Through thick and thin...

She moved her eyebrows slightly as l meekly shouted her name several times.But I was so grief stricken and out of courage that I gave up too soon. The very next day her soul left for the heavenly abode leaving behind her husband and two young kids.She had been on the hospital bed unconscious since last two days and wasn't responding to any treatment according to the doctor on board.I still wonder how she had instantly responded to my voice. I am not sure but may be a little more effort would have worked miracles.The very thought makes me regret relentlessly.

Lately we had grown apart but it didn't change the fact that for a long time we grew side by side; our roots always remained tangled. And I am glad for that.

As young kids we lived in the same building, she on 1st floor and I on 2nd and studied in the same school since we were in the nursery class. Our moms were good friends too.Santoshi was a forceful personality, aggressive, brave and outspoken. On the other hand I was some what meek, level headed and restrained. Though we both were antithetical and mutually incompatible,there was some invisible silver chord that strongly kept our souls connected.It was such a deep connection that any hurt caused to one would pain the other. Most of the time she was found defending and siding me outdoors least knowing that soon it was going to become the other way round.

We were in grade two and my heart still misses a beat when I recollect that dreadful unfortunate afternoon when we received the terrible news that her mother was no more. Santoshi and myself were together at my place then and my mother pressed her to her chest tightly which spoke much louder than words that she was always going to be there for her infinitely.

It was though just a beginning of her rough journey and so of our friendship that saw many highs and lows over the years but one thing never changed and that was our emotional bond.

Soon after her mothers death her two aunts and uncles shifted to her apartment so as to take care of Santoshi and her brother who was two years younger.Santoshi's father had an extra marital affair with an already married nurse that always had caused distress to her mother when she was alive.

Now with her mother not being around she became an ignored child with almost no love and affection around. Her both aunts had there own total of 5 children to look after and usually mistreated Santoshi and her brother in there fathers absence.They were yelled at even if they asked for some extra food. So much so that once Santoshi's head had to be shaved off as innumerable wounds were formed by lice in her hair that were not getting healed.There life was really very miserable.Her father was busy in his own world that left little space for the duo unfortunate children.She addressed my mother as mom and loved to be with us as much as she could. Her aunt never liked anyone favouring the children and often forced a quarrel upon my mother.

The days were passing by like ebb and flow of a tide.Santoshi and her brother were growing up crudely though still holding to a thin light of hope and happiness because of the few people around,who always cared for them.

Most of the days it would so happen that when in the morning I called out to her for school she was found sleeping.The reason is no one in the house cared if she went to school or not.I never let her miss the school and persuaded her to get ready hastily and rush to the school.

It was the year 1981 and we both had got promoted to grade 7. A new academic year had just started.Our friendship hit a real rocky road when my mom changed mine and my brother's school. She had requested her father as well but he paid no heed to it. Now that our school,timings and friends were different we could just keep in touch.Our influence on each other lessened day by day. Santoshi started missing the school more often. Also she took up to the companionship of a boy of another religion. This became totally unacceptable to her father and things got stretched so far that he confined her in the house not allowing her to attend even her school.

One more grey shade surrounding her life was her maternal uncle who was a wanted criminal and on the run. Once it so happened that her two aunts were out on a vacation and when I just dropped in to her house to meet, her criminal uncle was hiding inside.

It was not that my mom cared for her less but that she was worried for me more. With little space for any improvement in the situation my mom cut off all the relationships with Santoshi and her family. I was in the 9th grade then and Santoshi had left her studies. Next two years were too hard on our friendship. We were too attached to be separated from each other.She still addressed my mom as 'mom' and therefore not wanting to defy her decision we mutually decided not to talk to each other.Though we occasionally kept in touch by writing letters to each other in which my soft hearted dad was our confidant. We all knew that mom would not be able to keep Santoshi away from her for too long and were sincerely waiting for that moment. Which came off very soon.

Rays of hope were peeping and favourable times were knocking. We had dinner together and then an emotional family hug. I was in 11th grade then. We sat to decide the further course for Santoshi. She wanted to take up the nursing course. But the hurdle was she had left her studies way back in grade 8 and would not be able to do anything unless she passed her 10th grade.We knew that her father wouldn't yet allow her to go out for some private classes. So it was decided that I would tutor her.It has been 33 years Since then that I have been following this profession of teaching and have taught hundreds of children. From this I have earned a good sum and pumped that amount into animal welfare. But the starting point was Santoshi. Yes she was my first student at the age of 16.I used to teach her for almost two hours daily and every time we would end up into a squabble. Reason was as I had mentioned earlier,our contrary antipodal natures. When I would explain her solemnly and earnestly she would take up things comically and perfunctorily. Finally she passed with seventy two percentage of marks and her life moved ahead with what she wanted. It was quite a good period for both of us as well as for our friendship.

She got married at an early age of 22 with a boy of her dads choice in her community. The boy was good, sober, soft spoken and had a reasonably good source of income. I was euphoric the day she got married as she was going to start a new fresh page in her life. But as if God had denied her mothers love in this life, here too she had to face the mom in law who was her husbands step mother. But her over all life was much , much better than her first half.My family was at that time passing through a financial crunch ;a business set back which was draining. In this time she gave me a lot of moral support and dropped in to meet whenever it was possible. Finally I too got married in a good family four years down the line not too far away from her place. Our family responsibilities had made our interactions minimal. But it never changed the fact that for a long time we grew side by side; our roots always remained tangled. And I am glad that we both myself Rita and Santu as I called her still feel connected to each other although separated by death and residing in two different worlds.