Sheikh Moniruddin alias Khokon! There was nearly a gap of 13,500 days before I met him in Dec. Today’s was after 135 days!!!

Meaning “mom, I am going over to Khokon’s place to play”. For years, early in my childhood, that used to be a sentence I would say at least once a day. I am sure you remember my 37 year search for that first friend of my life – Khokon – which ultimately ended when I met him 3 months back.

Today, I visited him and his mom again. His mom and I chatted for almost an hour today – a perfect throwback to those days forty years back when she would be cooking in her kitchen and I would gather around her and chat endlessly….

Here you can see her mom engrossed in our chat….

Had a great lucky break within a couple of hours of landing in Kolkata. Recently, had traced down a long lost friend of mine from elementary days – Sibapriya Dasgupta – in Midnapore(150 km from Kolkata). After landing at my brother’s place, I called him up to enquire after his parents (I was aware his parents were also ailing like my dad).

To my great surprise, found out that he was in Kolkata today for another few hours and that too not very far from where I was. Decided to have a quick drink (although he is a teetotaler) together. And sure enough, soon, I was able to see him for an hour or so!

Last time I saw Sibapriya was Mar 1983!!! Over 31 years back! He has still remained the nice, even keeled, very well balanced person. I was amazed by some of the details of myself that he could pull from three decades ago!!

We talked about our parents, our teachers, friends from school and families. One interesting topic of discussion – and he is a doctor – was the possibility that medical science is dealing with our parents in a wrong way. Instead of focusing on extending their lives when they are clearly not enjoying life, should our medical sciences factor in the inevitability of death and focus on making the rest of the years very enjoyable, painless and peaceful?

Great stimulating discussion. Hope I do not have to wait for another 31 years before I get to see good old Sibapriya again!!!

I was just wrapping up my call with Sharmila before jumping onto the flight to New York when I saw good old Shahid and his family walking past me. You may remember him from an old post and picture of the two of us sharing shayars and ghazals in a bar somewhere in Bombay after customer meetings.

In any case, I finished out with Sharmila immediately and yelled out for Shahid. He saw me, brought his family to introduce to me and guess what his first words were? “Another Intersection Point”, he said!!!!

I am like. “Yess!! I am going to start a cult”. 🙂

Anyways, it was great to meet Shahid, Munira and the kids!!!