You probably remember from my post a couple of days back how my friend from office – Deval and her sisters Krupal and Rachana gifted me their dad’s vinyl record collection. Well, get this…

Two days later. It was 9:40PM my time…

“Deval?”
“Yes?”
“Are you busy?”
“No. Having drinks with Chris and Celia.”

I felt reassured that I had not woken up Deval. She was out with two more of my friends from work.

“Well… your dad…”
“Yes, what about him?”
“Was he the CA in a factory called Voil Industries?”

I can only imagine the confusion that must have descended her.
“He was a CA alright. I have to ask my mom about that factory.”

“Ok. Let me try this. Did you folks live in a bungalow in Baroda?”
“Yes.”
“Was there a movie starring Snehlata shot there?”
“Yes. The movie was shot in our bungalow. How do you know that?”. Again, I can only imagine her confusion.
“Well, believe it or not, I have found a connection to your dad.”
“WHAT???”

Let’s take a brief pause here. Let’s see what else happened that day.

I am sure you remember my motorbike friend – Rakesh Rao. He is the organizer, the lead rider and the guy who keeps our team of riders together. He has been a veritable source of tips and tricks for a new rider like me.

Well, he sent a very cryptic “The world is really really small” message to me and his wife Priti the previous day.
I texted “What is going on?”
“I will explain to you when we meet”, he responded.

And later that night, he spilled it all to me. He had recognized Deval’s dad’s name from my post. But he waited to talk to his dad first to make sure he was right.

And that is how I got all the information and the connection.

“Well, your dad had a classmate in Tanzania. His name was Jashwant C Rao. His son is my personal friend in Atlanta. We go out motorbiking together.” I kept explaining to Deval.

“WHAT???”

“Yes. His dad owned Voil Industries!! And my friend has been to your bungalow many times. Remembers you folks!!”

Can you imagine that?

What is the chance that my motorbiker friend in Atlanta and an office friend in Chicago are connected by me AND their dads who were classmates in Africa?

Thank you Rakesh for helping join all the dots!

It is really a small small world, as you say! It feels so great to sit in the cross section of all these intersection points!!