Stressful times!

This morning I'd called up Alexander, my naval course mate to wish him many happy returns as it was his birthday. On picking up, he gently chided me for not informing him about my numerous forays into Kochi. Any explanation from me, that I hardly got time to socialise because there were plenty of things to do with hardly any time left to do other things that weren't listed, would have fallen on deaf years and hence, I kept quiet. 

In the course of our conversation, he told me about his right side having slowed down considerably over the past few months - it was particularly evident when he shaved. On meeting the doctor and after a battery of tests, it's been confirmed as Parkinson's Syndrome. He's under Dr. Mathew Abraham's treatment - the world is really small, he was my mom's doctor, too!

The news was an instant stress producer. I could not even imagine Alex to be under such an ailment. Medicines are available for the ailment thanks to the intense research in the field. I'm sure the latest medicines would be available for him to retard the ailment if not cured completely.  

I'm appending the extract of a letter, that I'd written to his daughter, on the occasion of his 60th birthday.

                               

                              Alex, as I know him.

1. My first meeting with him was at the Ernakulam 
Junction, when both of us were boarding the NDA
Special bound for Pune, he as a first termer and I,

a third termer. Our dads knew each other and as
the train was leaving, his dad had told me to take

care of him accompanied by an agreeable nod 

from mine!

2. While at the Academy, we're in different Squadrons
and being from different courses, seldom met each

other but whenever we used to bump into one another

there was always time for a few quick words. Years

later, we're under one roof, literally, when we're  
seagoing cadets on board the old INS Delhi - that had 

won its honours as HMS Achilles during World War II 

in the famous Battle of the River Plate - after having 

passed out of the NDA.

3. I used to have a regular bunch of course mates 
who hung on to every bit of naval knowledge that I

had. It was not that I was extraordinary, but my way 

of assimilating the nuances of Navigation,  
Seamanship and other intricate naval subjects was to
understand them, not by rote - I hated that - but by   

observing the serials intimately and then teach my 
friends. I'd by then 'acquired' quite a few students 
and Alex was a regular.

4. His English-tinged-Malayalam was a continuous 
source of mirth for me! And it was during our 

Midshipman's time on board the old INS Beas that 

we became real good friends. He liked doing watches
with me and between the two of us, we'd traversed

through very difficult situations with plenty of humour 

that was our trademark. I think our superiors liked that
and everyone of them was supportive and should I 

say, liked us in the bargain?

5. Alex is an uncomplicated and lovable friend who 
tends to get excited by even trivia. He never bears a

grudge towards anyone and is ever helpful. During

our training days, he used to be the encyclopedia of 
all naval happenings. In fact, it was he who corrected
one of my initial doubts about addressing a naval  

doctor as 'Surgeon Commander or Commander 
Surgeon' and when it happened to be a lady, the 
doubt was more acute, 'Was it Ms Surgeon 
Commander or Surgeon Commander Ms...?'

6. Thanks, Alex, it's been great knowing you and I 
must acknowledge that I've learnt a lot from you.  
They don't make 'em friends like you anymore! Take

care and may God bless. Welcome to the exclusive 
club of the Senior Citizens (I'd entered it on the 24th  
of last November). 

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