My Friend, Please forgive me. 

In 1953 I left the town where I passed my childhood and where I completed my primary and secondary education. Passage of time dampened the memory of my childhood friends. 
In 1995, after 42 years I had the chance to visit the town as a social celebrity. I stayed with a relative's home for 4 days. 
I woke up next morning with childhood freshness. Suddenly the dampness on memory started evaporating and I began to see me clearly in the company of many of my childhood buddies. I was running with them, shouting at them, playing with them. I could not imagine that they were old people now. I just felt that I wanted to see them all as children that they were then. 
I got out of the house. 
Slowly I started thinking what would be the height of F. after all these 42 years. He must have married and children too like I. Would he recollect me as I have recollected him to-day? Would he call me in and talk about our golden days? Why should he do all these? Did I do any of these things in all these 42 years? I was talking to me when the door opened and a woman looked into my face and politely asked what I wanted? 
'Is it F's home?' I said. 
'Yes,' said she.' Please come in,' she invited me in. 
'See, I am P.,F's childhood friend. We have not met for almost 42 years now,' I introduced me. 
'O God, You are Mr.P from NY! I am so happy to meet you! Your friend has told me so much about you. He has remembered you on so many occasions and at so many times and talked so many things fondly about you,' she spoke in one breath and went inside to bring me a glass of water. I also slipped in to nostalgia. 
She reappeared with a glass of water, sat in front of me. She was speechless when I asked when F would return. 
'He has gone on a long journey and he would not return. I am waiting my turn to go to him and meet.' 
Now I was speechless with tears in eyes 
We sat there like that for quite some time. 
She suddenly remembered something, stood up, went inside and returned with a rusted tin heavy with small round marbles now almost discolored. She extended the tin to me and I took it in my hands with some faint memory returning relating this tin and the marbles. 
She spoke,' Your friend told me that it was he who had stolen the tin from your house and hidden it. A tear always appeared when he would recollect it. He wanted to confess this to you, but he never could. Would you please forgive him? I beg for him.' 
I was all cold and shivering within. Slowly I gathered courage, sought her leave with a promise to visit her again. With the heaviest heart I parted. 
My reader friends, please do not commit a blunder that I did.