College Memories

 I saw her in a completely new way for the first time during our first-year Intermediate College Day celebrations. Until then, we had only seen her in the regular formal college uniform. But that day, she wore a pink saree. Her hair was left loose, adorned with fragrant white jasmine flowers. I was stunned by how graceful and beautiful she looked.

She was the top student in our class — intelligent, disciplined, and confident. Interestingly, she had been my classmate since 3rd grade, but I had never spoken to her, not even once, during all those school years.

In college, she was always calm — no stress, no worries about studies — and many students admired her from afar. Just after the College Day function, I discontinued my Intermediate education because I got admitted into a diploma course. On the last day of college, following the trend of collecting autographs from classmates, I asked her for hers. She boldly said, “I will not give.” That surprised me.

She was also one of my sister’s close friends. After that refusal, one of my close friends handed me a book that belonged to her — I don’t know how he got it, but he gave it to me. This happened around 1985–86. I’ve kept that book safely for nearly 40 years. I don’t have any romantic feelings or relationship with her — just admiration and motivation. I’ve even preserved the book with its original wrapper.

After that day, I never met her again.

Two years ago, my college friends invited me to a reunion. I was really looking forward to it and traveled from Chennai to Anantapur the day before the function. That evening, one of my close friends called and told me about her. He said that 38 years ago, she was a beautiful and inspiring figure. But now, she had changed — grey hair, loosened cheeks, a bit overweight, and no makeup. She had married a bank employee 35 years ago and now had two married daughters.

He told me honestly: “You might not feel happy seeing her now.” That night itself, I decided not to attend the reunion. I left Anantapur and returned to Chennai. I had a certain image of her in my mind — from that College Day — and I didn’t want to lose that memory. I wanted to preserve that image forever.

Just last Friday, I saw someone wearing a pink saree, with loosened hair and jasmine flowers — and suddenly, all those memories of her came rushing back.

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