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In the fall of 2020, my son Owen left small town in Connecticut to embark on a journey; it was his first year attending Trinity College Dublin, where his grandmother was born.
Despite the coronavirus’s grip on the world, Owen had high hopes. We all did. Arriving at 5am the next morning (Irish time), he dropped off his bags and eagerly awaited the arrival of his five roommates, four from Ireland and one from a foreign country.
But when Owen called home that night, his voice was muffled, “Mom, no one’s here.”
That’s what happened. The four Irish roommates never showed up, choosing instead to study remotely from home and continue to enjoy the benefits of their mom’s home cooking. Owen’s meals were provided by the college, delivered via phantom courier, vacuum-packed and sterile.
Students who attend classes are confined to their apartments, with the only thing allowed being short walks in the yard for exercise. Classes will be held remotely for the foreseeable future.
The country is in lockdown. College dreams are on hold.
The next morning, Owen sent a text message with a glimmer of hope: “Mom, my first and only roommate just arrived from India. His name is Nikhil, he’s 6-foot-6, and he’s a gentle giant.”
With those words, a friendship was born.
Nikhil was not only a regular presence in the flat they shared, but also in Owen’s room and often joined our FaceTime calls. He encouraged Owen to take up football and joined him for daily swims in the Irish Sea, an act of bravery given the cold water. Owen taught Nikhil American slang, and Owen laughed when Nikhil, a quick learner, enthusiastically described the “gross” party they had attended the other night.
Their admiration for each other was palpable. Owen said Nikhil was the kindest person he had ever met. Nikhil, an only child, once told me, “Owen is my best friend, Mrs. Simmons, and will be best man at my wedding one day.”
When I reminded Owen to be careful when he came home late at night, he responded, “Oh, no one bothers us when Nikhil is here. Everyone is afraid of him, given his size. If only they knew how nice he is.”
As the saying goes, they are friends through thick and thin. One evening, Owen called to tell me he thought he had a fever but had forgotten his thermometer. “Can you ask Nikhil if he has one?” I suggested, fearing it might be COVID-19. I heard the sound of my son’s angry texts, and then, within 30 seconds, there was a frantic knock on the door—Nikhil had come to my rescue, thermometer in hand.
As the pandemic eased, the two friends experienced a very different world; attending lectures in person, attending sporting events and clubs, attending Trinity Balls, or simply sharing a pint of Guinness in a Dublin pub. They also traveled to neighboring European cities to learn about different cultures and visited the near and far reaches of Ireland’s magnificent countryside.
For two strangers who came in the rain, life was good again.
Owen and Nikhil completed their studies at Trinity College in May. This fall, they will return to the historic campus for graduation ceremonies, just as they did four years ago. But this time, they will return to a Dublin that is once again filled with music and song. They realize that this may be their last time together, as life will take them in different directions; Nikhil will remain in Dublin and Owen will remain in the United States.
But that’s okay. Because their friendship is stronger than any pandemic.
This article was submitted to the IrishCentral Contributor Network by a member of the global Irish community. To become an IrishCentral Contributor Click here.
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