up till the knees, and a water bottle dangling around the neck through a backdrop of the white and dark green uniform and a handkerchief broached to our uniform. You could certainly not see their faces but just hear some chatter and yes the one talking nineteen to the dozen will be me and the other would be the prey (but little were we both aware of it) …the only time you could see us both walk freely was when our respective mothers would stop holding our hands and let us walk ahead when we reached the pavements of the Municipal Library and what an adventure it was to wrestle the umbrella against the breeze and climb the uppermost step while our mothers waited uncomplainingly below holding our school bags (did you forget that they too were engrossed in their talks…and no! I am not a replica of my mother when it comes to talking….I guess it was Kavita’s mom who would be a foil for my mom’s silence). Our day would end by a good bye–tata gesture once my mom and I reach our house gates.

This is the first and recurring notion of friendship committed to my memory for years now - Kavita is still in Goa and we hardly meet …whenever we do meet ….we always make it a point to remember our umbrella walks :)

This is the easiest, least complicated and yet inadequate definition of friendship I have. Don’t worry! some out of the place and inappropriate ones (of course a few great ones) are yet to follow which get so complicated that you are better of having just umbrella friends and remembering them with the same sincerity and purity :) and yet I call them friends which are good friends and not so good friends :)))