Me, My Friend and Us.

By Hammad Anwar

Follow @manihammad

I have a friend.

I met my friend through a Pakistani music artists’ discussion forum. My friend asked for a song, I downloaded it, sent it. Then we added each other at Orkut.


We used to chat like crazy over Msn messenger only. Mobile phones were a luxury back then. We used to share stuff about families, friends, tennis and what not.

Then my friend left me. Without a single word. Without a single message. The friend just disappeared.

I tried contacting, adding again, sending messages, emails. Worrying over the fact that God knows what happened. But never got any answer.

Then we met again. Started talking again. Reconnected and shared stuff. Got updated about the latest happenings.

Then my friend disappeared again.

I was at a loss for words. I had no idea what was happening and why. But I just wished that I would get my friend back.

And I did.

My friend returned. This time for good. The age of mobile, Facebook, Twitter had arisen. It was hard to escape that. But my friend managed to cut off even then. Not replying to calls or texts. But by then I had cracked the code.

I knew friend would return and it happened. We then bonded like never before. I had passed so many tests. My friend had to take me. I tried to understand and be there in my own way. Things went from good to better to best. Unimaginable goods things happened. Loved every bit of it.

But we were not done. My friend suffered the greatest loss ever. Lost not only a loved one, but the most loved one. I called and did not know what to say. I knew whatever I said, the pain would not go. But I knew I had to stay. I did.

This loss left my friend shattered. Broken beyond repair. Sad beyond belief. Nothing could help. But my friend got to know the real face of many people. I was among the lucky ones who my friend considered close, loved and trustworthy.

I loved that.

Almost 6 months to that loss and a decade after our friendship, we are still strange friends. We didn't talk on phone except occasional birthday calls. My friend wanted something for me which even I wasn't sure I wanted and yet when there was a slightest chance of that. My friend was the first person I called. That shows the strength of this bond.

We don't talk daily. We don't share the usual stuff. We share lame auto correct forward messages. You can expect a weirdest of message at 4 am in the morning, reply and have an intense discussion. Where one would write long messages while getting "yea" as the only reply. Then without saying good bye or good night, the texting would stop and we would sleep. There would  not even be a hint of discussion about that conversation next day.

We are the best buddies and yet strangers. We have so many plans and things to do but we are yet to meet each other in real life. We surly hope and wish we do one day. We don't know how to make other feel better during the times we are down and out yet we would always text each other and it would work out. We have different lives, different aims and different needs. We know each other`s deepest secrets. We have our own deepest secrets. There is nothing like judging each other. Just pick up the mobile and send whatever comes in mind. And get an even weirder reply.

Yet we are friends. Yet we are each other's strength. I think I know my friend but on second thought, I might not. But yes I love my friend. I wish the best of everything and all the happiness in the world for my friend.

Last night at 3:30 am, while I was studying, I got a text from my friend. It said:

"And thank your lucky stars for your friends. Mine are the best. God bless them."

We haven't talked since.