Thread by @majornirmal

I have been learning how to value relationships throughout my life and God has been kind to teach me this for free.

This is a recent incident of a dramatic reunion after a decade.

A thread.

#PLABJourney #VISA #Delhi

As part of my VISA appointment I had to travel to Delhi from Dehradun. I planned to take the train instead of bus this time and decided to stay with my childhood friend who is working in Delhi presently.

(1/n)

With some papers to be printed at Delhi the next morning I was a bit stressed but was thoroughly enjoying my train journey after a long time and the train reached Haridwar after an hour.

(2/n)

It was a chair car and from Haridwar two people, apparently in their late twenties or early thirties got in to the seat just in front of me. I could hear their conversations clearly as I was seated just behind.

(3/n)

As I was not having company I was just listening to their conversation and could hear terms like KERALA, KOTTAYAM, HOSPITAL etc. The conversation was in Hindi but I understood from the accent that one is a Malayali.

(4/n)

These days I am sceptical of introducing myself to strangers but as there was almost 5 hours to reach Delhi and since they seemed to be from medical profession I decided to talk.

(5/n)

I introduced myself to both of them and learnt that both of them are doctors. The one who had the Malayali accent introduced himself from the batch of 2009 Kottayam Medical College and the other one was 2013 batch from AIIMS Delhi.

(6/n)

We discussed about why I am taking the PLAB route and the struggles we all face as doctors in India. Both of them were Senior Residents in AIIMS Delhi Orthopaedics department and had come to AIIMS Rishikesh for the MCh exam.

(7/n)

We discussed about why I am taking the PLAB route and the struggles we all face as doctors in India. Both of them were Senior Residents in AIIMS Delhi Orthopaedics department and had come to AIIMS Rishikesh for the MCh exam.

(8/n)

I was at Kottayam Medical College for two weeks in 2008 before moving to JIPMER and as this friend had told that he is from 2009 batch Kottayam I was excited to talk as there will be mutual friends for both of us.

(9/n)

There were so many friends about whom he knew, I had not kept in touch with most of them and remembered only their names. He said a few names and asked if I remembered them and I could remember most of their names and faces.

(10/n)

I wanted to save this guy’s number and asked his name and to my surprise he gave only his given which was very common. I had to ask him for the surname because otherwise I would have forgotten the name altogether.

(11/n)

But I sensed a sort of reluctance as he gave his name and did not understand why. Meantime he was checking his Facebook profile and told me that we are already friends in Facebook.

(12/n)

I was not sure why I was already connected in Facebook with a person whom I had met for the first time. I told him that as we are connected with so many mutual friends either me or him would have casually added the other one as friend.

(13/n)

Then he broke the news that he is from the same batch- 2008. Initially he told 2009 because those days Kerala University students used to pass out a year late only as exams were conducted late when compared to other universities. He wanted to surprise me as well.

(14/n)

In fact I had befriended him in 2008 before moving to JIPMER and added him in Facebook that time itself. Now I was not using that account actively and hence we were not updated about each other’s life.

(15/n)

This came as a pleasant surprise for me and we stated discussing life with more excitement. He told me so many stories from his final year, internship and residency which were funny and exciting.

(16/n)

I did not realise how time passed and we reached Delhi. We boarded the yellow line and I waved goodbye to them at AIIMS Delhi to get down at Malviya Nagar. I was still thinking that I was in a dream.

(17/n)

I met this friend after 15 years and life has changed for both of us. We were clueless teenagers not sure about what is life back then in 2008 and now met again in 2023 as responsible adults.

(18/n)

This meet up was so dramatic. There were so many seats in that train and God designed the story in such a way that he would come and sit just in front of me so that I could meet him after a long 15 years.

(19/n)

I was so glad that day and couldn’t stop wondering how God brings people in to your life and fashions every relationship to add meaning to your life.

(20/20)

@threadreaderapp pls unroll.