Remember the mosaic we got from that place in Jordan where the artists are all physically challenged? Well, four months later it is finally up on the wall. Needed a lot of thought and ideation from Sharmila. That thing is very very heavy. Looks like finally she was able to put a few accoutrements together and the handyman fixed it up!
These days, since the weekend morning Farmers’ Market trip has stopped (due to the season), we have started a new routine of walking to a coffee shop in downtown and having a lazy cappuccino/latte time. My goal during that lazy time is not to touch the phone at all. And just observe all the customers coming in and out. Or talk to Sharmila.
Today was rainy and damp. Sitting at a corner in Warm Waves coffee shop, the environment reminded me of days in London and specially its suburbs. (At one time, I use to go there multiple times a year for work).
Customers were coming in with their umbrellas. It was drizzling outside with totally overcast sky. Even the brick walls of the buildings on the other side reminded me of smaller towns outside London.
Lynette, her mom Lia and her dad Matt were my running partners when I used to run in groups. Lia was undoubtedly the one in the family with who I ran the most. One unique quality about Lynette is her love for reading, literature and books. I remember discussing P.G. Wodehouse with her those days. Not too many people who have grown up in the US is aware of this incredibly humorous British author. Google “funny lines from PG Wodehouse” to check me out!
Two and a half years back, Lynette got married to Nathan. As luck would have it, he teaches English !!
During our conversation on Lynette’s birthday a few weeks back, we talked about learning new languages. She inspired me to pick up a new one. I am thinking Arabic. We also promised that we will have a coffee together and I will get to meet Nathan soon!!
Today was that day!! Wonderful conversations!
I wish this young couple all the best that life can offer to them!!!
I had posted about the FAA computer glitch this morning and that I could see from my hotel window how the runways in SFO were totally empty. Somebody else also was looking at the empty runways from his hotel room a couple of miles away from me. That was Ranga my friend from college days – in fact, we were in the same hostel (dorm) during my engineering days and I had become fairly close to him and his parents and siblings who lived in Kolkata for some time.
“Rongoraajon”, as he would be called in Kolkata!!
He saw my FB post and we quickly realized that we were very close to each other. I was heading out for the airport in a few minutes. He had meetings during the day and was going to go back home (San Diego) in the evening.
It was a shame that we stayed this close to each other for a couple of days and did not get to see each other.
Not so fast.
From inside my hotel shuttle to the airport, we started texting and he offered to drop me at the airport on his way to the meetings. So, I got down from the shuttle, pulled out my suitcase and waited for him.
He showed up in 10 minutes.
That 8 minute ride to the airport was a big upgrade to my original plans.
Always good to see this old friend again!!
I had settled down at Divine Cafe to catch up on some quick work when a familiar face walked up to me – “Are you not Rajib Roy?”.
“That I am”, I replied as I recognized my colleague Patrick Tan from fifteen years back. In fact, when I moved to Atlanta, we used to work in the same team. I had not kept up with him for many many years.
It felt good to catch up on his professional life, how his three kids have grown up and even got to meet his wife. (She took the picture).
I am so glad that he recognized me from the other end of the cafe!
