Farewell to Friends

Farewell to Fethi and Faria
_____________________________________

We were from alien worlds
Destined to meet
In the sands of Arabia in friendship
Thrown together to learn and bond

With a twinkle in your eyes you now understand
That banking is more than counting cash
And I grudgingly concede that diplomacy is
More than attending each other’s national days

With Fethi and Faria, there was much in common
And so much that was uncommon
And common sense that is most uncommon
We felt uncommonly common but special, but, that is friendship

And Ah! There was food, delicious food of eclectic taste
Fit for royalty and the gourmet club net
Food for the telly and food from the deli
Food for the mind and food for the belly

Watching football with Fethi and cheering
Galatasaray, Fenerbache, and Turkey
Making the German Kaisers sweat for once
Under the caring eyes of our gracious hosts

When we forgot for a moment
That the world does have borders and boundaries
And languages and differences
That disappear with the warmth of true friendship

Yes, Fethi and Faria’s friends
Were not Turks or German, Lebanese or Indian
British or American, simply fun loving homosapien
Evolving close encounters of the human kind

Friendship without borders
That made the world become, in a uniquely funny way
Just a little bit better
For a time that we thought was always here to stay

But all good things must come to an end
We have to say the inevitable goodbye
Bon voyage, good luck, God speed
Once again you will transcend

Drink life to the lees and sail past the bend
Abar dekha hobe, gule gule qulan
Chow, sayonara, see you again
So long, it’s been good to know you, farewell my friend