Sunday, November 18, 2012

Meeting dad's friend.

Today, I'd the proud privilege of being the co-host of a 'lunch get together' for the veterans. And it gave me tremendous pleasure to meet many of the old stalwarts who'd played significant roles in my professional growth. It was my endeavour to meet as many people, as possible, to catch up from where we'd left last and to update contact numbers and addresses, in the process.

And in the course of the afternoon, I'd come across Lt(Retd) Job. Short statured and slightly built, he looked fit at 86. He says that his memory has been failing him,of late, but looking at me he could recollect my dad. He was shocked to hear about my dad's passing away and I'd to sheepishly admit that I'd forgotten to intimate him due to an oversight. I saw his eyes brimming with tears which he quickly wiped off with his handkerchief and narrated an incident that he and dad were privy to.

They're in the Alibaug Customs Collectorate together in the late '70s and alongwith Mr. Warekar, the Superintendent, formed a close knit threesome. One day while they're out on work, they'd come across a four year old girl who'd almost come under the wheels of the vehicle that they're travelling in. My father was insistent that the child be adopted by them and though initially reluctant, they went by my dad's wishes because they knew that Nair saab could never go wrong as he'd attained a 'saintly hue' through his discourses on the Bhagvad Gita. The little one was given the best of everything and today, she's settled abroad with her family and doing well. It was another aspect of my dad that has come into focus and I really felt proud of him.


Tailpiece.

A well spent afternoon and I constantly felt the presence of my dad, all through. And I've been entrusted to inform their foster daughter of my dad's passing away.

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