Bridging the Gap:

A Tale of Two Circles

“Bridging the Gap: A Tale of Two Circles” by Denzil Jayasinghe is a short story about a young lad named Denzil who navigates two distinct social circles. The first group, consisting of childhood friends from his village, share a life of manual labour, limited means, and simple pleasures. In contrast, Denzil, employed as an apprentice, befriends a second group of more affluent, aspirational young lads from a different social background. Despite the stark differences between these groups, Denzil maintains ties with both, demonstrating his adaptability and appreciation for the richness of diverse experiences brought to his life.

Inthe heart of the village of Dalugama, a group of lads found solace in their shared existence. Like the monsoon rains, habit had entwined them in a damp embrace. At the core were Cyril, the dependable, and Edward, his brother and shadow. Their friends and workmates, Suneth and Nelum, completed this circle of comfort. Mahinda and Leonard, jobless but bound by blood with Cyril and Edward and shared history, were drawn into this orbit.

Merrill, a tall lad with rebellious eyes, often joined later, his arrival a beacon for others. Mangala, with his brown teeth and a laugh that could wake the dead, and Priya, his quiet elder brother, added to the boisterous company. Denzil, an enigma from a posh Colombo school, was a world apart, spending his nights in an elite college and days as an apprentice. The group also included Ajith, Leonard, and Mahinda’s cousins from their mother’s side. Denzil couldn’t help but notice Ajith’s younger sister, though it was a fleeting infatuation typical of young boys.

Their days were a lazy sprawl of shared drinks and smoke, frantic scrambles for fun and girls. But the evenings were their own. As the light faded, they would gather, their stories stretching and morphing with each telling, the smoke from their cigarettes curling like incense. The night could never hold all their tales, and they would separate, only to return the next evening for another round of stories, laughter, and the comforting haze of companionship.

Except for Priya, who bore the weight of his elder years, none held steady jobs. The hotel where Edward, Cyril, Suneth, and Nelum toiled provided a safety net woven from cast-off dollar tips and shared meals. Yet, even with empty pockets, their spirits remained unbroken. Their camaraderie was a testament to the enduring human capacity for hope and laughter in the face of wants like cigarettes and bell bottoms, inspiring those around them in their youthful vigour.

Denzil, though a part of their group, was an anomaly. Younger than most by a couple of years, he’d joined their company fresh out of school, a misfit even then. Now, while the others scraped for work, his days were spent in the sterile halls of the state-run telecommunication company as their youngest apprentice. Yet, in the evenings, he’d drift in, a book clutched in his hand, starkly contrasting the calloused palms surrounding him.

Edward, the group’s anchor, would greet him with a warm smile, a silent truce between their contrasting realities. Cyril would nod, his gaze flickering to the worn pages of Denzil’s book. The others — Mahinda, Leonard, Suneth, and Nelum — a product of the same neighbourhood, the same struggles, would share a look, a silent question hanging heavy in the air. What did Denzil find in those dusty pages that they couldn’t?

Evenings were their shared solace. The threadbare furniture of their common rooms, walls, and footpaths witnessed countless stories and laughter, and they held them like weary embraces. The air, thick with cigarette smoke and the aroma of hot tea, was a familiar comfort. As the tales unfolded, punctuated by bursts of laughter and murmurs of agreement, Denzil would listen, his face betraying nothing. Yet, there was a quiet yearning in his silence, a hint of a world beyond their narrow confines glimpsed only through his books’ pages.

Perhaps, one day, he would share that world with them, bridge the gap that separated him. But for now, he remained content on the periphery, a silent observer, a dreamer in a world bound by reality.

Then, a chance encounter at a bus stop brought Nimal into Denzil’s life. Nimal, a junior bank clerk in an international bank, was quite different from the blue-collar apprentices and their jobless relatives Denzil had associated with up to now. As Denzil sat on a metal bar at the bus stand, reading his book, waiting for a bus after work, Nimal stood on the other side of the bus stop. Recognising him as someone from his suburb, Denzil started a conversation. Nimal, with his straight hair and a necklace, was like him, an aspiring white-collar junior banker, a breath of fresh air in Denzil’s world.

The following week brought a new face into Denzil’s life. Asoka, an aspiring young lad clad in jeans, was riding the footboard of a bus. Their eyes met, smiles were exchanged, and it turned out that Asoka was following his girlfriend returning from school. The lads talked and agreed to meet up. It turned out that Nimal and Asoka were great friends, classmates from another school in Colombo.

From then on, Denzil started hanging out with his new friends. A bunch:nger brother, Dayal, Pathmarisi and this kid, Azlaff, who was still in school at Carey College. Denzil attended their events, visited their homes, and met their siblings and parents. He felt very much at home. Denzil could relate to their parents, who were aspiring types like his own parents, a far cry from his old friends.

Here was the challenge. Denzil liked his old friends, the friendships he had formed when he was younger. So, he decided to keep company with both sets of friends, knowing they were worlds apart and would not match.

This was a delicate task that Denzil could manage. And he managed it well. Denzil went away with his new friends for big matches and carnivals, wearing jeans, long hair locks, and everything else. His new friends were financially secure, so there was no more borrowing of clothes or money.

It was a delicate task, mixing up with a slightly more affluent and aspiring crowd and another crowd that was more earthy and relied on handouts from their other friends or paycheck to paycheck.

It was a great lesson to mingle with two lots of cultures. Denzil learned to navigate these different worlds, understanding the nuances and subtleties of each. He learned to appreciate the diversity of experiences and perspectives, and this enriched his life in ways he had never imagined. And so, Denzil’s story continued, his life enriched by these new friendships and experiences. His journey was a testament to his adaptability, openness to new experiences, and character.