Teabreak with a twist: went for a 10 km run with my brother in Durgapur where he and our sister were born. Took a tea break at a memorable place.

If you can see the tree with white mark on my brother’s right – it was on that road right there, one evening twenty years and two months back, while taking an evening stroll with Sharmila, I had asked her straight and simple – ring, rose and getting on a knee be darned – if she would marry me. My biggest worry was whether she would stand up to her and my parents – none of whom would approve of our marriage. I was counting on her street cred of fierce independence, stubbornness and sense of self determination.

That evening, she summoned all those strengths in her and told me point blank -“No” 🙂

Saktigarh-er langcha? Check!!!

When your Indian mom says “you are looking better this time” (“ebare dekhte bhalo laagchhey”), you know you have put on weight 🙂

Early morning another 5 mile run with my brother in dense fog. My personal best time of the day!

That was a well executed surprise!! Yesterday I landed in India to visit my ailing dad for a few days.. Nobody other than my brother knew. My sister in law almost choked in surprise. Should have seen my nephews’ jaws drop when they saw me. Then we all drove to my dad’s house. My mom – who absolutely did not recognize me as I was pulling the suitcase out of the elevator – whispered to my sister-in-law -“Who is that guy? Is he with you folks?” 🙂 My dad was so overwhelmed by it, he got out of the bed and started pacing up and down!! (I have come to see him since he had a knee operation and he is having post-operative complications and he soon realized he is not supposed to pace up and down 🙂 ). Nobody can believe it that my brother and I kept it completely under the wraps for over two months!!! To maintain the secrecy, I even stopped posting on Facebook. (All my FB friends are so going to “Like” the last statement 🙂 ). I have been posting on rollsroys.wordpress.com though.