When Y's mum first told me about the move I didn't worry. He's just a child, I'd thought, he'll forget. But now, as the day of departure dawns, I find myself worried sick.
The BFF
Hrit is not a gregarious child. He has always had just one friend. Each time we've moved he's made a single friend and stuck with him. All his emotional 'eggs', he keeps in a single basket and I'm beggining to think that's not such a good thing.
Digital bonding
Hrit and Y spend hours at the comp without a fight.. rare for any two kids and even more rare for two super active kids like these two. "They understand each other," said Y's mum laughingly one day. If Y gets upset Hrit runs after him calling him back.
Wired together
"Mama today Y and I said the same thing, together," gushed Hrit one day. "Funny na?" "I think there's a wire between us.. him and me," said Hrit touching his heart. "Wire?" I queried taken aback. "Yes .. the kind that are at the back of the computer," he clarified. Oh he knew exactly what he was saying. Never had I hear such a filmi line uttered with such innocence and such sincerity.
The FAQs
"Mama may I go to Y's house/call Y over?" are Hrit's most frequently asked questions. One day fed up with those two questions I said, "Fine, you go to Hyderabad with Y when he shifts," and regretted it soon enough when after mulling it over Hrit queried back, "May I? Really?" Of late his question has changed to, "May I stay in Lucknow forever?" At least he has his cousins there. Then today it was back to, "May I go to Hyderabad?"
Each time I've tried to prepare Hrit for Y's departure he has only said, "I know he's going but when is he coming back?" I've chickened out of saying, "Never" sticking with, "after a long long time."
As I write this, I'm hoping fervently and telling myself for the nth time, "He's just a child he'll forget."
Afterthought: MM (Mushy Mum) says maybe that idea of not letting kids make 'best friends' wasn't so bad after all.