Two interesting inputs.

Got these two inputs from two of my friends today and I thought of sharing them with you. So, here I go.

Nikita Iyer on Linkedin

This morning, on my way to work, stranded by an Uber auto driver in the middle of the highway, I must have had a worried expression on my face which made an old man driving a rickshaw stop and ask me where I wanted to go.

Skeptical at first, I told him I needed to get to the other end of town to my office and that I was already late. He said, "Please come in Ma'am, you can pay what you want" in impeccable English. Taken aback with such kind behaviour, I said ok and what followed was a very enriching 45 minutes.

Of course, as a Researcher, I couldn't contain my curiosity and asked him how he spoke such good English to which he said he was an English lecturer and has done his MA and MEd! He predicted my next question and asked me himself, "So you're going to ask me why I am driving an auto right?" I said, absolutely, please tell me.

He said he is 74 years old now and has been driving a rickshaw for 14 years. Previously he was an English lecture at a college in Bombay because he did not get any job in Karnataka. The only question he was asked was, "What is your caste?" and when he said his name was Mr Pattabhi Raman, they said, "We will let you know". Fed up, he moved to Bombay to look for a job and was welcomed and given a job in the reputed Powai College where he worked for 20 years. At 60, he retired and came back to Karnataka. "Teachers do not get paid well. The maximum you can earn is 10-15,000/- and since it was a private institution, I don't have pension. By driving a rickshaw I get at least 700 - 1,500/- a day which is enough for me and my girlfriend", he laughed.

When I laughed too he said, "She is my wife but I call her my girlfriend because you must always treat them as equal. The minute you say wife, husbands think she's a slave who must serve you but she is in no way inferior to me, in fact she is superior to me sometimes. She is 72 and takes care of the house while I work for 9-10 hours a day. We live in a 1 BHK in Kadugodi where my son helps pay the rent of 12,000/- but beyond that, we are not dependent on our children. They live their life and we live ours happily. Now I am the Raja of my road, I can take my auto out any time I want and work when I want".

Not one complaint about life.

Not one regret.

So much to learn from these

hidden heroes.

My morning was made.

A Fond Kiss

"A fond kiss, and then we sever;

A farewell, and then forever!

Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll

pledge thee,

Warning sights and groans I'll wage

thee".

"Who shall say that Fortune

grieves him,

While the star of hope she leaves

him?"

"Me, no cheerful twinkle lights me;

Dark despair around benights me.

I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy,

Nothing could resist my Nancy;

But to see her was to love her;

Love but her, and love forever.

Had we never lov'd so kindly,

Had we never lov'd so blindly,

Never met - or never parted -

We had ne'er been broken-

hearted.

Fare thee well, thou first and 

fairest!

Fare thee well, thou best and

dearest!

Thine be like a joy and treasure,

Peace, enjoyment, love and

pleasure!

A fond kiss, and then we sever;

A farewell, alas, forever!

Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll

pledge thee,

Warring sighs and groans I'll wage

thee!"

Robert Burns

Tailpiece.

Got up around 6, the chores and we were ready by a quarter past 8. Set off for Shenoy Care and Lekha had finished with the registration facilities, while I'd parked the Chevy in the adjacent parking ground. We first met Tinny, the junior doctor, who took in the minute details of the progress made in the last three months and punched them into the computer for Dr Shenoy's perusal and prognosis. 

Was meeting with Lekha's doctor after a long while. Exchanged pleasantries and he seemed to be happy with her medical condition. Tomorrow, the lab-embedded-in-the-clinic will give us Lekha's latest ESR and PT-INR, for further action.

Headed then, for Satish Bhat's clinic. He has put me on track regarding the ophthalmic treatment. Had lunch at the Aarya's at Panampilli Nagar and returned to Sarovaram.

A quiet evening thereafter.