Happy Birthday Abby!

This is a story, a story about a guy named Abby. He went to school with me. A winner all the way he was, in studies, in sports, in music. He wasn’t a good friend of mine but I knew that he was superior to all of us in every way.

At an age when a child’s mind only revolves around amusements and no serious business, Abby topped the competitive exam from the University of South Wales. He had topped the exam numerous times and they eventually sent him a Gold medal all the way from the South Wales.

I only remember one incident when I had gone to his place to rehearse a song we had to perform for a function. Abby played the drums. He was very good at it. While I was at his place, I saw a big notice board in his room; he had marked dates of various competitive exams. He had also jotted down the names of the colleges he wanted to get into. It was astonishing to see such focus in an 11 grader. The performance we wanted to give never happened. The Kuwaiti King had died; schools had been closed for a fake mourning.

Abby was also declared as the School president. Back in school the electoral process was highly democratic. Abby had won by a majority. Everybody knew about his brilliance.

After 11^th grade I came back to India. Abby completed his 12^th grade and took admission into Manipal University for an engineering course. There too, he was acknowledged by Nasa for his research paper.

Two months back while I was giving my final semester exams, I came to know through Facebook that Abby had suffered an accident. People continuously posted on his wall pleading him to come back strong. But I guess he was on a different road altogether. Abby became one with the whole. He wasn’t a good friend of mine, but I knew since the beginning that he was special.

Now as I look at his Facebook profile, I can’t help noticing his last profile picture. Like it wanted signify something, something that Abby wanted to tell the world. His last farewell.

Happy Birthday Abby.

You were special. Maybe that’s why you aren’t here with us.