What Kind Of A Man Are You?

Its been almost three years since we talked

More than two since he replied to my texts

But we’d started drifting long before

When we started studying for the entrance exams

At the same coaching centre

Trying to cram up tons of formulae and equations

And reactions and derivations we’d never require

To make a decent living

But there we were

Ignorant, proud and valiant

Shouting from the roofs of the world

“do your worst, motherfucker!”

While school snuffed the marrow right from our bones

And family peers the very essence of our souls.

He was a fine lad

Wonderful, calm, clever

Wouldn’t stop to think once

He’d walk through the fire

If it meant salvation

Had the steady hands of a surgeon

But loved mathematics more than anyone I’ve ever known

Great parents and a little sister

Quiet folks didn’t pry much

He was a private person

Didn’t like to talk much

Liked to party a lot and get high

Breaking rules and not getting caught

Was his forte

Played football and cricket well

Agile – he moved like water on the field

Watched a lot of movies and television

Fell in love with a couple of women

And as quickly fell out.

Mixed with the ‘wrong crowd’

Like his mom used to say

But deep down he was always true to himself

Never compromise on ethics and morals

A magnet for trouble, that group was

Yet he existed in their shadow

As if someone was his light.

I liked him a lot

He was my only friend from kindergarten

Who stayed through all the ups n’ downs

We’d talk all the time

About this and that

Usually, it was a nod of the head or shake

Which conveyed our deepest thoughts.

Ah.

I wish I could meet him again

Before time runs out

Not to repair our friendship but to say

“What kind of a man are you?!”