There was an orphanage near the school where I studied my upper primary ,well the institution is run with the help of locals and people working abroad. The primer mission was not only for orphaned but also for children who were eager to learn but who did not have such opportunities. most of the students in my school comes from muslim families because school is surrounded by large area of muslim settlements. And influence of gulf money was made someone wealthy. School is run by government but during its beginning muslims were the only community ready send their kids over there.
After many years in the history of the school ,two hindu children got admission and miraculously it was me and my sister. As you know muslim boys all wore special type of hats on their heads and girls wore burka ,and I did not were hat or my sister burka.So it was easy for teachers and other students to find us.About 40 percent of the girls in the school are from the above orphanage among the children who came from there was a very slender child named Alifna ,whose difficulties at home prompted her parents to teach her there.
A few months later govt started providing nutrition to the kids, as most of the children in india malnourished,the government started providing nutritious food to all the children who are part of kerla educational system [milk and eggs]. in the beginning egg and cup of milk per students in every Fridays.
I remember the peon at school coming every Friday with a full bucket of boiled eggs,and Alifna would be busy once all the kids got the eggs.She always giving the eggs for.I could not understand why she would give me eggs every week without fail. Alifna and her friends were always had their lunch from orphanage so she goes back in the lunch break, and come back before the break ends. I was used to wait her in the veranda because she always bring two amla[gooseberry] and little salt in her hand, we eat it together. I was greedly stuffed withsour and bitter unripe gooseberries. ha such an awesome feeling, those deeds of that time have become very sweet today. May I can say that my health’s little percentage was her sacrifice, we were bright in studies. At the end of that school year,everyone had to go to their homes and then to another school for higher education.
All these incidents that I mentioned took place in 2008,I was in seventh grade that day. I also went college for higher studies,on many occasions I had fond memories of alifna and the chicken eggs she had set aside for me. It often occurred to me that I could not see again or regain what I had lost. Although the age of marriage for women in india is 18 years,but in many places marriages take place even before that,especially among muslims.sometimes I remember maybe her wedding was over.? or she still learning?
As the years passed ,kerela witnessed the spread of Nipah virus and catastrophic floods.kerala quickly overcame all that and lauded in front of the world community . a year later, first reported case of corona virus was in kerala, The prime minister Narendra modi announced complete lock down in india at the end of march.Tired days at home,in the beginning internet and mobile phone were little comforting but slwly I got in to book reading,days and months passed.one day about ten o’clock at night I saw a request on facebook messenger.

The content of the message was as follow:is your name Arjun ?if so please reply. I replied but I did not immediately understand who it was because the facebook account was in a name I was unfamiliar with.The next day reply came that I was the Alifna I studied with you ,I never expected it to be her.
like me she never forgot the events of her childhood.The challenge she took on during lockdown was to somehow find me.we renewed our friendship by telling endless stories and past events,and today she is 24 year old and a mother of 3- year old boy whose husband works in the gulf. The marriage took place while she studiying ,and she decided to resume her studies when her son started going to the pre-schools .Although its urgent to see in person,corona disease denies freedom of movement.All the very biest to my dear friend.

By Arjun, from Kerala-India

Dedication: Jean-Yves and Nathalie who taught me to dreem.

NB: this is my first post. please for give the mistakes in it.