I know we are getting ready for
the long weekend – everyone says ‘I have been working so hard in past few weeks
and plugging away so much. Oh man I can’t wait!’ So true that we need an opportunity
to take time off from daily humdrum to revitalize ourselves for the better.
Memorial Day. This is the occasion to remember the sacrifices made
by brave men and women - with lot of
respect and gratitude, for locale the stage for what we are sighted today as
world. I bow and join you in that.
There have been lot of people who
are instrumental in building and shaping success of individual lives of all of
us. Father, mother, brother, sister, uncle, friend, a dear one… so goes the
list. I bow to those living legends also on this day – I can’t express enough
to say by gratitude and how indebted I am to them.
I take the chance of this
instance to remember a dear page from my memory book. This is a true story from my life.
 |
| One Bright Light - in my memorial passage |
It was shortly after I started by
job in Chennai, the largest city in southern India, coming out from the
Graduate School I met this person at the men’s dorm. A usually silent guy lives
in his own world and sings melodies very
late in the night. As music is in my blood too, I started interacting with
him and we started singing together within few days.
He was elder to me by few years
and used to work for an advertising agency in creative department. I was so
excited for having him as friend. It was during that week one of his friends
received a chance to sing for one of A.R.Rahman movie projects – yeah the “Slum
Dog Millionaire” fame Oscar winning Indian music director.
After few months we decided to
rent a more comfortable home and we moved in. Our friends circle became expanded
by now. Evenings and weekends used to be music sessions and talks about music.
We cooked food while singing. We did laundry by singing. Music was all over and
we really loved the ambience.
He was a true gentleman with
honesty and sincerity. I have not met many people in my life who is big-hearted
like him and of selfless nature. He encouraged me always as a young lad who had
difficult situations early on in my new job. He borrowed me money in one occasion which he refused to take back.
Idea of marriage bells became due
for him after few months and his family folks constantly communicate with him
to get him subscribed to the idea. I also suggested and supported the same when
he asked my opinion. He moved in to a new house to have an expanded family life
– which looked potential in weeks.
It was on a Friday he was leaving
to his native town which is an overnight train journey from Chennai. We talked
a lot that day and I dropped him at the train station by feeling so happy for him. He was on his way to meet a girl proposed
by his family as future wife.
The anticipation was in me to
hear good news from him by Monday. I did not hear for two days. Communication
and use of phone was not that regular than as we see these days. The mobile phone was in use. I had a pager
that time which allowed sending messages only locally.
On the 4th day, my
door bell rings and I see a friend from my old dorm who looked literally shaken
and in full of tears. “Prasad is gone
forever”, He cries out loudly.
I asked him in anger and full
disbelief “Are you out of your mind Roy?”
That was one of the saddest
moments of my life. I learned that my dear buddy met with a road accident and
passed - Very difficult learning in hardest way. His funeral was done next day. His family didn’t
have my contacts and there was no way to inform me. They somehow managed to get
the dorm contacts and sent a telegram.
My dear friend is in ashes and I
don’t know about it. This memory always haunts me and there is not even a
single day without thinking about him. It was a true friendship with no selfish interest and will miss him forever.
This is a true story of my memorial
passage written with tears.
It is true that I have traveled
places and met new people in the last 15 plus years. I met nobody like Prasad. I
want to remember and thank him for life from bottom of my heart.
A light is always bright in me for him.
