As she entered she noticed the hall was stuffed with people. She felt little uneasy and awkward as she was new to the community. Arpita was shy and quiet by nature and preferably stayed away from such parties. But since it was one of her close friend’s party she could not turn it down.
It was a quite big square hall with a low ceiling. One wall of the hall was decorated satisfactorily. In the middle of the wall hung a festoon of flowers. Below that was hanging a big banner across the wall, that read ‘Happy Anniversary’. Red and white balloons had been stuck on each corner of the wall and some of them were hanging from the ceiling too. Colorful buntings hung diagonally from the ceiling from one corner to the other made the hall look beautiful. And the hall rumbled with the giggles and chattering of the individuals. Her eyes traveled through the crowd to find her friend and host of the party, Devika. It was their third anniversary and Arpita was cordially invited.
Arpita had recently flown to this city in the States and was not much familiar with the surroundings and people. Devika was the first person she happened to know because they both went to the same laundry and in a couple of meetings they became good friends. Devika was residing there for the past 3 years and had a big circle of friends.
A few minutes later She found Devika busy in talking and preparing herself for cutting the cake. They talked for a few minutes and Devika again disappeared in the crowd. Arpita engaged herself in talking to one of Devika’ s friend whom she had met a couple of times before, she could feel a pair of eyes staring at her. Arpita ignored it first , but something in her made her turned to see in that direction, those eyes were still stuck on Arpita and for the next few seconds, Arpita also stared at her. Her face looked quite familiar to Arpita. Apparently, they knew each other. As Arpita was thinking and trying hard to recall, someone nudged her and drew her attention to the couple ready for the cake cutting. The cake was cut and everybody greeted and wished the couple. After having cake people helped themselves with dinner. They talked, giggled, and enjoyed. Arpita in her head was still thinking about that girl and her eyes looking for that face. A name suddenly struck her mind ‘Aruna’. Was she Aruna, her classmate in school? Really? She was surprised as much as she was confused.
It had been twenty years since Arpita saw her. Memories from the past inundated her mind, memories from the last day of school. They were happy graduating from high school yet sad that they will not be able to see each other from now on as some of them were going to another city to attend college, Aruna was going to her brother for further studies. Arpita was to join the college there itself. They said goodbye to each other. Their ways had been parted.
Is she Aruna? She does look like her… She was juggling with these thoughts, someone tapped on her shoulder from behind and called her name. Startled, Arpita turned back. “Aruna “was the first word she blurted as she saw her. To her surprise, it was her, Aruna. Overwhelmed by happiness and excitement they both hugged each other and 20 years gap was gone in a moment, in just one hug. They were feeling blissful to be together again. Arpita had never thought in her wildest dream that they could meet again but they did only by God’s grace. After that, they chatted and chatted after all they had to catch up for the past 20 years.??
“An old friend met in a far country is like rain after a drought.”