Partners In Crime

I think each one of us will have a partner in crime..someone to plan a crime with however petty they may be and someone to hold your back and never give it away at any cost. And thats Kalyani to me!

- There were times when I had to have coffee every single day. My head would ache otherwise. Thanks to Kalyani for she was the one to introduce coffee to me!

- Do you remember the days teachers in school would point fingers at you and ask you questions no matter how much you hide from them? Kalyani made that easier for me by solving all the mathematics exercises in my book right before the school reopened.  So I had the answers right there and when the teacher questions me, I be the smart kid.

- There were days when all Kalyani and I would do was lounge on the couch, eat chocolates and chips together and throw the wrappers behind the couch like a boss and didnt give a damn to clear them away. When my mom sees the wrappers hidden behind the couch, we never knew who put them there in the first place.

- Do you know how to get down to one in brainvita? No? Oh, you should have had 'Kalyani' with you so you could have boasted to your friends that you figured it all out by yourself.

- It is the day before your school exams and dad says no television and you try to abide by it. But then comes the reminder that your favorite show is aired right now and you get tempted to watch. That's Kalyani for you!

Kalyani - A great friend and an awesome grandmother a girl can ever ask for! It is already 16 years since she left us to a better place but memories are still fresh in my heart.

Death took her away from us on Jan 2, 1999. She was sick for quite a long time and as a matter of fact, she was bed ridden for as long as I can remember. But on Jan 1, 1999, we knew that was it. I was in my 6th grade and my sister in the 8th grade. My parents prepared us the best they can of what was going to happen.

Jan 1, 1999 - We had a New Year's party in our apartment the night before and my sister and I had won so many prizes. That usually makes my paati so proud. We couldnt wait to show her and we did show her the prizes and she did feel really happy about it.

Jan 2, 1999 - She was struggling to breathe her last and you know what she asked few hours before she left us? PERK ! A chocolate she absolutely loved. That's Kalyani!

She finally breathed last and rested in peace. Everyone around us said she had suffered enough and that she is now in peace. My sister and I nodded to it all not sure how much of it we understood then. That was the very first loss we had to encounter and it ripped our hearts so much.

And now on every second of January, I recollect these precious memories of her and all I want to tell her now is -

"You will always be my favorite partner in crime and I really really miss you! "