It is an old picture - 1963-64 methinks. The girl happens to be my first friend. Before her father built this new house they were living on the house above ours as a tenant for a few years (this is just two houses away, same street). We grew up together. Her mother used to feed her food and my mother to me. I was the fussier of the two. I hated curd-rice, but she ate only curd-rice. I had only rice and rasam (I don't know how to describe this liquid delicacy, traditional to our area). We played together most of the time. We went to school together - she is a year junior. It was a wonderful time. Before 1968 or so, they moved out of Mysore. Her father had a camera. Owning cameras in those days was considered a luxury. We did not have one at home. So he used to take quite a few pictures, thanks to his interest in photography, we have such memories to cherish. I'm wearing my favourite Terylene Shirt, a fashionable fabric of those days. Her father is no more now, but her mother still stays in that house of theirs. My friend lives in Singapore with her two kids. We always meet when she visits her mother. I cannot remember anyone but her whom I can call a first friend. There is a cousin of hers that was my classmate. He too lived closeby. But the friendship that had developed with her was a bit before his. He too is in touch and remains one of my good friends - now in USA. And often, we three used to be together, even going to school.
Dinu
