"The Move We All Needed" (No More Distance, No More Excuses)
Introduction:
This poem is based on a real-life moment from last night—a heartfelt and unexpectedly emotional meetup between me and my three close friends: Asad, Saira, and Aima. We always gather late in the evening at our favorite park, but this time, what started as casual banter turned into a life-changing conversation about choices, distance, and the power of staying together. What unfolded inspired these verses—raw, real, and straight from the heart.
"The Move We All Needed"
(No More Distance, No More Excuses)
Last night, I went to see my friends again—
We always hang out at the park by ten.
Me, Asad, Aima, and Saira too,
Just laughing and talking like we always do.
As soon as he saw me, Asad teased aloud,
“Hey, pretty boy!” he said, looking proud.
I told him calmly, “Don’t call me that,”
He laughed it off, and we all just sat.
We sat on the bench, the mood was light,
But Aima dropped a bomb that changed the night.
She said, “Shahzad, do you know what he did?
Asad sold his dad’s car, totally hid.”
I said, “What?! You serious right now?”
Asad just smiled and raised his brow.
“I needed the money to move away,
Planning a job in a city someday.”
I asked him, “Which city are you thinking of?”
He said, “Maybe Lahore… or Karachi, not sure yet.”
I acted disappointed, tried to stay cool,
‘Cause we had a plan, and I played the fool.
Me, Aima, and Saira, we had a plan—
To keep Asad close, that was our stand.
We wanted him in Islamabad with us,
So we plotted this meet-up, quiet and thus.
I laughed and said, “Karachi in this heat?
You’ll get a heatstroke before you find your seat.”
Asad replied, “There’s the beach and the sea—
I’ll swim there daily; it’ll be fine for me.”
Aima jumped in with a teasing cheer,
“Fools like you drown every day, we fear!”
We don’t want to lose you to the waves—
Let’s keep your name out of those graves.
Saira stayed quiet, sipping her drink,
Just watching us talk, letting it sink.
Then Asad said, “Yeah, maybe you’re right,
But Karachi still has fun, day and night.”
I said, “Maybe, but is it really worth?
The heat will get you first on this earth.”
You’ll be done before the fun even starts,
Passed out near gyms and swimming parts.
Asad went quiet, thought for a while,
Then said, “Maybe Lahore fits my style.”
Saira broke silence with a laugh and said,
“Did you forget the fog? It nearly spread!”
He laughed, “That was months ago, come on.”
She said, “Lahore’s pollution’s never gone.
You’ll need a mask just to take one breath—
Every step in that air is flirting with death.”
Asad replied, “Lahore has its charm:
Beautiful mosques and Mughal-era calm.”
Aima smiled and said, “Sure, it’s true,
But Asad, that city’s just not for you.”
Asad said, “Then what do you all think?
You want me to stay, right on the brink?”
Saira said, “No, we’re not saying that—
We want you in Islamabad, and that’s a fact.”
“We’re all moving there—Aima, me, and Shahzad.
We want you too; don’t think it’s odd.
Just imagine, hanging out every day—
Not in some far-off city, drifting away.”
“You could’ve just told me, no need to roast,”
He said softly, like a friend hurt the most.
Saira said, “We spoke only the truth—
Not a single lie, I swear on my youth.”
“Now stop being lazy; start to pack—
This Sunday we leave, no looking back.
Everything’s ready, don’t make us wait—
Also… your dad’s gonna learn your fate.”
Asad sighed, “He’ll be mad, you know.”
I said, “Then you should’ve told him, bro.”
“He’s gonna find out either way—
So take it like a man; what else to say?”
—Shahzad Sulaiman
Summary :
Last night, I went out to meet my friends like we usually do — me, Asad, Aima, and Saira — at the park. As soon as Asad saw me, he teased, “Hey pretty boy!” I quickly told him, “Don’t call me that again.” I knew he was just joking around like friends do, nothing serious.
We all sat down on the bench, and then Aima dropped a surprising comment: “Shahzad, did you know Asad sold his dad’s car without even telling him?” I was shocked and said, “What?!” Asad explained he did it because he’s planning to move to the city for a job and needed the money. I asked him which city, and he said maybe Lahore or Karachi.
Hearing that, I tried to hide my disappointment because Aima, Saira, and I are moving to Islamabad. But the truth was, this whole meet-up was actually a little plan we made to convince Asad to move to Islamabad and stay close to us — and he had no idea!
I laughed and said, “You know, with this weather, you could get a heat stroke in Karachi.” Asad shrugged and said, “There’s a beach there. I can go swim in the sea.” Aima joked back, “Yeah, but fools like you almost drown there every day. We definitely don’t want to lose you to the sea!”
Saira was quietly sipping her soft drink, just listening to us. Asad stayed silent for a moment, then said, “Sure, there might be fun things to do in Karachi, but is it really worth it? You’d get heat stroke before you even reach a park, gym, or swimming pool.” That made him pause.
He added, “Maybe you guys are right. Karachi might not be for me. Maybe Lahore is better.” Saira finally spoke up, “Did you forget about the fog a few months ago in Lahore?” Asad laughed, “Yeah, but that was months ago. It’s clean now.” Saira replied, “It might look clean, but Lahore is so polluted that you’ll always need a mask.”
Asad jumped in, “Whoa, whoa! Stop right there. Lahore is beautiful, with amazing mosques and rich Mughal architecture.” Aima said, “We all agree Lahore is a beautiful city, but maybe not the best fit for Asad.”
Then Asad asked, “So what city is for me? Do you want me to stay here and not go anywhere?” Saira smiled and said, “No, not at all. The three of us are moving to Islamabad, and we want you to come with us, so we can hang out like this all the time.”
Asad grinned, “I knew something was up with this meeting.” I added, “Think about it, Asad. If you move to Karachi or Lahore, we won’t see each other for a long time. But if you come to Islamabad with us, we can meet every day.”
Asad chuckled, “If you wanted me to move to Islamabad, you could’ve just said it. Why roast Karachi and Lahore with fake stories to change my mind?” Saira replied, “We didn’t lie — everything we said was true. Now stop being lazy and get ready, because this Sunday we’re all moving to Islamabad. Everything’s ready on our side. So, pack your stuff and forget about the other cities. Oh, and we’ll have to tell your dad about the car — he’s going to be upset.”
Asad sighed, and I said, “You should’ve thought about that earlier. Besides, he’s going to find out anyway, so just own up to it like a man.”
Disclaimer:
This poem is based on a real-life moment from the life of the poet. All individuals mentioned—Asad, Saira, and Aima—are real friends, and their names are used with their full knowledge and permission. The poem captures the spirit of that evening with creative liberty and heartfelt emotion.
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