Never a dull moment

  Edgar -the good soul On Christmas day, I called up some school classmates and wished them. Then an idea struck me. One of school classmates is running an old age home for destitute. I thought day of Christmas would be the right day to make my maiden token contribution to Edgar's old age home. I got the bank details and set up online bank connect by evening. Almighty and I have been strangers to each other for most part. He let this one slip and I forgot. I scrambled and completed the transaction yesterday. Edgar has no Whatsapp. I decided to call him and substitute him to Almighty to earn a token of appreciation. When I conveyed my insignificant act, I could hear Edgar choking and there was pregnant silence. I asked, "Are you crying? Isn't it period of celebration?" Edgar recovered and said, " I am happy - I have good friends" I wound up the call wishing him long and healthy life. Edgar is indeed a good soul.

Can't I speak in Malayalam? I bumped into our post graduation batchmate Monojit Mukherjee in Kolkata airport in March 2015. We found ourselves in same security hold area. We were going to different destinations with my flight departing much later. We sought the help of a much younger passenger to click our photo. Monojit left and I introduced myself to the young passenger -  Amit Dubey , chemical engineer working for Haldia Petrochemical. I sat next to him. I got a phone  call from home and I got up moved to closer to glass wall facing the tarmac. After the call, I heard somebody saying something Malayalam addressed to me. I turned around and looked around. No familiar faces. Amit was sitting with straight face. I asked Amit whether he said something in Malayalam to me. His response? Can't I speak in Malayalam. I told him he was welcome to converse in Malayalam. He had spent his schooling life in Kottayam in Hindustan Newsprint Colony- his dad was working in Hindu...