Seeing Friends Off...

There isn't much I haven't shared With you along the road
And through it all, there'd always be Tomorrow's episode
Suddenly that isn't true There's another avenue
Beckoning, the great divide I would choose
The same joy the same sadness each step of the way
That fought me and taught me that friends never say
Never say goodbye, Never say goodbye

- Elton John (Friends never say goodbye)

A day before we sat there at the nearby coffee shop and cackled aloud and promised each other that we would always be in touch. Though, the turn of events have led us to part ways and seek different avenues on our professional paths but somehow the bond that we had developed over last couple of months made the moment all the more difficult.

Friday, June 19 saw last of Richa, Ankur and myself together in the office space of Intrasphere Technologies. We decided to go out with a bang and went off to a nice lunch at a nearby mall. The meal went fine and we had loads to talk and laugh about. However, by the time we reached back office, the feeling was beginning to sink in.

While Ankur said his goodbyes from the porch itself and decided not to come back to the office, Richa and myself had our stuff to collect. We  also wanted to have our pictures taken on our respective seats before we decided to move out.  

For last three years my cubicle had almost become a second home to me. I had put up a lot of pictures and funny messages in there and it was equally difficult taking them off now. Anyway, what had to be done, had to be done I guess.

I walked Richa to her car and in that last minute that we stood there on the driveway, time seemed to gel. We did not speak anything, as there was nothing to say. I tried filling in the silent gaps but all I could muster was "Keep in touch" and it seemed such an unnecessary thing to say. Richa drove off with welled up eyes and a heavy throat and I had a tough time staying back for next 15 minutes in the office as I collected my things from the desk.

I met people around, wished them luck, paid my courtesies to all who mattered, met Subrata, Sumit, Vivek and others who were present. Nida did come down to see me off as I dumped my stuff on the back seat and drove off.

I would need to make another visit or two to the office for paper work and formalities maybe but all in all it was another phase over, another chapter closed...forever.

Click Here for a couple of pictures that were taken on the last official day for Intrasphere.