My first(last) Penfriend...

The 'first's always hold a special place in one's heart. This is true for almost everyone. Be it the first school, first job, first cycle, first car, first crush, first love, first friend, first Birthday, first anniversary, first book that you read and much more to this list...I started writing this blog because I felt nostalgic after visiting my childhood friend at Seattle last weekend. And I got reminded of my first pen friend story when I was travelling in air. The best thing is I dont have a first pen friend but I have a first pen friend story :) I should say it's the first and last pen friend story...Jus a rewind...

We (me and my sis) used to get a magazine called 'Quest' from one of my big mamas who subscribed it for us. Although I was not a voracious reader those days, I used to see pictures in every pages and the last page always attracted me - There it was! - The 'Pen friend' column. I did not start thinking on having a pen friend until I came to know that my sis had one from Russia called Luda Kuranshcick - spelling might be wrong in this name but it sounded something like this. Seeing this, my cousin also tried to have a pen friend and she too succeeded in the mission. Her pen friend name was Rita. It made me jealous in seeing my sis and cousin talking about their pen friends at times. They used to send letters, receive photos of their pen friends, their culture, their heir, their family, friends and about their country.

I thought I should also have one (atleast for the sake of talking about it with my sis and cousin), but I greatly failed in the first attempt itself. I guess it was during my 4th/5th grade. I din't even know how to write a letter to a friend. All I knew was writing leave letters, letter ordering books to VIP & Co., that helped me in cracking English exams. So, with my dignity lowered, I went to my sis and asked her to help me in writing a letter to a pen friend. I had chosen a female as a pen friend, but OMG! u know wat? I don't remember her name now. If it would have been successful, I would have remembered her name.

My sis agreed to help me in this matter and we compiled a letter telling her about myself, my whereabouts, my hobbies, family and what I do. I was very eager to send a photo of mine to her but my sis and cousin cracked a joke when I told this. They said I won't get a reply if I send a photo. Their point was that girl will not reply after seeing my photo :) But believe me, I was not that bad looking atleast during my childhood days - I was a feeble gal wearing shimmies (almost everyday but the color changes often :)) with a 'monkey crop', a gobi pottu, a rose shaped slide in the monkey crop, without an earring or a bangle but always with my fav red colored electronic watch (there's a different story on this watch when I dropped it in the flush and went back to Aayama in the school asking her to get it back for me :)) - To be precise, I had a very simple look.

Finally, I convinced my sis and cousin and sent the letter with the so called beautiful photo of mine to my first 'Pen friend'. After I sent it, I used to ask my mom almost every day whether the postman gave any letters for me - I was expecting a reply from my pen friend eagerly. This happened for approximately 5 years - These 5 years, I had high hopes that I would definitely get a reply from her but I did not. After that, I lost interest and totally forgot about it but even till date when we (me, my sis and cousin) chat together, we used to talk about my first(last) pen friend and they still think it was because I sent a photo of mine. I wish I had that photo to post it here in this blog (Hopefully people should not have stopped reading my blogs after seeing it...Jus kiddin').

Although my first attempt of having a pen friend was fatal, I am happy that I have got great friendships thereafter....Wat say???