Friend

“Toxic relations; ever heard of them. Well I just ended one; a 30-year old friendship. I guess it had reached its end long before, I just made it official”

“Mm.. hmm… is that why you are here?”

“No.. um yes maybe. It’s actually my fears. 30 years is a long time. I depended on him for almost everything. He took care of my investments, taxes etc. CA at home .. you know. Now, it’s just difficult; almost impossible.”

“You mean.. taxes and investments are impossible? You can always hire another CA.”

“No, you don’t get it. I am 35 and it’s too late to start learning about financial stuff. Plus, I don’t have an actual interest.”

“Very few people are actually interested in reading finance stuff. Even I know just some basic things. That is how finance advisers make their livings.”

“I know, but we were in the same city. When you are away from your family, lifelong friends can be a great support. What if, my wife or I need something and we have no one around.”

“Not everyone has their lifelong friends around them. You just build new relations.”

“Yeah.. but .. you know.. trusting another guy with everything.. I am just not sure..”

“You are trying to make it sound logical. Aren’t you?”

“Maybe!! My wife said, she misses him. Three of us used to have great fun.”

“It’s not unmanly to miss a friend. Come on, say it, you are paying thousand bucks an hour.”

“That is what sucks. Sitting in a room with a stranger to crib about a lost friendship.”

“Therefore, I would suggest, to get over with it now. You wouldn’t want to do it again.”

“All the important relations seem to have faded away. I can’t recognise myself without them. I feel wronged and distorted.”

“You just need to accept those feelings in order to move ahead. Denial is your problem.”

“Denial has been my defence mechanism. It just doesn’t seem to work anymore.”

“Because..?”

“Because, after years of denial the truth came slapping in my face.”

“Do you want me to prescribe some mood stabilisers to get through it.”

“No, I think talking helps.”

“Well.. than I would just give one suggestion. Sometimes, you need to ruin slums to build a sky scraper. Same way, you need to let go your old but toxic relations to find better ones. Therefore, whatever happened was probably in your best interest.”

I left with a smile, firm handshake and lot of confidence.