The first time I met Nandini was after I had already left Durgapur. I was in a residential school for my 11th and 12th grades. This was 1984 Feb. I was visiting home for Saraswati Pujo. Went to see the Pujo in the nearby school where most of my friends were doing their 11th and 12th grades – Bidhan Chandra Institution.

A common friend that day had introduced me to Nandini. Can’t say we were in touch a lot till her son Spandan came to the USA for his studies. She was visiting him in Austin this week. And I showed up!!

Spandan and I have talked before but was not aware of his varied interests in life – running, biking, swimming, reading…

There was a topic we talked a lot about. The context was how our parents used to force us to study all the time to get good grades. The topic de jure was- did our school grades co-relate at all with success – any which way you want to describe success – in life?

Good old Mousumi and her husband Bratin were in New York to visit their elder son Riju. Last time I met them was in 2014. That was in Boston and they had their younger son with them then!

Most of the time was spent remembering our old friends – and we even separately video called Baisakhi, Ajoy and Ranga to say Hi to them!!

With Piyali and her family – Abhra-da and elder son Arka. Piyali is a world traveler. Little surprise then that in the last few years, I have met her in Kolkata, Dubai and Carbondale, IL. This time it was in New York City where she and Abhra-da were visiting their elder son – Arka. Last time I met Arka and Abhra-da was probably a decade and a half back in their house in Lake Town.

Little did I realize on that March afternoon 42 years back as I left my school for the last time, that this morning will happen to me someday. While most teachers have had an undeniable effect on me, the three that left the most indelible mark were my English teacher Ms. Biswas, my Math teacher Mr. Roy and my Geography teacher Ms. Bhowmic.

It probably starts to explain then why I still dash off a handwritten letter every weekend or why when bored, instead of watching reels, I look for geometry problems on the internet or why I can spend hours poring over a map of the world trying to learn which country borders which – all with absolutely no gnawing sense of misplaced priorities.

Quirky as they might seem to the world, they almost define my identity.

It was with incredible luck that I found myself with my English teacher this morning in Asheville, NC. She was visiting her son. I simply could not pass up that opportunity to spend a few more moments with her (and her husband Arup Sir!). If not for anything else, but to at least express my gratitude for instilling a sense of intellectual curiosity in me during my formative years.

That, plus there are not too many folks with who I can remember weird names like “Hermia” and “Hippolyta” with some pangs of nostalgia, sitting out on a brisk morning over some breakfast and coffee!

Had not seen Ashley in a long time. Used to see her regularly in Pig Tales during Covid times and then in Twisted Oar. She then got married, had two kids and took time off from work.

Turns out, she is back again!!