After a tough week on the road, after I came back today, I got a chance to take my inlaws and Sharmila out. The best news of the day was that my father-in-law, who is a lot more reassured of himself when I am around rather than when he is surrounded by four ladies in the house (his words, not mine :-)) gained enough confidence to give up on his wheelchair and walker and managed to go around with just a walking stick!!

My mother in law was so happy to see this improvement that she finally gave in to my pleadings to have a drink with us. Well, she kind of overachieved by having two drinks!!! Wait till all her relatives back in India hear about this 🙂

You can see my in-laws here going for bottoms up!! By the way, that Gandhian haircut my father in law is sporting now? You can thank yours truly for that. Although, I think Sharmila has thrown my old clippers after that hair cutting episode. I can’t seem to find them anywhere anymore. Not that I have any real use for them myself 🙂

Ever since my inlaws have visited us, I have been always thinking of where else can we take them to visit. You always want to show the best of your country to visitors from other countries. They were awe-struck by Niagara Falls, totally mesmerized by seeing the Atlantic Ocean in Hilton Head and so on. Now that my father-in-law’s movement is highly restricted, I have been at my wit’s end where to take them.

Today, I realized how they are totally happy with the simplest of things and simplest of places. After trying a few parks by the River Chattahoochee and finding them to be too crowded and not enough shade, I just took them to a familiar place of mine. It is actually a pretty nondescript spot – it is by the river alright, and there are a couple of parking spots too. But it is right under the highway 400 and nobody is there other than the occasional runner or canoeist. And that is why I know that place. I have often started my runs from there.

But they thought that was the best place in the whole world. They sat in the shade that the overhead highway gave and gazed into the river on either side for what seemed to me like an endless period (it was a couple of hours) completely oblivious of the cars and trucks roaring by just a few yards above their heads. I caught them often talking to themselves and once in a while to each other. They even compared the sights to some places in India they had visited way way back before they had any kids.

I just watched them and took as many pictures as I could. My favorite is the black and white on the right top corner.

It was Friday evening. Designated day to go out for a drink with my FIL. There was one problem though. He was barely five days and change into his surgery to fix his broken hip. In those five days, he had already gotten himself to got up and walk with a walker. A walker is not ideal for long distances. No problem. A few Google searches and phone calls later, I was back home with a rented wheelchair.

Over all protestations of my mother in law, very soon, Sharmila and myself were at our favorite Indian bar with the inlaws. We sat outside and had a delightful time. Presently Amitesh, Anusuya, Mrinalda and Seemitadi joined us to make it a perfect octet.

After a wonderful evening together, we came back home. Then I asked my FIL – “Dekhun, gelen boley koto bhalo laaglo” (See, it was a good thing you went. You had such a great time). He had a memorable response. “Bhalo laga? Amar to mon kharap hoye gelo seshe. Eder moton bhaari shundor shundor lok desh-e giye kothay paabo?” (Had a great time? I am feeling really sad now. Where am I going to get such wonderful people – referring to our guests for the evening – when I go back home?)

Like his guests, I am amazed that barely five days after a hip surgery he is out and about and sipping wine with the rest of us sitting outside a bar….

Seems like he truly lives up to what my good friend Larry Mason had advised me once – “The difficult, we do today. The impossible, will take a little more time”!