To my friend ten thousand miles apart
Dear Sim Sim,
My first weekend in India was better than I ever imagined. My favorite thing by far has been seeing how much you smiled this entire weekend.
Most friends grow next to us, look like us and are born speaking our same language. So friendship makes sense. Other friends come from the other side of the world, dance to different movies, curse with different words, and eat different meals. You wouldn’t expect them to become your best friends, and yet, they do. Sometimes, you are lucky enough to find a friend like Simran.
I’ve been trying to answer: What is our happiest or funniest memory?
Maybe it was traveling for miles to New York, when we had the brilliant idea of going north for our spring break. I remember we got hit by a snow storm, and couldn’t leave the apartment (even though we tried). And somehow we still manage to have an amazing time. We bought some pasta in a Bodega, played never have I ever, and danced “Shakira Shakira” in the living room.
Or maybe it was interning in San Francisco. The first place I visited when I landed in the Bay Area was your apartment, because I knew that I could count on you for a warm welcome to the new city.
Or maybe it was that time you chased the Mozilla Intern away because you were so friendly that he didn’t know how to handle it.
It could be when we went to the Niagara Falls, or Tahoe, or Philadelphia.
Or it could just be playing little paper games, while sitting on Jaideep’s floor.
Maybe it was gossiping about scandalous stories in the CMU campus, or struggling with homework in CMU campus, or dancing “Kar Gayi Chull” in CMU campus.
It could be me crashing at your place, and sleeping in your couch or you crashing at mine and having a Xmas for only two, when both of us were far from all our family. We became each other’s families.
When you told me you will be going back to India, a part of me was very sad because I thought I would be losing a friend. But seeing you with Manjiv this weekend allowed me to see how happy you are when you are together. Your eyes shine when he holds your hands. Your smile widens when he is by your side, and I caught you laughing every time he made a joke.
You are made for each other. I wish that you guys can make tons of happy memories, and that just like me it becomes impossible to pick a favorite one.
Congratulations.
Hugs,
Caleb
