“So no one told you life was gonna be this way,
Your job is a joke, you're broke,
Your love life is D.O.A,
It's like you're always stuck in second gear,
When it hasn't been your day, your week your month,
Or even your year… but….
I'll be there for you,
When the rain starts to pour,
I'll be there for you,
Like I've been there before,
I'll be there for you,
Cause you're there for me too”
The song might sound familiar to lot many, and for those who don't know what I'm talking about will understand in few minutes, just hang in there…
The story dates back to 2022, when I was all alone and the darkness in my mind hovering over my intrusive thoughts. I was surviving on anti-depressants and multiple therapies since last couple of years. Wandering through the browsers and social media, i discovered something I didn't knew I needed. It was the sitcom series F.R.I.E.N.D.S, I know it's childish but guess what!!! I bought yearly Netflix subscription solely for the show F.R.I.E.N.D.S. The show turned out to be one of the best alternatives to the anti-depressants and sleeping pills. It wasn't intoxicating, instead all the characters helped me get through the toughest and deadliest phase of my life ever, happily.
There was one comfort human cum character who was my best therapist of all time, Chandler Bing aka Matthew Perry. His character was exactly like my best friend who'd cover any distance to cure my chronic illness. Unknowingly, he became my favourite character and actor. I didn't knew I was so attached to him that I'll watch entire show more than twice. He was a friend, comfort zone and indeed a therapist.
I won't discuss his drinking habits, drug addiction and insecurity, but I'd rather discuss about how great of a person he was. As mentioned in an interview, he revealed that he had traumatic childhood that led him to drinking and drug addiction at a very budding stage of his life. He always wanted to quit but couldn't because of his family. He always wanted to be loved for being humorous. “Quoting with what Joey (Matt Le Blanc) once said:- Being funny is just Chandler's thing, nobody could ever steal it”. He regretted every moment of drinking and intoxicating. He was always insecure about his looks that led to multiple failed relationships, and towards the end he was all alone. “Could I be heartbroken anymore”????
Chandler's perfectly timed jokes, out of the box sarcasm, versatile acting, and Matty’s real life stories and incidents inspired me to the extent that in no time, I was perfectly cured.
Then there comes one dark day of sitcom industries, 28th of October 2023, when the news of his demise came on my feed. Being working as a media professional, I had to cover the news for various websites and news portals keeping my personal feelings aside. It was really very tough and I know I'll be mocked really hard for this but yes, I did mourn for him. I prayed for his beautiful soul. Covering his news professionally was tough but I know Chandler would never want his fans to cry like crybabies. That was the day when i thought “how someone like me can mourn/cry/miss someone whom I never met in person”? Is it because of the personal feelings attached for Chandler Bing or am I feeling bad for Matthew Perry who had nobody by his side in his last moments, is it really ok to be this much sensitive? And that's how i lost a FRIEND, without even knowing him.
Whatever the reason maybe, Chandler Bing will always remain an iconic character to sitcom industries and as a person, Matthew Perry is always gonna be that one person who pulled me out of my illness.
“Dear Matty aka Chandler Bing, could we be loving anymore”?
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