The curiosity of that grill outside the AC unit (see post from a couple of days back) eventually got the better of me and I decided to walk into a stranger’s house to get the story straight from the horse’s mouth.
Against my brother-in-law’s advice (who is anything but adventurous), a couple of days back I walked into the house and rang the bell. An elderly gentleman (slightly younger than my dad, perhaps) opened the door. All I told him is that my dad lives in the building behind and without any further questions, he invited me in. I was a little uncomfortable accepting so much hospitality, so I suggested that we sit in the balcony – since I had a simple question for him.
He opened by asking after my dad’s health. One thing led to the other and I was struck by his kindness, hospitality and intellectual curiosity. Before I knew it, we were talking about his time spent in Kashmir during two wars (he is an ex-Air Force pilot), about his dad who was posted in Assam in tea estates and how his dad built the house 52 years back. Found out his two sons and daughter are all spread out far and wide (including abroad); his brother lives upstairs and he lives with his wife downstairs.
Our deep discussion on why war is simply a matter of political policy was going great guns (in between, his wife had already given us a cup of tea) when I was rudely awakened by a call from my sister saying it was lunch time and I need to come home soon.
I thanked him and walked back home marveling at his career and experience. I had almost entered our building when I realized something. So, I ran back (it was only thirty seconds) and again rang the bell. This time I told him that I completely forgot to ask him the question for which I had come the first time to begin with!!
He seemed to believe that his brother put in the grill (the AC is on second floor) to protect the AC from sunlight. He thought that direct sunlight would harm the compressor. When I pointed out that why not go for a solid structure instead of a grill with holes, he answered the grill diffuses the light enough. I thanked him again and came back.
I now think Kuntal was right. Some overzealous sales guy made some quick bucks from an ignorant customer.

Got this email today (the sender obviously mistyped the gmail address and I received it). But this is “Bangreji” (Bengali English) at its best…

“Dear,
Rajib Da, as per our telephonic discussion, I am giving you the details of accident….

When we were moving towards siliguri from Guwahati, near about 8.35 pm we were crossing Nalbari, at that time we headed a divider bolder to take diversion to other road. Then I called to maruti customer care help line, they given me the local maruti authorised dealer phone no. after that I called to the respective person ( Mr. Bikash), he told me to take the Car to their point, then we hire a car (Paid By Me Rs. 1500/-) for pulling our car and reached the dealer point. After that they told accident insurance claim facility is not available at their Dealer point. If I have to do the claim then I have to take my car to Guwahati dealer point. And they arrange a car ( for pulling our car) which took my car to Guwahati Bimal Showroom. ( Paid by Me Rs. 2000/-)

After That all story you know very well…

Regards

Dipak Mukherjee.
”
🙂

It is almost time to take leave…

And I finally managed to meet the guy who was one of my earliest friends in life – Arghya Sengupta!! We went to nursery (pre-kg) school together. In 1971. I was not five years yet!!! His son in the picture here is one year older than when Arghya and I started our friendship!!
His late dad used to give me company after school if my dad was late in picking me up! His dad passed away a few years later. That was my first real life understanding that if someone dies, I am not going to see him/her again ever! His mom was my sister’s as well as my wife’s teacher in primary school!!
After years and years of trying thru technology, social media and even running to his old neighborhood and then going door to door to see if anybody knew where he was – I had a couple of lucky breaks last year (including running into his late dad’s elder brother’s daughter’s husband !!!). Finally, today on my way from Durgapur to Kalyani, I was able to go to his home and see him (and his family and mom).
It was a very emotional 45 minutes. We meant a lot to each other early in our childhood. We caught up on so many of our old friends. It was simply surreal to be with somebody with whom a relationship started 42 years back!!!

Note the big black plug. It obviously did not fit either in the upper two holes in the socket or in the lower two holes. Somebody had the presence of mind to think out of the box and come up with a third solution – a diagonal fit!!!!!

Many an aspiring journey in my life started from this point…

That was a couple of hours of laughing over silly things – just like we did thirty years back in elementary school. We certainly missed the king of silliness- Avijit.

Weighed down by the load of life…
Yet he never ceases to look up….

(This picture was taken today right outside the house that I grew up in from five years old till thirteen years old)