Anita was feeling tired and frustrated. She had not left the house in months and months. She was feeling cooped up and miserable. Little things scared her – like tiny insects and small sounds. She had never been this depressed in her entire adult life - And not because she hadn’t faced misery before. She had handled all kinds of unimaginable situations and lived to tell the tale.

Suddenly, a friend she had known for 30 years was going to be in town – her high-school friend. She wanted to make sure they met up this time at least. The past two times when she had been visiting, Anita could not meet her due to her preoccupation with work. Another friend also said she could make it, so the three of them were to meet at a restaurant after almost five years. The restaurant was called Black Panther. The name was intriguing. Anita was looking forward to the meeting since she had not met any of her friends for far too long. On D-day, it was pleasant. The cab arrived promptly. Anita sat in the cab an hour and a half in advance since the commute was that long. When she finally reached, she found Lalita seated at the table. It felt so heartening to see a familiar face after what felt like eons. Lalita was visiting from New Jersey, so Anita did not get to meet her often. Lalita looked just the same as she did 30 years ago. She had a lovely smile on her face and the warmth helped Anita relax and unwind. Harshita was the other friend who was yet to reach. Lalita and Anita had some genuine exchanges, which only a friendship of 30 years can enable. It felt good. By the time, Harshita arrived the food had been ordered.

The thin crust pizza that arrived tasted heavenly. It was a vegetarian version, without mushrooms. The sun-dried tomatoes on the pizza were tasty and fresh. There were black olives, too. The base was soft, warm, and fresh. Anita wanted to eat another entire pizza, but she controlled herself and drank a couple of iced-teas instead. In retrospect, that was a good move on her part since it filled up her tummy a bit and reduced her appetite. Anita was trying to shed all the excess kilos that had piled on after the pandemic Most of it was due to stress and her unhealthy eating habits. The restaurant was the first exceptional place she had been to since the pandemic. It felt amazing to be there with the excellent ambience, great service, and delicious food. Meeting her friends felt so good. It was hard to imagine how Anita had lived the last five years of her life. But she could barely crack a smile. Earlier, she used to flash a smile for photographs they all took. This time, her mouth drooped downward and she looked really unhappy. She asked Lalita to delete that photograph since she didn’t want to look miserable. Lalita was sweet enough to do it.

Harshita looked happy and pretty. She had done up her hair differently and had worn a floral printed top. Lalita wore a salwar kameez and Anita wore pants and a fitted shirt. They chatted about common friends, funny incidents, and shared embarrassing anecdotes. Soon, Anita’s smile reached her eyes and she was guffawing heartily. Oh! She thought to herself. She should have prioritized these get-togethers with her friends and made it to every single one of them. It was like therapy for the soul – her tired, aching soul. She might have been able to navigate life’s challenges better with her support system in place and intact. She gazed at her two friends chattering away and felt a surge of affection for them. A tinge of sadness was replaced by warmth and happiness. She thanked the day she had become friends with them all those years ago in high school and marveled at all they had faced together: functions gatecrashed, errant husbands, angry relatives – the works. Their stories would keep anyone’s eyebrows raised and keep people in splits.

The waiter arrived at their table and asked if they would have desserts. The girls had had a hearty meal and didn’t want to order more food. While Anita and Harshita exchanged a few words, Lalita picked up the tab. The other two protested and said they would go Dutch, but Lalita was sure it was going to be her treat. Memories from high school when they would eat at the tiny, rickety makeshift canteen in their school flooded back. Thirty years later, they were bonding over a classy meal at a fancy restaurant. Although many things around them had changed, it was comforting to know their 30-year friendship had grown from strength to strength. The trio had gone through several ups and downs in their thirty-year friendship. It had only served to cement their bond. In this age of instant delivery, instant gratification and instant noodles, their friendship was a solid testament to lasting bonds.