Farewell

One flies away to the US as another leaves for Delhi. One will return in a couple of weeks and the other, I don't know when. As I saw him drawing away in the dark, I remembered his first night in bangalore. He was here at IIMB with me. We met occasionally. IIMB does that to you. We had fun. He was working hard to move ahead in life. IIT was history. The real world was not as rosy as we had expected in campus. Then a phonecall one day. He had succeeded. Atleast temporarily. From two point something to five point something else. From Delhi to Bangalore. I was happy. I had seen him working harder than ever. We met. I got drunk. He got pained. I got philosophical. He introspective. We had a quiet dinner today, the three of us. Him and his jokes. He cracks jokes when he is self-conscious. Put him in a spot and his reaction is to poke fun at it. Then we returned. To L-105. He commented how this room was much better than the last one. I told him about Wodehouse. He loves hearing about books. He still remembers the Asimov I had given him to read. I read 'Psmith in the City' out. He laughed. We forgot for some time the heavy spectre of the dreaded parting to come. Then it was here.

"Take care. Seriously.".I will. You take care too.

I am happy for you. I am happy for Delhi. And for the lucky lady waiting for you in Delhi. It has been a long wait.

Read "the diary of a young girl". Its a beautiful book. A trifle sad. But what is not.

And remember with fondness how we fought together, how we made plans to start a coaching center, the four of us. We will visit your restaurant once you open it. If I dont go to London.

Till we meet again.

Safe journey.