Cubicle Buddies: In Honour of True Friends Who Stand with You

 The past couple of years have seen a different shape in human civilisation. The speed which human being has tried to run has come to a sudden standstill with the pandemic and things that we took for granted have such a value now ; a walk with your friend, a trip with your friends or at least your freedom to see each other's face or even breathe. The mobility is no longer a comfort as it used to be. I do not want to talk or write about the travel restrictions imposed due to Covid-19, but my being circling back to Covid-19 proves how it has become a shared common reality in everyone's life. 

    What I want write about is  true friendship. But why do we need to bother about friendship or friends during a gloomy period like this? What advantages or what benefits a friend can bring to you in a trying time like this? Can they feed you? Can they give you gifts? Can they throw you surprise birthday parties? To what end? I am pretty sure these questions are not yours but the egoistic economic animal in you who is used measure everything in rupees? Budget matters. Yes, friends are also a certain kind of capital in modern society. After all, if they do not throw you surprise birthday parties or give you expensive gifts can you call them your friend/s? Once again the financial monster is trying to win the upper hand.

The last four five years have taught me some of the beautiful lessons of true friendship. Even during trying times these, it is friends who give the motivation to thrive. It is friends who give you the motivation to do the next online class or the next assignment? WIERD! I am responsible for my own actions. Why should I acknowledge someone else for my triumphs? If you think so, you are SOOOOOO WRONG? Why? I think human mind is wired in such a way that they find peace/happiness  when they share even a minute detail like what they have had for lunch or dinner. By simply telling your friend what what yo do or feel you validate yourself! Sometimes cubicle buddies might not talk at all!!! THEY JUST LAUGH AND LAUGH AND LAUGH OR EVEN A SLIGHTEST SMILE WOULD DO! THEY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO LAUGH WITH YOU AND THE ONES WHO CRY WITH YOU! 

The title of this article is a very personal title for me. It is so personal since they signify people whom you could turn to when you cry and sigh alike. You might really do something really really really stupid and still you can share it with your buddy and make peace with them. They will scold you, they will blame, they will thrash you, but they will never rip you off! They will never make fun of your misery or they will never exploit your sorrow. They will never make you feel guilty for being who you are. No matter what you earn, no matter the number of the degrees you have, no matter who you are, they will stick with you. 

Cubicle buddies! Yes, we are trapped in our cage-like cubicles more than than any other time in human civilisation (that is my title is so paradoxical!) Yes we cannot hold the other person's hand! But your friends find a way to feel connected with you, to keep in touch, no matter what happens with a virus!

The world need more and friends now. The pandemic has given us a clear message! The message should be heard loud and clear! No matter who are, no matter what we earn, no matter the class, status or caste, you will not survive unless you work with friend or enemy. Covid-19 will never leave society until everyone is safe! You have to look after your neighbour, your friend. You might not love them as much as you love your boyfriend or girlfriend, but if your neighbour falls prey to the virus, you will be next in line! In a way Covid-19 is an messenger to give the alarm! Forget stupid hierarchy! Forget stupid status! Forget stupid nonsense you have created in your head! Take care of your community! Take care of your co-worker! Take care of your cubicle buddies! Unless it will be you! If you do not practise collective security you will perish! Collective security is a popular political concept in International Relations. It means you look after the other and if they come across a problem that will be your problem as well! Collective security ensures that the actors always face the problem collectively and it has been consistently proven in the history that cooperation is a better problem solving tactic than working as individual units in isolation! Collective security argues that you feel the other's problem in their shoes.

Collective security is a political theory. The nation states do not follow collective security out their pure love for the neighbouring nation states! At the end of the day, it is an efficient tactic to mitigate practical problems. But friends also follow collective security and do they do to fulfill hidden motives? No, they do not want anything from your friendship. Cubicle buddies are the buddies who will look after you expecting nothing in return. Cubicle buddies are the people sometimes too good to be  true in this fake society. Fake society what a stupid word! If you do not like fake people, if you hate to be around fake people, the solution is pretty simple! Be a genuine person who does not go after fake things, who does not want to be a fake person. (AND PLESE DON'T EVER TRY TO BE A RIGHT PERSON) If you are a genuine person, you will attract genuine people! After all, birds of a feather flock together, right???? 

I have digressed a lot! Cubicle buddies! Yes, to all the friends who spend sleepless nights to listen to the story that never ends! To all the friends who sacrifice their happiness on behalf of their friends' peace of mind! To all the friends who genuinely try to understand the friends' pain and laughter! 

Long hail cubicle buddies!