All Worth It

As kids, jimmy and I were inseparable. Going to the same school, same tuition classes and both having flair for football, this bonding was bound to happen. He was my best friend and would never let me down. Be it the times when I would not do well in studies or in miss the chance to make it to school’s football team, but he always encouraged me saying there is always a tomorrow. We were just the best buddies.

I remember the time when I had jaundice and he would come every morning and evening letting me know what all happened in school. He would help me study the lessons I missed during those and kept me updated about all. Though we were just 15 but it had already been 6 years since we first met at the summer camp. We were just everything and anything for each other.

It was weekend and both of us planned to visit the town to buy jerseys for our out inter school football final. We were excited and decide to eat some chat too on the way back home. We stopped in the main market and checked out a couple of shops before finalizing one. Jimmy got the number 23 one and I got my favorite number 7. Then, as planned we started walking towards the famous chat shop.

While we were walking, a sudden explosion was heard and people started running. I could hear gun shots and unaware of what was happening, we also started running in whatever way we could mange. But in all of this, we lost track of each other. And there I was, in a street with a few more people and I seemed safe. Exactly on the opposite side, there was another street where Jimmy was standing. Between us, there was a road on which bullets were being exchanged.

I wanted Jimmy to cross the road but it never seemed a good idea. If at all any one of us put a foot on that road, we for sure would have been hit by a bullet. But I knew that the place Jimmy was hiding didn’t seem safe enough. I even tried to shout to Jimmy but the sound of bullets was overpowering mine.

Then, suddenly I heard a big blast and a bomb exploded right where Jimmy was hiding. I started crying not knowing what to do. As soon as the smoke from the blast settled down, I saw Jimmy lying down all covered with blood. He was not moving and my worst nightmare seems to be coming true. I wanted to cross the road and go to him but people stopped me saying it was “suicidal” and that Jimmy was dead and there was no use going to him.

But I couldn’t control myself anymore and ran towards Jimmy and got him back to the safe place where I was earlier hiding. There lied my buddy all in blood, not even moving and people tried to check he was alive but alas! He was not. People started shouting at me telling me I could also have died for doing such a foolish thing. One elderly man told me, “Do you it was worth risking your life when you knew he was dead”?

And I replied “Yes it was. You know when I reached there, Jimmy was still alive and he told me ‘I was sure you will come’.”

Everything has changed after Jimmy except for the friendship we shared.

According to Mamkol, “Life becomes special only because of the little unselfish things that make us human.”