Happy Birthday.

A few years ago I received the best birthday gift that I could ever have imagined. My all-time favorite friend surprised me with a very touching act that convinced me of her loyalty and kindness beyond measure. It was the most wonderful birthday I have had in a long-long time. Thank you Sarah, I am forever grateful. And I hope to be there for you just like you have always been there for me. I promise.


Birthday – January 2004

It was in my mailbox when I got back from work, this mail from Sarah. I was expecting to hear from her, she always remembered my birthdays. She either phoned or mailed every year that we have been apart. This time it happened to be a mail. I tore open the envelope as soon as I unlocked the door and entered the apartment; I had to read the contents right away, two pages long I sighed with relish. The first page was a note neatly scrolled in Sarah’s handwriting.

It read –

Anna dearest,

Happy Birthday, girl! I won’t be able to call you this year as I will be in and out of airport terminals all day long. Hope this finds you happy and ready to party into the night? Where’s that fiancé of yours taking you this time round? Any surprises yet? Give him my best. And find attached a gift from my end albeit a small one, but I think you will enjoy it just like I did! I promise to call as soon as I land on solid ground and then you can tell me all about your wild birthday night. And hey one more promise, the one you extracted from me nearly twenty years ago, you will know what I mean once you read the next page, nay-nay – no jumping ahead, read this one first. Here’s my promise to you, I will never forget our friendship, and you will be my best friend forever! We have grown older and wiser sometimes together, sometimes apart. But we always kept in touch and were there for each other from Day One. On your birthday, I am renewing my promise to you, I will continue to be there for you no matter when, no matter where. You only have to holler if you ever need me, a ‘right?

Lots of hugs and kisses,

miss you,
Sarah

PS: Bet you are curious about the next page, a ‘right go ahead and read if you haven’t already peeked. :)

Letter – June 1983

Dear Sarah,

Here I am at last! Hi. I am missing you. I wish Dad didn’t have to move to this country. The new school is huge compared to our school. The students are friendly, around thirty in my class. No, I haven’t made any friends yet. They’re divided into groups and it’s hard to penetrate into any of these circles. I don’t even want to try at this time. I am missing you. I wish we could talk and play like we used to do. There’s one girl who has befriended me, she seems nice. She calls herself Gamma, weird name don’t you think? She doesn’t belong to any of these circles, I wonder why. I don’t want to appear weird as well, you know what I mean? Oh, how I miss you.

The syllabus is totally different too, and the new language tough to learn. I am finding it difficult to write backward coz that’s how they write here! It’s compulsory that I learn the language. I am struggling really! Dad has promised a home tutor to help me out. I just don’t want to learn another language, but I have no choice. Why did he have to move again? Mom says he had no choice either. I wish you weren’t so far away, Sarah. I miss you. Do you miss me?

I liked the new apartment though; it’s located on the fifty-third floor, very tall, there are sixty floors in this building. I can see the whole world from here, I wish you could visit and see it for yourself. Do you think your Dad might move here? Please ask him to. You can stay with us and maybe find another apartment next to ours. Then it would be just like old times.

That’s all the news from my end, mail me soon, and tell me if you miss me, what’s everyone up to at your end? Your Xmas holidays are coming up, aren’t they? What are your plans? They don’t celebrate Xmas over here. :( I hate this place so much. Dad says I will grow to love it, maybe I will.

But please mail me, don’t forget me, please promise me again?

Love and miss you loads,
Anna
xxx

Sarah had kept my letter from eons ago, I couldn't believe it. I must’ve cried and laughed at the same time. I lost count of the times I re-read those letters. I am no longer the doubtful girl I was years ago, yet Sarah’s renewal lightened my heart and made me proud to have such a wonderful friend. Aren’t I lucky? Oh yes, I am.

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Somehow I am unable to post this response

to the prompt from Writer's Island. Not sure why.

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