JOHNY MY FRIEND

I had a friend
His name was Johny
'twas at my first day at school
A day bright and sunny
When we met first
in the playground,
'mid noise and dust
He got in me a friend
And I in him a friend found.

We became the best of friends
Before much time did run
And passed all turns and bends
In our school life with elan.
If he scored big and I couldn't
He wished I could too
If got I good marks and he didn't
How I wished he too got so.
In the football ground
If I helped him score a goal
Danced I round and round
And then he managed to get me
In the school play, a good role.
At lunchtime we shared our tiffin
And exchanged books of ghosts and goblin.
Together we came, 'gether did we go
Even a'ter school did we hang around
Saw the same thing, heard the same sound.

And then happened the inevitable.
A shocking thing, a thing terrible!
Johny's dad had an accident
And he breathed his last.
To his home I went
The room was full, many came
Shaking their heads and speaking words same
"Johny's dad, a good man
Hardly a time to die
May rest his soul in heaven
And his bones in peace lie"
Soon they took him away
In a coffin brought in a hurry
The priest spoke, the ground was made hollow
And saw to it all
That he lay six feet below.

Johny came to school, one last time
He bade us goodbye, his mom
Was taking him far
To the ranch of his grandfather.
"Will you never come back?" asked I
He shook his head and hugged me
And said to me "goodbye"!
Then Johny turned back
That his tears I can't see
But a friend's sorrow can a friend feel
And though misty eyes made vision lack
I could see enough still
That the width 'tween us grew, away went he.

Letters were a bridge
But they were few
And though I did fidge'
In my heart I knew
Distance was having indeed
It's dirty effect on us
Now alone I did tread
Where we spent times together
Laughed, cried and had a fight
Now he was far
And for some reason or other
'twas not possible we could meet.
Slowly, life made impossible
Even letters to write.
New friends came, and then
Life did not seem so unfit .

But then, we were destined to meet!

A fine night it was
I was waiting with bated breath
before a glittering theatre
with scribes, fans and cops armed to teeth.
Then I saw a car
And up went a roar
From the crowd. A huge car
pulled up before us.
And there was a ruckus.
"John! John Dawson!" cried out a belle.
Out came the man within,
"Johny! Hey Johny!" cried out I.
But how hard may I try
I knew I couldn't be seen.
He blew a kiss and to everyone waved
Then the one whom all craved
Vanished inside the hall
Heard he not my frenetic call
He had company; scribes and big stars
With whom he'll pass the hours.
My heart sank. I lost the only
chance. Now the gap 'tween us
was wide as ever. And most certainly
I could never meet him. I cursed myself profusely.
to have come here.
I came to meet Johny my friend.
Not Johny the superstar.
Another roar did the skies rend.
I looked at the crowd
they were as if chanting his name.
Suddenly, I felt proud
They all loved my friend, the Johny same.
"Why be selfish?" I told myself
I should be proud and glad
That the Johny I knew, the little lad
Had come this far. My Johny dear!
I thanked God that I came here.
I came to meet Johny and I met John
Yet I felt happy that
'twas after all the same Johny
Who once with me at school sat
And now the love of all who has won.