Write a chapter for your own autobiography in which you describe an achievement or an embarrassing experience or a sad occasion. (600-900 words)
Showers of rain come with monsoon and disappear as leaves turn yellow on trees and herald autumn but rain water seeps deep inside earth and enriches reservoirs of rivers. Similarly there are some experiences of life that shine for a moment like lightning and enlighten many things. Though the thundering and dark clouds that accompany such lightning may intimidate us for a while, we certainly reap a very rich harvest of wisdom during the calm that follows the tempest.
I can still vividly recall the moments of alluring ecstasy and enlightening agony in my camaraderie with my friends.
I was studying at the University of Baroda and staying there in one of the hostels. And the zest for life was in full spate in me. I was ambitious to scale new summits of success and eager to grab whatever gift life was to offer.
The first Friendship Day during my stay at the hostel came to me as an opportunity for me to express my gratitude to my friends for their friendship that I was privileged to. And I had decided to express my gratitude to my friends for their company that makes my life livelier. A good number of plans crowded around my mind and I was in a real dilemma about which plan I should go for, as I had plenty of friends whom I was indebted to for their friendship. Ultimately, I planned to first greet and meet my friends Kwinal, Asit and Bunty, who lived with me in the same hostel and treat them to a very sumptuous luncheon at a posh restaurant of the town and I scheduled my candlelit dinner with Niki in the evening. An incredibly rosy picture about the friendship Day appeared before me.
A cool night with soothing sleep was over and a new sun of hopes was shining bright on the horizon. I got up at 6:00 a.m. and was getting ready to execute my plan. But my hostel friends were still snoring in their beds. As I had decided to have lunch with my hostel friends, I called at Udupi Restaurant and told them to reserve a table for four people. Then, I went outside to get some gifts and Friendship Cards and hoped that by the time I was back my friends would be up. It took me more than an hour to get the things and come back to my room. I came back to the hostel opened the door of my room and saw a bit disheartening scene. Bunty and Asit had gone somewhere and Kwinal was still sleeping though it was half past twelve. I woke him up and asked him, “Where have Asit and Bunty gone?” “They’ve gone to Rita’s home. And will be back in the evening.”, he answered.
“Get up, bloke. We’re having lunch at Udupi together at one this afternoon.”, I said.
“Sorry, dear I can’t join you. I’ve gotta go to my uncle’s place.” , he replied.
I was beginning to realise the verity of an old adage -- man proposes and God disposes.
I rang up Niki.
“Hi, where are you?”
“I’m in my room in the girls’ hostel.”
“Some friends and I are going to have lunch at Udupi restaurant at one. I thought you could join us.”
“I’m afraid I can’t. But we are going to have dinner together this evening without fail”
“Ok, not a problem.”
The void loomed large before me and my heart was beginning to sink. How lonely I was despite a myriad of friends around me! But the prospect of having candlelit dinner with Niki was such a promising prospect that I forgot all my loneliness and dejection and started harbouring hope of having the most memorable evening of my life.
It was half past one and I was very much hungry but I had no other option but take my lunch alone in the hostel mess. I quickly had lunch and went back to my room and had a rejuvenating siesta. It was ten past four when I woke up. From my closet I took out the gift I had bought for Niki and placed it in the paper bag in which I had put the Friendship Day card for her and started waiting for the clock to strike seven in the evening.
The door opened and Kwinal appeared there. He asked me, “Can I borrow your bike if you do not need it now?”
“Ok. I do not need my bike now but I will need it at 6:30 in the evening because I am going out with Niki at seven.”, I said.
“Don’t worry I will be back before five.”, said Kwinal.
From the window of my room I saw him disappearing on my bike. I had two and half hours to kill. So I went to my friends’ room and talked with them. I glanced at my watch. It was half past six but still Kwinal had not come back. So I got a bit anxious and called him but I got no response.
I went into my room. I looked at the paper bag wistfully. The minute hand of the clock in my room was inching towards twelve and it was five to ten when I rang up Kwinal a second time. “I’m on my way to the hostel.”, he said. It struck seven but he had not come back and I needed my bike desperately because I had planned to take Niki out for candlelit dinner.
The sun was setting and it was getting dark. The local shops were getting lit. People were thronging nearby restaurants. At last, Kwinal came back at eight. I was fuming with rage.
I told him, “You told me you’d be back by five. Look at the watch. It is eight o’ clock. I was to meet Niki at seven.”
“But there were scores of problems. First, I got stuck in traffic and as I moved ahead the tire got punctured and I was held up for more than an hour.”, he explained.
“Whatever. I don’t want to listen to this rubbish. And you’ll never ever borrow anything from me. You’re a big liar.”, I screamed. Kwinal’s face fell as the last word escaped my mouth. With surprise my other friends, Bunty and Asit kept looking at me. And Kwinal placed the key to my bike on my palm and walked away very much shattered. With my glassy eyes I saw him going away. A very embarrassing silence pervaded me and my friends.
“Though I got my bike back, I lost my hope to have a candlelit dinner with Niki. And above all I lost a friend who always stood by me.”, I admitted with shame and remorse. Tears welled up in my eyes.
