An idea coined by a classmate and a dear friend, who was coming down to India from the US, in July the vacation time there. This time she was going to be in the country, a bit longer than the customary 15 days that the usual Desi Firangs stay in their native land. It was also the year we young people were completing 20 years of passing high school, Kendriya Vidyalaya, No.2, Naval Base, Kochi, Kerala..... 20 years! My Good God!!
She just expressed her wish if there was anyway we could all catch up, while she was in India. This thought lead to a Whatapp group being formed and one of the Bangalore batchmate becoming the admin. We had so many of us being added, suddenly Whatsapp made more business in that week than it did the rest of the year. The phones continued beeping. That made me discover a setting on my phone that could be used to mute the notifications. The different time zones that we lived in made it even more exciting, won't call it a nuisance you see! That's what our spouses must have thought it to be, I am sure. Talking about mine, I am definite, he wondered what got me hooked on to the phone even in the middle of the night and smiling at stuff that I was reading. Well we are early sleepers, courtesy my two hyperactive boys who need to go to school everyday! Suddenly the messaging got a bit longer and sleep time being pushed. The topics on the group were always interesting, taking us back to our school days. Some of us were classmates for more than 10/ 12 years.
Then the question of fixing the reunion venue came about. Cochin, where we all studied was ruled out as there wasn't anyone in the city. The boys seem to be liking Goa, for the obvious reasons but we weren't really keen as it was peak monsoon there. Bangalore became the destined city to host the powerhouses! Bangalore gang then met up for the first time as they suddenly became hosts. Living in the same city for ages yet not meeting up!.... Good that the ball started rolling. Bangalore gang became the forced planning committee. I am sure they enjoyed it nevertheless as the result was awesome. The only challenge being that the batch mates were all over the world and in India it was time for the new school term. The dates were frozen to 25-27th July 2014, the weekend the batch of 94 would relive their school days! Emails were exchanged and the buzz was not only on the Whatsapp group but in the group on Gmail! All of us were excited and looking forward to the reunion. The school days are the best days of ones life, uncomplicated, fun filled and carrying lots of hopes and aspirations, ready to reach the stars.
All never goes smooth, hiccups are the part and parcel of anything that's going to be mind blowing! When it comes to people, there are some who are the initiators, they just initiate and then take a walk and watch all the fun going on. Some are leaders, who take charge of the situation and make it a success, and there are some who'll push the the others who cannot decide. All these roles were well played, many international calls made and finally we started inching closer to the time. One realisation all of us had by then that its easier to get older than it is to get wiser.
On the personal front I had everything going against me, in laws being out of town around the same dates, two children to manage on my own and husband who would join back on work about the same time. I was weighing a lot of things and praying hard that everything falls in place. Had to be there at the reunion, didn't want to miss the opportunity of meeting school buddies after two decades. Couldn't leave kids on their own, and also wanted to be home to see off my hubby. In my heart, I knew everything was going to be the way I wanted it. The Secret worked and guess what? in laws came back a week earlier and my better half got another week to join work. I could never be thankful enough. Finally, I could fly to Bangalore!! Can you imagine my thoughts?... ofcourse the best that anyone can have.!!The happy me......
My travel buddy from the city was a batchmate I knew for more than 30 years. Again met him too, after high school for the first time. It was just catching up on the good old times. Didn't realise how time flew, delayed flight and bad weather didn't mean anything at all. While we were on our way, most of the batchmates were already there by Friday morning, we reached in the evening, checked into the hotel and rushed straight to the venue for the welcome party. It was an amazing feeling, meeting friends after so long. No words can ever describe that emotion. We were all teenagers again, it felt as if April 94 was just the previous day. There was so much to talk, have fun, pull some legs and also share some serious thoughts.
As it is said that, the Old shoes and old friends are best for relaxing. Some of us experienced it and the others had fun watching it!!
Over the next two days didn't realise how morning turned to noon and noon to night. It was such great bonding and loads of fun. Walking down the memory lane is so relative it was actually living those beautiful moments. Our careers, families, children and the universe just conspired to make this happen, as Paulo Coelho would have said. We do cherish it and it'll be etched in our memories for a long long time!.... In fact the plans of the next reunion are already underway! Afterall, the best antiques to collect are old friends!
Sunday the group started leaving one after the other, for me the family and children took over my mind. Had a nice trip back home. The boys did miss me could make out from the life size bouquet that was placed on my bedside table welcoming me home. This was the icing on the cake. All good things come to an end but somethings make way for another, even better one!
To all of my friends, the high school buddies,
"You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely".
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