I went to a reunion of old friends a few days ago.
It was one of those occasions where (almost) everyone got a little tipsy, and went slightly maudlin, and told old, old stories, or maybe it was all the smoke, and not the drink.
A lot of people have changed. De wears better fitting clothes now. Bi drinks a little, and Ra drinks a lot. Pu is in love with a girl, and he used to be in love with two other girls, but those didn’t work out, and this was a guy who shied away from girls like he thought he’d get a venereal disease just by thinking about sex. Quiet, shy Lambda, the guy who once accidentally touched this young teacher’s breast, and then actually apologized to her, he was that much of a doofus, he wears Ray-bans now. Even in the evenings.
And Sou has finally sprouted facial hair. Finally. After years and years of being ribbed about it. And Arnie has a girlfriend. And Andoo can dance.
Supro was this really, really carefree guy. Laughed a lot, the kind of guy who never seemed to have any worries. Now he calls himself a misogynist, chain smokes, and is all too ready to talk about all the times this bitch, or that bitch bought movie tickets for him because they wanted to make out with him.
And Ri couldn’t make it. He’s still at Haldia, stoned out of his mind. He uses heroin to put himself to sleep, and cocaine to help wake himself up in the mornings.
A used to be fat. Very fat. He was really smart, and funny, too, but not many people looked past the fat, and the ridiculously thick moustache that he had. Now he’s clean-shaven, thinner than I am, and has hair just the right length, with streaks. He looks very cool. He’s happier, too. Or so he says.
Everybody loves the new, hep A, they were all exclaiming over him.
I wish someone would take this stranger away, and bring me back my fat, bumbling friend.
