He lit the cigar. It was yet another tiring day for him at the office. And the next day it was going to be the same story. It was getting tougher day by day and because of his age, living alone was really killing.

Over the years Mr Pie had not been able to make friends. He tried hard, but he couldn’t sustain any friendship and always blamed his luck for the same. One fine day Mr Pie had a knock on his door. Astounded to hear the knock as no one ever bothered Mr Pie before this opened the door with lot of excitement …to find nobody.

As he looked all around, he saw a small plant someone had left in front of his door. Why would anyone do that he wondered. He took it in nevertheless and thinking about what to do with it for a while, he kept it in his balcony and forgot about it.

It was only the next morning, when he went to smoke in the balcony that he remembered. Days went by and Mr. Pie kept the plant watering it each day and taking good care of it. He even started talking to the plant and imagined that is plant listened to him. Months passed and there was not a single day when he didn’t speak to the plant. He told the plant about his work, about his childhood, about his personal life, about his past and how he regretted some of the things he had done…he poured his heart. And before he realized he found a friend in the most unexpected form of a living. A friend who he could share everything with.

A few days’ later Mr. Pie had to travel out of town for some work. What he thought was day’s work turned out to be several weeks work. During this time the plant which plant was left without any water and care. On his return, the first thing Mr Pie did was to rush to his balcony to see the plant. It had dried completely. Mr Pie was left heartbroken his one and only one friend die…the only source to share his feelings was gone.

And that is when Mr Pie learned the most important lesson of life that life without friends is no life. Though it was just a plant, but for Mr. Pie it was more than that it was soft his cushion where he would rest after hard days work, it was his bolt where he would keep all his secrets locked. It was his magician which gave him plenty of joy. But for rest of the world it would be just a plant.

That is what friendship is all about. It gives us the strength and courage when we most need it. But it also needs constant care and love from our end to keep it alive! Friendship may bring anger and sadness too along with happiness but remember, these are just the different layers to this beautiful relationship as a dear friend of mine says. So cherish every bit of it!