What does it take for an absolute stranger to become a friend ?

Aug 13th 2006, this was the day I had been waiting for... Anoushka Shankar was performing at the Millenium Park. Her album "Rise" was the key attraction. I came in ahead of time with a book "Bridges of Madison County" for leisure reading.

A lot of people were coming and taking their seats, Indians were present in large nos, all waiting for the show to start. Funny, when you are by yourself, the chance of striking a conversation, exchanging jokes, recognizing each other's interests is so much higher.

So here we were, all of us having fun...The show was unbelievable; Anoushka and her troupe were so good. The weather was picture perfect. Chicago skyline looked very pretty. As the show finished, one of the audience members on my row walked upto me, and said " I could not help but notice that you were tapping to the beat of the music being performed..Have you trained in classical music ?".

I know some of you may think; Geetha, what a pickup line or how wierd. To me..it was neither. It was the starting of a very interesting evening.

It got us talking and we decided to hang out and eat dinner as it was close to 9 in the night. Not only did we eat dinner at Bennigans, but we also had some very interesting conversation, exchanged our contacts and are friends now.

As I came home that night, I was thinking what does it really take for an absolute stranger to become an acquaintance and then your friend. I have had a net pal in the past who has since then become a close friend. We lived in the same city for a while. He is now married and settled/moved to a different city, but we still keep in touch through mails, phone etc.

Reminds me of the movie "Serendipity" with John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale or the all time fav "You've got mail" starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.

What was that got these relationships click ? Could it be common interests - reading, love for our city Bangalore, Music, Pubbing ? I would say thats what started my friendship with my netpal but what helped continue them was sharing our lives in pursueing those interests, keeping each other updated on whats happening, reaching out in good times and times of trouble... yes and treating it like old times, even if we had not spoken in years.

I have been lucky twice in meeting strangers at a chat room or a sidewalk and making them my friends. Hope this serendipity continues.