Much delayed flight to New York. Reached after 9 pm. Of course, the first thought was why waste a perfect dinner on myself when there is always a chance to revisit an old intersection point?

Managed to wake up Paromita – little sister of my dear friend from high school and college days – Partho Roy – and we had dinner. (I did give her an advanced warning a few hours back).

She thinks we met last in 2003. Neither Sharmila nor I can remember that. I do recollect meeting her in 1988 though!!!

I found out that her dorm room mate from college days is none other than my own brother ‘s wife !!!

Also that she dated somebody from my team some twelve years back and I used to be a common topic of discussion for the date nights . (No points for guessing that it did not work out 🙂 )

While ten years younger to me, I still asked her life’s lesson in a few words. Without hesitation, she said “Stand up for yourself”. She has no idea how closely I relate to those words…..

Most of you are aware that one of my life’s missions is to keep in touch with people who have crossed my path long time back. I have been in many ways – perceptibly and imperceptibly, influenced by each one of them. Reconnecting with them – often after decades – is my way of thanking them for the opportunity I had to spend some time together in this short life. That, to me, is a reward in of itself.

Sometimes, though, there are awkward situations when a person cannot recognize me – in spite of giving vivid details. That is often frustrating and embarrassing. On the other hand, sometimes it is not only the case that I get the thrill of reconnecting with somebody from long past – but soon realize that I know somebody else that has crossed their path before and I put them together. That gives great satisfaction. One such incident happened this week. This email will always be there for me to read up every time I get frustrated following dead ends looking for my friends from the past…(names redacted to respect privacy; I will leave it up to them to identify themselves if they want to)

From: XXXX
To: YYYY; Rajib Roy <roy_rajib@yahoo.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 5, 2013 7:59 PM
Subject: RE: Re-introductions

Hey YYYY
Great to hear from you … wow what a small world! Smaller when you note that most of my school friends now know Rajib 🙂
Yes we should catch up – send me your phone # and will chat over the weekend.

Rajib,
Thanks for all the connects bhai. Suddenly feel I am part a long lost group that I was just unaware of.
Hi to Sharmila and bachcha log, and do look ZZZZ up when you are in DC next.
Cheers,
XXXX

Saw Vanita after a long long time. We were classmates in our MBA school. Last time I saw her was around 1992!!! So much has changed and yet so little has changed. She is still the truly genuine human being that I knew!!! It was absolutely great to hear her perspective on life. When asked what words of advise she had for me from the last twenty years, her thoughtful answers were “Academic success counts to nothing. We have to be successful as human beings” and “Family as a priority should trump all priorities”.
Those were indeed great thoughtful insights!!!

I certainly hope to run into her again very soon! Also found out that we have some common friends from Calcutta who now live in Atlanta!!