June 23, 2011

Facebook friends..

              Anisha logged into her facebook account. She was an introvert by nature. Introvert doesn't mean that she doesn't have friends or doesn' talk to people easily. It simply means that when she enters the college campus there aren't people she would go up and say, "Hey wat's up" or  there aren't people who would shout out to her from another corner of the campus as "Hey babe, come over". Facebook was one place where she chatted a lot and people got to know who she really was. She was a good listener and she knew all her facebook friends' likes, dislikes, hobbies etc. There were only a handful who knew the same about her.. He was one of them..
              He was already online.. Hrit always came online at 8. She loved chatting with him. She always made a point to come online at 8.

Anisha (A) : Hey hi
Hrit (H): Hi..wassup.
A: nothing much..u say.
H: did u c the pics i uploaded?
A: oh I did.. commented on a few.. u r awesome..
H: thanxie :)
A: I still feel u shud try putting up your photography on display. enter some contest..
H: I m still an amateur..
A: Well  no one is born a professional. Everyone is an amateur at some point of time.. Plus there are many ppl who do photography just for passion.
H: True.
A: y don't u open a photoblog? that wud b gr8!
H: Oh..cool idea.. will think upon it..
A: oh nice..will link u any blogs i come across..will help u wid the idea n all.
H: thanks anisha.. u always support my passion.. glad 2 hv found u on facebook..
A: oh u r welcome.. :)

No Anisha and Hrit are not just online friends.. Hrit is Anisha's senior at college. They haven't ever talked in real. She added him on facebook during the vacations. These were the initial days of chatting.. With time they grew close on facebook and there came a time when she used to exclusively chat with only him when he was online..

It was almost a month since they started chatting. The college was going to reopen in a couple of days. He talked about his dreams, his thoughts about love and so much more. She was happy that when she goes back to college she would have atleast one friend among the seniors..

A: so wat's special today?
H: Lonely..
A: y ? wat hapnd? :(
H: hmm.. nothing much..
A: Fought wid ur girl?
H: nothing like that.. u have a crush on anyone?
A: no..
H: come on, u must b liking sumone from college.
A..Noooo..
H: Given a choice, who would u choose..
A: Well u were a good choice.. but u r taken.. :P
H: lol.. I m flattered. so how was ur day?
and the chat continued..

Anisha wondered if he had any feelings for her. What was the point of asking such a question. True that they talked about anything and everything under the sun and love was just one of the topics.. Could she feel butterflies in her stomach? She liked him.. She did not like the girl he was dating..

It was the first day of the college. She was waiting to see him. The guy she had chatted to everyday for last one month.. She felt close to him. They shared so much and she was the one who would suggest friends to go to his photoblog. He was getting many followers. He always asked  how she liked his snaps. She never forgot to comment on his work.. He was a valued friend for her..

He was sitting in the canteen with his group of friends. His girlfriend was too sitting with him. His girlfriend momentarily left his side. Anisha felt more comfortable seeing him without her. Hrit too saw Anisha. She was feeling a bit concious. She went near their group and smiled at Hrit and said, "Hi.."

Hrit's friends stared at her. She was one of those juniors who never made an attempt to talk to the seniors. Hrit just said, "Hi" and then nothing.. She expected him to say something more.. He got busy with his cellphone. It took a few seconds for Anisha to realise how she was being stared at by his friends and what a complete idiot she had made of herself. The guy was not willing to strike up a conversation. His girlfriend came over and oblivious to what had transpired sat chattering happily.
 

Anisha walked away in haste. She could feel so many eyes on her , ridiculing her, laughing at her stupidity.. Why Hrit behaved the way he did, she could not understand.. That evening she went home and deleted him from her friend's list..


Has it happened to you that someone who is very cordial and friendly on facebook or any other social network gave you a cold shoulder in real life? Have you ever experienced that CONNECT on facebook ,with people you would never open up otherwise? Sure facebook helps people bring closer but is it the same in real life? Is it providing a medium to bring out your self and then hide in shell when faced with reality? I find the term "Facebook friends" fits a new category of friends who are friends just on facebook and strangers in reality...



P.S : I know it's too long. I planned a series for the same on my blog ,but then thought of writing it in one piece for the lounge.. I m not sure if I should bring out continuation of the tale or let it end here.. Suggestions please :)

12 comments:

  1. this happens but not with everyone
    sometime you can find a real friend on facebook .

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have had some friendships like this, and when the people stopped writing back to me, I just eventually let them go because I realized I didn't want to be friends with people who didn't care about me. As I've gotten older this concept of quality over quantity has become clearer to me and over time I have made a few better friends. In any case I'd rather have no friends than fake friends who make me feel like crap. Eventually better people who deserve your attention and concern will come along.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have had some friendships like this, and when the people stopped writing back to me, I just eventually let them go because I realized I didn't want to be friends with people who didn't care about me. As I've gotten older this concept of quality over quantity has become clearer to me and over time I have made a few better friends. In any case I'd rather have no friends than fake friends who make me feel like crap. Eventually better people who deserve your attention and concern will come along.

    ReplyDelete
  4. nice, could actually relate it to some of my college folks, who chat with evryone on fb but in real change their path if they see them coming their way !
    Story is well written and the narrating style is cool !
    But I guess, don't spoil it's charm by stretching it out into a story!
    This thing is simply perfect in it's own :)
    (however one part of me is saying, you should continue :P )

    ReplyDelete
  5. Majority of my friends are facebookers.
    You only add people whom you know. I add random people and get to know them.
    Recently a few of them cancelled their account.. and a few got theirs hacked. so they left. After that facebook is never the same to me even thought others remain..

    ReplyDelete
  6. i know ... i had a LONG friend list on fb but didnt greet a lot of them if i met them at college...and it was always THEY who added me...
    it seriously started bugging me...
    then i deleted my entire friend list.. :p

    now, if someone 'new' adds me, i accept the request and make sure to smile at that person the next time i see him/her......i have never had an experience like anisha, thankfully.. :)


    but, ya.... there's always a possibility that it MAY happen...

    ReplyDelete
  7. @Chirag : yes real friends can be found. What I m talking is about how people behave differently on facebook and in real life..

    @Aphiro : you spoke out my mind.. quality over quantity.. socializing is a good way of connecting and sharing with people and getting to know about other fields.. but friends list is only a means of showing how popular you are.. I liked your point that no friends are better than fake friends who treat you like crap..

    ReplyDelete
  8. @Smita: yes, this is the scene in almost every college..Thanks for the compliment.. Even I felt that stretching it would ruin the charm.. All stories don't have a happy ending ;)

    @Lizzie : I will think about it.. If not now then some other time surely I will write something more about Anisha :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. @Chef.Dro: There is no dispute that you can find some really good friends on facebook.. But the question is , do the chose to be the same in real life? On facebook you behave as you want, but in real life people hardly show or behave the way they really are.. It is an irony that in real life people behave fake and in virtual life they are in peace with their true self..

    @Jalpari : I have done the exact same thing! Now I add people when they send request and if they don't bother for more than 2 weeks I put them in "IGNORE" list :) as good as no friends :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. well der always have two sides of each story....if u want to write more, u just can lay down d Hrit's side of story to level d ending..

    ReplyDelete
  11. Never happened with me but quite like a fact....may happen, Nice read :)

    ReplyDelete

Comments are sexy.