The Final Handshake

Evening was falling, Joey was getting his bicycle out to go to Matt’s place to get something he had to take back from him for a long time.

Joey and Matt were childhood best friends and they made through their high school together, fighting all the odds along the way to becoming teenagers and strengthening every string of friendship as they grew up. They made every promise to stick together till the very end, shared every dream together. But somehow, time, the changeless enemy of every friend, had different plans that was beyond the horizon of the craziest thoughts of the two little teenagers.

Everything was going perfectly before Matt took off to a Summer Camp while Joey stayed home because of illness. Matt promised that he will be back before Joey wakes up next morning, but mornings came and mornings went by like years. Joey kept the faith hold on that Matt’s letter or phone call would arrive in a day or two. Maybe it was the silly postal service that purposefully delayed every letter just to annoy him. But the only thing that he didn’t realise that both of them were seventeen.

Before Matt went to the camp, he took a couple of books from Joey, promising him that without him the camp would be no fun at all and he will spend time finishing the books which would remind him of his best friend Joey.

Joey was riding down the street lit by the streetlights that flashed the memories he’ve had with Matt like a video tape on rewind, all those good times. Ten months have passed since Matt returned and he haven’t met him since until that evening when he called up and asked if he could have his books back.

He shouted his friend’s name when he reached outside the lawn of his friend’s house. A boy came out that was supposed to be his friend but didnt remotely look like him, nor did he sound like him when he addressed Joey with a couple of supposedly “friendly slangs” that might have beens in fashion lately. Joey’s throat was getting heavy, his stomach lurched like all the urge to see his best friend has gone away suddenly. He didn’t know the boy who just came out of his friend’s house where he spent almost half his childhood playing in the mud in the back garden. Joey tried to speak, but merely a squeak came out. Matt was also staring at Joey silently wearing a weird smile. He had Joey’s books in his hand. Joey stretched his hand still staring at Matt’s eyes.

“So, did you read ‘em?” said Joey anxiously taking the books and placing them carefully inside his old school bag.

“Actually, no” smiled Matt guiltily.

“Been busy lately, have you?”

“Naah, not much, you see, just here and there, hanging out with friends” smiled Matt.

“But still didn’t get time to read the books, I get it” Joey smiled.

“I am not of those reading types, you see” said Matt after an awkward pause stealing his eyes away from Joey’s.

“Its okay Matt, its nice to see you after a long time.”

“Its the usual Joey isnt it? Standing outside my doors leaning to the pole” Matt tried to laugh.

“Yeah, usual I am as always” smiled Joey.

Joey stretched his hand wide, to take his friend’s hand. Matt accepted it, and this was the moment after so long that Joey felt his best friend the first time in about ten months. It was a little wet uniformly. ”I sweat a lot in the heat you see” smiled Matt. But Joey didn’t care. He wanted to hold his hand a little longer, he would’ve stayed all night long if he could, because he knew it was the last time he was doing so. He knew that he haven’t got too much time left. He have to get back home very soon to get his regular dose of medicine that he had been taking since a year now.

He looked in the eye of Matt the final time with a silent pain Matt could’nt notice, trying to find the friend he had somewhere deep down inside, when he bade his last goodbye. Joey rode off. After a few paces, he stopped his bike and looked back. Matt wasn’t around, tears were blinding his eyes, and he tried to tap his pockets for the handkerchief he usually carried. But they were also missing that day as was the warmth in the eyes of his best friend he was seeing after so long.

A Year later, Joey died of throat cancer which he has been carrying for quite a while. He didnt let Matt know any of it, nor did Matt ever came to know. Taking the books back from Matt was just an excuse to see him for the last time. Joey left the world with the memory of the final handshake of his best friend and all the best moments that they’ve had which he cherished until the very end...