"But i was sure i can never be friends with this guy beyond work. I loved working with you like a great business partner. But beyond work, I was clear."

This was my colleague few days after meeting me in person for the first time. She also happened to give a ballpark rating range of how bad this "never be" was. Let us just say that it is better to leave it undisclosed. 

But this is my space and it is my side of story. NJ joined the organization good few months back and we started working projects together. Two things stood out for me - she was smart, and secondly, she was forward looking. Slowly and steadily we settled into an well oiled functioning team driven towards delivering the expected outcomes. Beyond work our conversations were mostly limited to, well, work - just not the designated ones. So, needless to say, aforementioned quote was totally justified. I do have my reservations against the rating though - I mean, really? 

Anyway, long story short, we met, greeted and talked as civilized colleagues. As I anticipated, she carried this aura of any other hard taskmaster around her. Although I never expected her to straightaway meet me with her usual checklist of tasks, I must admit I was pleasantly surprised when I was met with zero work expectations from her side. Despite her best efforts, this pleasant surprise was short lived though! 

Have you ever met people with whom you just connect and become friends? It just happens, no reason, no justification - just happens. I happened to just connect with her. Sounds like just another cliche, isn't it? But it's not. Those who know me well, they are familiar with my punchy one-liners. It just my thing - keeps things light and makes it easy for me to gel with people. It's also one of the most annoying thing about me - i can bore you with these. But me being unapologetically myself, I live by it and well, die by it, metaphorically. However, this only happens when I feel comfortable in my space around people. Otherwise I am one of the drowsiest persons in the world and in this instance I was not. 

Over next four weeks we have come from sensible work conversations to non-sensical "intellectual" talks. We have gone on from serious colleagues to "formally acknowledged" friends. We have had a range of conversations - some straightforward, some convoluting, mostly engaging. We have become unbelievably efficient with the work conversations too - better to close it quickly and perhaps talk about something else. Although we do have some way to go from "chalo" to "chal", "bolo" to "bol", however I have a sense that we can get there. There are some known challenges in between and biggest of them all is that she is a Liverpool fan - can you believe it? The cover pic of this blog tells a story!

In a professional setting, I am very structured, organized and almost polished - putting an obsessive amount of effort in refining your corporate behavior since the time of academics does that to you. So much so that I can be told that, "you are too sophisticated to be from north India". Beyond the boundaries of professionalism, I am very different - often conflicted, fluctuating between too rational and absolutely aloof, and at times an unpleasant paradox. To brag about myself a little, I am a quality mess! Friendship with me in the long run isn't as easy and history has been on the same page with me on this. But hey, I am an optimist too. I am looking forward to this new and unexpected friendship. But again, this is my side of the story!