Dear Friend!
We humans, at times, are liable to erroneous acts because of our sentimental frailty, mental fragility and sensual instability. But all these flaws and imperfections should not sour our relationship and sense of camaraderie. The mistakes that we commit are most of the time inadvertent and not deliberate. It is the omission or commission of any act that leads us to any tragic end. So, nothing is in the hands of us humans. We are just the puppets in front of our pre-destined fall-outs. The elements and organs in our body are antipodal and contrary to each other. We have a mind. It is there to think and ponder. We have a heart. It is there to desire and feel. This antipodal binary of our thinking mind and desiring heart makes us vulnerable and leads us to commit inadvertent and unconscious acts of off-colour and silly nature.
Dear friend! I know that I have dashed your faith and belief that you had pinned so tightly on me. There was nothing deliberate and conscious on my part. Whatever happened on that ignominious day was only an unconscious mishap. I know you have gone through an emotional breakdown due to my silly and sheepish attitude. But believe me, I have been through the same breakdown and right from that very day I am completely ill at ease. I am not able to coordinate and connect the things now. I am completely non-plussed and feel diametrically out of sorts. My misbehaviour towards you haunts me like a hydra-headed monster and disturbs the poise and tranquillity of my mind. The cockles of my heart are so very dismal and disconsolate. I feel an unstoppable rush of dejection and despondency in my cardinal chambers. Forgive me for the old time’s sake, renew the scholarly rapport and help me to alleviate the mountain of misgivings and the snowball of sorrow from my sordidly sorrowful being. If I have burnt bridges, I request you to remake and rehabilitate them by your reconciliatory steps of forgiveness. Your forgiveness and restoration of rapport would be like alms to a penurious pal.
I promise and at the same time make a strong and truthful pledge that I will now refrain from saying and doing anything that would dampen your heart and disturb your mind. Dear friend! Countries reconcile after rabid relationships. Spouses reconcile and compromise after a violent scuffle. Friends reconcile after every tiff. We are also scholarly friends. Let’s renew and renovate the relationship and let’s restore the old sense of camaraderie between you and me. Dear friend! I request you with folded hands for forgiveness and restoration of rapport. Remember! To err is human and to forgive is divine.
Your Penitent Pal
The writer is a PhD and MPhil in English Literature and has qualified UGC-NET and JKSET for Assistant professorship. He can be reached at [email protected]

Dr Bilal Ahmad Dar