In all the weariness of last week’s travels, I forgot to reflect on and tell you folks about meeting a very very old friend of mine. I saw him after thirty years!!!

My namesake – although he spells it “Rajeev” – and I went to school together for our eleventh and twelfth grades (high school junior and senior years). I remember him as an exceptionally bright person. He was very strong in math and statistics. I used to marvel at how he cracked the permutation and combination problems. And another thing I remember him for was his handwriting. He had a great handwriting – very consistent and clean – but the font size was geared towards letting people read from hundred yards or so away 🙂 (We had a great laugh remembering that). And I also remember visiting his parents in Asansol for a few hours. I distinctly remember his mom’s energy level and kindness.

During last week’s “breakfast in DC – lunch in Milwaukee – dinner in Tampa” whirlwind meetings crisscrossing the country, I was able to get my old buddy Rajeev Ranjan Bhattacharya and myself together for an hour or so in DC – where he has moved in a couple of months back. I could have picked him up from a crowd very easily. Nothing has changed in him. He looks exactly the same. He has got all the hair intact on his head. Probably quietened down a little. But still has those insightful comments that I had gotten used to from him thirty years back.

It was great to catch up on his family, his career in Australia and US and some of our old friends. The most sad part was realizing that I will not get a chance to meet his mom again.

I do wish I had a paper and pen with me. I wanted to see if his handwriting has remained the same!!