"Two throats and one eye"

Last week I reconnected with one of my closest friends. My college chum, my hostel mate, my late night confidante, my dancing partner, my laughing companion!
Yes, she finally found me. I tried last year but somewhere along, I couldn't reach her...

Today my friend has turned into a fine writer, living in Berkeley. She sent me an invitation to one of her readings on Tuesday. Of course, it will take me a serious turn in fortune to be able to make it tomorrow, but it feels good to know there will be others who will be spellbound as she speaks.

She called in the night and we spoke for a long time. Mostly about our friends, N and B, who are no more. N, married happily for a year, in Mauritius, died of a heart attack on B's birthday. B and I, both in Bombay were shocked. We barely recovered when B, level headed and mature, took her life by jumping from her bedroom window.

Today, my friend reminded me of the time when we would read Toni Morrison's Sula in class... about getting goosebumps everytime the metaphor "two throats and one eye" came up, thinking about the powerful friendships of women around, particularly N and B's bond, which was both silly and poignant.

It is as if both Sula and Nel are gone from our world.