Have been wanting to blog about this experience for sometime now. Finally found the time.

Last week – around the 11th of June, some of my dearest friends from my University days came over to Hyderabad. Another close friend, S, was hosting them and their families in his house. He invited me over for dinner so we could all spend some time together, recollecting and pondering.

My twins generally go to sleep by 7.30 PM. Most parents know what happens when the child is awake well past the sleeping time. Moreover, I was still unable to drive long distances, thanks to the surgery on my right knee. These two reasons were making me hesitate taking up the long journey – at least 20 km one way.

“No problem. We will come over and drive you. You just get ready with your wife and kids. There are enough people here to hold your twins.  And we will also drive you back home. So don’t worry, ” they said.

And so, they drove all the way to my house, picked us up, and drove back to their house.  Everything was fine. But my ten month old twins did not adapt to the new place and new people. They were edgy and irritable. My friends and their wives and even little children did their best – but the twins were just not ready to quieten down. Finally, when both started to bawl uncontrollably, my wife and I both cut short our dinner, bid hurried goodbyes and made ready to leave.

My friends immediately got in, having remembered their promise to drive us back. But the night had not yet ended for us. Somewhere near our house, at the highly busy JNTU junction, I first noticed that despite the AC being on, the windshield was fogging. D, who was driving, checked and found that the AC was not functioning. It was at this juncture that my wife noticed smoke billowing from under the engine hood. D at once stopped the car and shouted at all of us to get out.

I grabbed one kid while my wife grabbed the other. None of the motorists had patience for us – they honked away, scaring the kids no end and making them start crying again. D helped us to the road divider. Meanwhile, I rang up S and N, who had gone ahead in their own car. They turned back and I told them to take my wife and kids home while I stayed with my car to call for assistance.

D would not even hear about it. He managed to take the car across the heavy traffic to the side. S and N returned and bundled me into their car along with my family. S drove me home while N and D stayed with the car. It was 10.30 PM – but they forced me to leave. N checked out the engine, tinkered with it and soon got it limping to my house at 11.00 PM.

They then left – to drive all the way back 20 km, only after ensuring that we were all safe at home.

My interaction with all of them began during my student days at Sri Sathya Sai University. It has only grown stronger since then. Someone rightly said that good and true friends are rare. They need to be treasured. D, S and N showed me why.