My special friend..

It has been only an year since we first met.But to me it seems i know him for years.To me he was not just a friend but my best friend,my loving companion who had always filled me with hopes and confidence.

I first met him one saturday morning.I had rushed out of my house for tutions as usual after a big fight with mom. I had been fired for getting up late,for keeping my room in such untidy condition.(To my mom my cupboard seems as if a tornado has passed through it),for not finishing my breakfast, for not keeping my books clean,for not polishing my shoes.....the list goes endless.Even though i know i am at fault,i keep protesting ,arguing and shouting.. All our fights end in big shouts and i grab my books and jump out of my house.Hurrying towards the bus stop i was analyzing the incidents. "why am i like this?am i the only teenager who has problems with their parents?why am i so absent minded?i have got all the tutions in the world and yet there is no improvement in acadamics.Everything the teacher says seems 'blah!blah!'for me and the tutions are so boring that i feel like sleeping.Suddenly i heard a chuckling sound from behind. "Did you finish talking to yourself?".Someone asked and i turned around.There stood an old man round about 75 years of age.Not one strand of his hair was black.He was short ,fat but with a chubby face.He had a very sweet innocent smile that filled his small eyes.I felt a little embarrassed and gave him a shy smile.This was our first meeting.Soon my bus came and so after one more look at him i boarded the bus.That day my classes seemed not that boring nor the teacher seemed to talk 'blah blah'.For the first time i listened attentively in the class in that whole year.After that i met him every day.While i was on my way to the bus stop he would join me from his morning walk.As advised by the doctor he has to walk atleast an hour each day. After i board the bus he would turn around the corner of the street and go.The more i got to know him the more curious i was.He seemed to have solutions to all my problems.Whenever i feel dull and moody i talk to him and my spirits lightens up.We discuss about all the things under the sun-plants,animals,birds,roads, even Indian politics and elections!.Whenever i complained about my mother he would console me and say "you're grown up now.Your mother excepts you to be a bit more responsible.Keeping your things and your room clean is not a very big task.Try to understand your mother and obey her .you are good and smart and everything is going to be ok for you".Yes,everything came out well for me. I slowly got back my self confidence.Fights with mom was no longer a daily routine.Itold my mother about my new friend.But as i had expected she didn't approve of it.For her strangers whether old or young ,men or women are enemies.They are dangerous.She gave me an half an lecture about strangers laying down example and incidents and figuring them as criminals to me.I did not try to argue to with her,but i met my friend the next day too.Days passed,months passed.We met every day,talked every day.We became more and more friends each day.By the time exams were round the corner and for me chemistry was the most difficult subject.I was feeling very scared.But he encouraged me and told me not to lose heart.He helped me a lot with chemical equations by explaining the basic principles and theories. He pointed out many examples from the day to day life and many at times i was amazed by his practical knowledge Another occasion when he outwitted me was when i lost my pen.He was not an ordinary pen and a costly one too.It was there in my box when i started off from my house but was missing when i reached the school. I searched everywhere but in vain.I was down in my dumps.The next day when i met my my friend i was too depressed to talk to him .I told him about my loss and burst into tears.He cheered me up and said"Don't worry my girl,after all it's a pen.you're going to get it back soon.Now wipe of your tears ..be happy."Somehow i felt i was going to get my pen back.That day i slept peacefully.The next day i met him he was beaming.He held up something in his hand.I couln't believe my eyes.It was my lost pen!. "I found your pen lying on the roadside.See..i told you, you are going to get it back..don't you worry about this again..."He beamed at me.I couldn't control my excitement.I really jumped with joy.I was full of gratitude that i couldn't speak for some time.But, back at school i had my own doubts."How did uncle get my pen?.He said that it was lying on the roadside.Hundreds of people walk through that road. How could it be lying there without being noticed by anyone but uncle."I took the pen out and had a close look at it.Suddenly it dawned on me .It was a brand new pen.He had actually bought a new pen for me,to make make me happy,to cheer me.This time too he outwitted me. The results of my exams were published.I had scored a very high percentage for chemistry.My parents and teachers were very happy.I was happy too.I wanted to say this to uncle so badly..How happy he would be.somehow the day got over and the next day i went eagerly to the bus stop to met him.But he didn't join me on my way nor was he there at the bus stop.I was confused and at the same time i was so excited to break the news to him. somebody at the bus stop told me" are you waiting for that old man?.He died yesterday night at 8'o'clock . He had an heart attack they say".I felt someone had given me some hard blows on my head.I could hardly believe my ears.'Nonsense!'i thought.How can he die just like that.I had met him yesterday also. He seemed so cheerful and happy.I was trying to be optimistic.I was reassuring myself.I could feel my eyes filling with tears.I bit my lips.At that moment i saw the bus approaching.How can i go to cl;ass without telling him the news.I was sure he would be waiting for me to come.He won't go anywhere without hearing this news from me.I am not going anywhere without meeting him.I turned round the corner to go to his house.The bus brushed past me.

[THIS IS NOT A REAL LIFE INCIDENT.THIS IS A STORY I GOT PUBLISHED WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL]