For most of us, our daily routine at work usually is a lot of discussions and debate ain close quarters round numbers, products, software bugs, architecture, so on and so forth. Only distance – that leaving a team or a company enforces – brings in retrospect what were the most important aspects of our jobs. In about two years, we forget numbers, a bit later, we forget product names … but we always remember the people and the conversations.

Have you noticed when you meet old colleagues how almost the entire conversation is about people, events that happened with people or words that were uttered?

This evening with Celeste and Lela was no different. Celeste was one of the handful of leaders who successfully guided our company thru Covid. Looking back over drinks, we realized that we sometimes forget how it felt like trying to guide so many employees’ and their families’ physical, mental and economic health. All the while, going thru the absolute dark tunnel of a pandemic with no idea how many years it would take us to see some light at the end of it. I recollect how some of the quick adaptations were Celeste’s brainchildren.

But the best part is that the three of us are still great friends and try to see each other whenever we can. Special thanks to Lela for reaching out to me to put this meeting together in Atlanta while they were visiting from Denver and Chicago!

Chetan and I got to tag along with our artist wives.

Sharmila, PJ and I had just settled down at a table in Olde Blind Dog. The first place we went to had closed the kitchen but we wanted to munch something with our drinks. So, we landed up in this Irish bar near our old house. The bar area did not have three open chairs – so we took a table.

As we were settling down, I noticed somebody looking at me from a couple of tables over. I looked at him and then looked away. And then looked again. Seemed familiar. Almost like Ron with who I had worked nearly two decades back. But I did not think he lived in this side of town.

I looked at him again. He started smiling. And then it was clear as daylight … it was indeed Ron!!! He is still in the old company – he has been working there for more than three decades!