School days are the time when we make the most of our close friends. Some of those friendships carried on for a long time, and some got lost in the hustle of life. 

Today I will share my own story of a long-forgotten school friend. Suppose his name was “Santanu.”. We were then in class VIII when our friend ship bloomed. He was a below-average student, and I was among the top 20% of our class. He was a back bencher, and I also became one.

I could not remember how we really became friends. Although, at that age, we judge less and do make friends readily. Most of the time, we used to sit on the same bench. We used to share our tiffin and many other things.

In most of the classes, the class teachers used to catch us chatting. So on many days, we were being thrown out of the class. We used to make the most of those times. 

Sudharshan Sir was our English teacher. Both of us were not very interested in the British language. So instead of paying attention to the class, on an event full  day we were busy playing our favorite cross-and-round game on the exercise book. 

Sir caught us red-handed and threw both of us out of the class. We tried to explain, but he did not listen to us. Although we were more happy out of the class, playing in the field was risky because if some other teacher spots us playing, we will be in trouble.

So my friend suggested that we spend the time in the restroom. We got our hands on a piece of chalk and started drawing aliens on the walls of the bathroom. It was a fun exercise. We tried to draw Sudharshan Sir also, but unsure of our artistic skill, we wrote Sir's name below the drawing so that everyone would recognize it. Chaos broke out when students and teachers started spotting our art. Naturally, we were the main suspects. We both were grilled. We swore by the name of many celestial beings to not even think of doing such an offense. The teachers counted on our tears and innocent faces and spared us.

Mobile phones were still a good few years away from making their way into our lives. Smartphones were still not in the human imagination. So instead of discussing video games or the Facebook profiles of others, we were usually used to talking about cricket, pens, tiffin, etc. 

On Friday, due to prayer, there was a provision for a one-hour tiffin break. On those days, we had the freedom to go out of school campus on a tiffin break. So on Fridays, we used to sneak out of the campus to walk on the neighborhood roads, huddling in stationery or gaming shops. Occasionally, we used to pay visits to each other's homes. At thirteen, we still have not grown up to discuss girls or cigrate, thanks to the time and society to which we belong. 

There are many sweet moments still reserved in my memory. Although my friend's home was not very far from ours, after school I never met him again. They probably shifted to another location. I could not be sure that he would recognize me after so many years. It still feels nice to recall those beautiful days.