G.D. - An Unforgattable Friend

Myself & Gulam

It was almost a week since I lost my Dad. I never expected such a thing to happen so sudden. It was the Sunday evening when I received the call from my friend. I was having my regular coffee with my college friends when suddenly I saw by fone vibrating which said Zia Calling. I wondered why he was calling me cause he hardly calls me up on a Sunday. Actually, he was supposed to be busy with his college friends for the upcoming freshers party which was been organized by them. I thought he would be calling up to ask me if everything was fine at my house cause last Monday I had lost my dad. Sadly, he was calling to give me another sad news which was a shock to me. He said that our common school friend "Gulam Dastagir Ansari", the only child of his parents, the only brother to his five sisters, had passed away in an accident. The accident took place at a Dam near Kohlad, some place between Mumbai-Goa Highway.

I was shaken at that point of time, didn't knew how to react. I got up from there & left the place to meet Zia to confirm the news he just gave me. While heading to his place I was hoping it to be a rumor. But when I reached his place, he confirmed the news. The accident did occur but we all didn't knew how it occurred. We both were in shock so we decided to call all our friends & spread the sad news. At first no one was ready to believe us but later we told everyone that its a fact & we all have to accept it. I called up all my friends so that we all can go and visit Gulam's family members & give them support & condolences. It was a very tough time for all of us cause we all were still in a shock & giving condolence to his family was very difficult for us.

When we came down from his house after giving condolence, we tried to find out the real reason - How & When did all this happen. People had different stories to tell but we all were waiting for the real story. The story goes somewhat like this (as told by Tausif (Gulam's College Friend). Gulam and his three other friends decided to visit one of his College friend Shehbaz's residence @ Kohlad. They all left from Gulam's place at around 11pm on Saturday night on two bikes. Four friends who planned it out were Gulam, Junaid, Shehbaz & Tausif (all college friends). They left from here & halted at some dhaba on their way to Kohlad for dinner. They reach Kohlad early morning around 4am & they went to sleep. They got up in the afternoon had their breakfast & lunch & decided to have a shower @ the nearby Dam. Shehbaz who was not well decided to stay out of water so he didn't join them. The dam water was flowing from a height & they were at the corner. The place where they decided to have a bath was flooded till knee height, so Tauseef went ahead a little to swim in d deeper area of the dam. Gulam & Junaid were heading ahead inside the place where there was knee height water but they didn't knew there was a broken wall at the side & it was very deep. Gulam was ahead just few steps from Junaid. Gulam lost his balance & went inside the hole, seeing this Junaid tried to get hold of Gulam but they say there was a swirl inside the hole & Gulam was caught inside it. Seeing this Tauseef came to save him, he tried pushing him from below but Gulam was not able to get out of the swirl & during that time Junaid also got caught inside the swirl. Shehbaz who was outside tried to get hold of them but they were already lost inside the water. Shehbaz got unconscious & he was lying at the corner.

Tauseef tried to call for help but he said no one was there to help them. In the meantime Gulam & Junaid were no where to be seen inside the water. After sometime few people came to help them but it took them 2 hours to search them. They finally found Gulam's body & then Junaid's body. This is wot Shehbaz & Tauseef told us. 

Death literally can happen in the blink of an eye.

A promising young life was over. We not only loose one friend but we lost two friends that day. I don't know much about Junaid, the other friend who passed away that day. My friend was smart, caring, humble, ready to help & always there whenever we needed him. He was always courteous and always inquired as to how I was doing & how all his friends doing in their perspective lives. He was a gift to all friends & specially to his Parents & Sisters. I know he made his parents, sisters, relatives, friends & everyone around him proud by his caring nature.

One picnic changed it all. It cost him, it cost his parents, it cost his family, it cost his friends, and it cost innumerable others as well. He lost his life, a life of innumerable promises. Thankfully, I do not think he suffered at the end. Her parents lost their only child. Her extended family lost a cousin and a niece. Her friends lost a classmate. Others of us have been affected as well by his death.

I remained saddened by this death and many promises that went with it. It is hard to reconcile such a loss. However, as time goes on, I grieve less for the deceased. Now, I grieve for my friend. I have lost him. I'm not angry with him that he didn't inform me before leaving this world but I am just sad. Not sad for myself because of the distance of a friend but sad that my friend is distant from so many things. I just keep telling myself that time will help.

It seems like we just met yesterday had hell lots of fun & he is gone for a short vacation & will be returning soon. I wish it is just a dream & he would come back and wake me up. We all friends could go for a picnic & enjoy to core. I wish...

I pray every minute for his family members. May God give them courage to over come this difficult time.

Life keep teaching us some lessons everyday. This one is full of them. You owe it to the people that love you and love your family. A senseless death creates a great deal of collateral damage. Lesson number two - love your family and your friends, you never know when they might be gone or when you might be gone. Finally, be there in whatever way you are allowed when someone suffers a loss, particularly the loss of a child. I can't say that I know how my friend's family members feels but I hope he knows, I & all his friends will always be there to support his family in all conditions.

I'm gonna miss you, my friend. I'm gonna miss the late night gatherings, the way you listened to me so patiently. You taught me so many things that I will never forget. You taught me to relax, and enjoy the moment, and that there is nothing more important than family. I am going to have so many fond memories of you. I will cherish the good memories, And I hope to learn from the bad ones. I miss you my friend, surely that you know, more then I show. May your soul rest in peace...Ameen

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