For the love of a friend....

For the love of a friend....

He entered the aircraft, eyes searching for his seat. His face complete with rural charm, rustic, untouched and unspoilt. The air hostess guided him to the seat next to mine. He squeezed into it quitely making all effort to ensure I was not disturbed.
I dozed off as soon as the aircraft took off due to sheer exhaustion. My days prior to my departure for my training at LBSNAA, Mussorie had been hectic. I woke up from my slumber with the air hostess checking out on meals. Politely she questioned me if I wanted to purchase something. She asked him too, first in English and then in Hindi. Like me, his reply too was no.
It is rare that I make conversations with my co- passengers on the aircraft. Ages ago when we travelled by train on long journeys that was common. We ended up making quite a few friends. But on aircrafts one normally kept to oneself. Howeve this time, curiosity got the better of me and my desire to know more about him.
I opened the conversation by asking him where he was going. He said Haridwar. I asked him whether he stayed there, he said yes. When asked him where was he coming from. He said Guwahati. By now I was even more curious to know why he had gone there and so probed further.
He said he was doing business of transporting leather from Haridwar to Guwahati. He took the goods by train. He also had employed individuals on commission basis there to take the goods forward. He was able to make a profit of almost Rs. One lakh in such trip during the winter season. It took three days to travel to Assam by train. At times he even went further down to Shillong. He had been introduced by a freind into the business and had been doing it for two years. What was touching was the matter of fact way in which he spoke.
His friend was getting married the next day and that is why he had chosen to fly. His friend would have been annoyed had he not reached in time for the wedding. Softly he said, "Main shaadi par naa jaaoon toh dost mujhse baat nahi karegaa", meaning his friend would not have talked to him if he did not attend his marriage. That he had to spend almost Rs.16,000 to fly did not matter. This loving gesture for his friend was so heartening and the matter of fact way in which he said it made it all the more special. He had proved nothing on this earth could be more prized than true friendship.