So here’s a quick question – how many of you have skied before? And by that I mean actually having gone out into a blanket of snow with two poles, a pair of skis and hit the slopes, no matter how steep or gentle they may be. I for one haven’t had the opportunity or the privilege yet but if I close my eyes and picture it, I can imagine it being nothing short of amazing; the kind of experience that leaves you feeling alive, refreshed and pretty darn chuffed. Now while I intend to give this sport a try at the earliest, I have found something that comes extremely close to giving me a similar kind of happy feeling – I’ve found it in a new friendship with someone I call Ski. Now I’m sure you’re wondering why the name – for one, it has to do with the happy/alive feeling; secondly it just seems to fit somehow; and last but not the least, Ski values his under-the-radar privacy and I need to respect that. Before imaginations start flying off the handle, let me just state for the record that there is nothing more than what meets the eye with Ski and me. We are friends and ‘besties’ at best, so much so that he’s my wingman – constantly trying to set me up with any guy that I consider cute (much to my embarrassment and disagreement) and I try to return the gesture, but fail in epic proportions. But then again, he doesn’t really need my help in scoring with the ladies! Anyway, Ski and I have known each other for a few years now but on a very basic ‘Hi! How are you?’ kind of level. You see, we’ve crossed paths on numerous occasions but for the most part, it never went beyond the civil pleasantry stage. Then three months ago, I went and emptied my bank accounts and bought myself a little something and with it came a massive spot of common ground for us to stand on. From there on out, there’s been no looking back…I can’t really explain why but that spark was all we needed to get on like a house on fire. Since then, we’ve found a dime a dozen similarities between the two of us – like both of us having worn braces for what seemed like a lifetime and hating it, to both of us being in love with biking and travelling; the list continues to grow. I can talk to him about anything under the sun and there are times when he just says a single word and I know the entire context in which it’s being used without him having to launch into an explanation of the same. Added to that is the fact that he cracks me up constantly, can call me out on a situation when I can’t see clearly enough for myself, has a wit about him that is classic, sees the drama that surrounds my life for exactly what it is and is a source of inspiration in many ways and on numerous levels. I mean, it feels like he’s done it all and then some… However, for people around us, the fact that we now hang out has been a little difficult to digest; some of them have even been shocked to learn of our friendship. But it doesn’t faze me. You see, I’ve rarely connected with members of the opposite sex like this; the last time being October 2003 when I befriended my Bombay bestie, Andrew, with whom I also share the most bizarre, random and memorable stories and whom I love to bits (again, before any ideas spring up, he’s getting married in December this year and I’ve cleared my schedule to be there for his big day). And I’ve found that it is through these boy-besties that I can live vicariously, completely and unabashedly. Whilst they give me untainted, unbiased views on all and sundry in my life, they’re also happy to fill in as last minute dates and stand in boyfriends and hold all the ‘unwanted attention’ at bay. So here’s hoping that all you ladies out there are lucky enough to find a Ryan, an Andrew or even a Ski, because diamonds aside, they make for a girl’s best friend!
