The Mangoman

Arjun Trivedi was Oday’s childhood and only true friend. He was the only son of the renowned and revered University Professor Nitin Trivedi. Thus, it was naturally imperative that Arjun be an ingenious fellow himself. And so he was. The very reason that the Luhar family had a strong affinity towards him. Arjun and Oday became friends in standard fourth, Oday’s second one that is. Oday once testified that Arjun’s entrance in his life had contributed a lot towards Oday’s academic survival. That and the bribes. But Arjun was a prevalent figurine there. Maybe because helping and aiding other beings was a concept alien to the Luhars. Therefore, not all the exploitation of Arjun at their hands was reciprocated well enough by sufficient commendations; but the few he received seemed like a little too much on a Luhar scale. Senior Luhar had entrusted his son to Arjun and his father. Arjun’s father was not very fond of the Luhars, yet he had always been very accommodating for those whom Arjun had outrageously and consistently backed with his word. There were educational and other illuminating sessions of lectures with Arjun’s father which went rather unnoticed by Oday’s inadvertence for the fact that he trusted Arjun a little too much for his grasping and executing powers and moreover his capability to handle Oday’s life more perfectly than anyone else. Unlike Arjun, Oday had never imagined a time without Arjun being in his life. How could he have? Arjun was his tutor, physical instructor, chef, butler, PA, Manager, Driver, and the holder of as many portfolios as you can imagine. All because of this condition called the ‘Can’t say No’ syndrome. Whenever anyone turned towards Arjun for some aid, he could not refuse. Somehow, the need to help became the greatest gravest motivation towards making friends. Thus came Oday in his life. Arjun knew that those who were oblivious to their own pitiable condition and the need for someone else’s help, need the most of that help. So helping Oday in his exploits and ventures always left an amusing residue inside Arjun’s head and heart. This symbiotic relationship made them the most peculiar of all best friends. After finishing school, Oday and Arjun went to the same law school given to the Luhars’ persistence. By this time, their bonding could not have been broken by their incompatible virtues. Arjun’s flawless acumen and Oday’s dubious void. Neither of them needed to learn law though. Arjun being an intrinsic lawman while Oday being unheeding to its existence. And neither of them wanted to be lawyers. It was just a case of scouting the easiest place for Arjun to haul Oday’s close-to-dead-weight along with him, without himself lagging behind. So Law it was. A little easy for Arjun, not so much for Oday (What was anyway?) but did guarantee their co-existence. As such, Senior Luhar had assumed the responsibility of being Arjun’s career sponsor. So Arjun did not mind. But a sycophant he could never be. Although his little lectures of negative reinforcement to Oday were always tagged with arrows of insults reading, “I only do it for money”; but it never affected Oday… since both of them somewhat knew that Arjun always loved Oday as his best friend. They could never find out ‘why’ though. As Arjun always said “There are things we Pundits can do… rest we leave to NASA”. Oh, Yes! ‘Pundit’. ‘Arjun Pundit5’; that is what all who knew him called him as. Mostly just ‘Pundit’. It was like a double-ended sarcasm reeking of covetus-casteism as well as the fact that Arjun was not as nearly as physically gifted as the legendary ‘Sunny Deol’. Arjun’s expressions of disregard for this seemingly a misnomer were not very true to his inner acceptance of elitism. He really liked being called a ‘Pundit’. But he always wore a frustrated, ignorant façade. He could never accept that something or the other could please him and ended up criticizing the most acceptable of happenings just for the sake of idiosyncrasy. So coming back to their unbreakable bond; Oday had often been told that it was better if he was named ’Karan6’. It was so deep a friendship that there were often media coverages of them hanging out together… although the objective was more inclined towards a sting operation to reveal the exploits of the prince… but yes they were important as bros too. All in all, the two were inseparable. They were a natural testament to the fact that not only love but friendship also knows no boundaries or prerequisites. No level of physical or mental bribery is required for two people to become friends or even brothers. The word ‘brothers’ makes these remarks seem a little sexist, right? Sometimes practical disparity between males and females when pointed out are mostly perceived as sexist. Every guy has that one friend he is ready to do anything for and vice versa… and that other friend is naturally compulsorily a guy too. You know where this is leading to… you also know that IT ALL CHANGES WHEN A GIRL ENTERS THE SCENE.