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Sitting there in a room full of ladies chanting Durga’s praise I couldn’t stop thinking about the woman who lived next door till last month. I was invited for a golu and haldi kumkum in a subdivision close to my home. but today I want to write about “Begum”

I met her couple of years ago. She was from Pakistan and she was the only “eyebrow threading” woman in our town. I was her one customer but didn’t even realize when we became different kind of friends.

More I think of definition of friendship more I wonder. I am a kind of woman she wouldn’t want as a friend (on a surface) BUT somehow we found friends in each other.

Begum is one of the most religious people I have ever met. Islam is way of life for her but soon enough she accepted the fact that religion is not part of my life. And then began our friendship beyond borders and religion. We never met socially but that treading time became our time.

We would talk about culture, society, family, Islam, Koran, Ramayan Mahabharat and Hinduism, music, women and men in our countries, history, geography and movies, kids and family life, cuisines and recipes. Facebook brought us closer and she would ask about Saree pact and friends.

I heard so many stories from her past, and shared many from mine. We reminisced about our childhood, our hometown, our sisters and cousins and relatives. We questioned the history and politicians. Every visit to her house had something new to learn something different to explain.

I used to joke that I am a worthless customer for her; she could make much more money for the time she spends with me.

Then one fine day she told me they are moving to Tx.

During her packing days she called me to ask if I could wear her sarees. She usually wore salwar kurtas but she had few sprees too. After her Haj trip she wears “hijab” and cannot wear saree in public. She says she cannot think of anyone other than me! When I went to see her before her move I got five sarees from her. When one of her neighbors invited me for Navratri Pooja I could think of any other saree. I picked one for her stack.

Begum, I miss our talk, our discussion and I hope you miss those too.