(...Maxie's sequel to the recap of Day-1)
2012-Reunion: Day-2&3…. Kundapur!
Those who attended our "1st in 50-years Reunion in 2010" may recall, it was the small and diminutive of yesteryears, Subodh Malli (….there a few of us no bigger than him then too), who had volunteered to make arrangements in Kundapur for our second meet. And so, Kundapur was on the cards – though what exactly was in store for us there, was a bit hazy and not clear. At the Mangalore Club lunch on Day-1 Harry gave us some idea of having to share sleeping accommodation for the night-out in Kundapur the next day sharing three to a room. The mood and bonhomie in the group by then was such that everyone, including the ladies, were game for anything – and it was amazing to see how happily all concerned passed the hat around to deposit their own individual share of the prescribed contribution of Rs.3000/- for each.
It so happened in the end, that the highlight of this our 2012-reunion turned out to be this very night-out for the 'group' – not exactly in Kundapur, but on an island off the coast and yet not in the sea. The island was in the middle of a river off Basrur, a little distance from Kundapur, in neighbouring Udipi District a 100kms from Mangalore.
So, early morning on Jan-27 we met at 7:30am at the Fatima Retreat House Jeppoo where majority of those from outstation were housed, and boarded the bus that Harry had arranged for the trip; for our drive to Kundapur.
On the way, at a place called Padubidri we took a detour from the highway on to the Karkala Road – via Adve to visit St Joseph's Old Age Home where we had learnt was one of our classmates, Sylvie Rego, now housed. It was so nice meeting Sylvie after 51 years, and seeing his eyes light up on seeing us all landing there specially to see him.
While at the Old Age Home, some of us decided to meet the other inmates and make them happy too - and in the process, stumbled on to Stanislaus D'Souza my own uncle Sunny (mother's younger brother who decades ago had to leave the Jesuit community because of health reasons). I had last seen him in June 2010 at my Granny's house in Lowlands, Kodiyalbail – and then last December heard vaguely that he had been moved to an Old Age Home some months ago, for better care and attention than was possible for the aged within home environs. I was overwhelmed with emotion on finding my uncle on the premises, went inside the room right away and hugged him. Was amazed to see he had no difficulty in recognizing me and asked me by name, "when did you come from Delhi". The whole scene turned immensely sentimental and emotion filled, when uncle Sunny instantly became universal uncle to all we visitors, some of who unabashedly showered their love and attention on him asking about his welfare and also chatted him up.
After our visit was over, the group asked me to say a few words on behalf of all and hand over to the sisters a little token donation that we had collected by passing the hat around then and there. I thanked the sisters (…joined by Arun too in this act) for the love and care they were showering on their inmates, especially Sylvie our classmate and also my uncle Sunny. I then collected their address and other coordinates, so I could try and see what more I cud contribute towards my uncle's treatment and other welfare there (…which I was able to do two days later when together with my cousins in Mangalore and their families and children I was able to visit the Home again with something more concrete for the nuns in cash and kind).
From the Home for the Aged, we returned back to the highway and reached Kundapur by about 11:30am…. To honour the invitation extended to us by classmate doctor Subodh Malli – now settled in Kundapur with his family (….a respected member of the medical profession – a prominent local family physician). Kundapur was formerly a suburb of Mangalore just 100 kms away, now it's in Udipi district, after the erstwhile South Kanara district was bifurcated and Udipi District had been carved out from it as the new District.
Doctor Subodh Malli (who wasn't there with us on Day-1 of Reunion-2012) met us in town, tragically in not too good a physical condition. Just the previous night he had suffered injury on his left hand and his back, when a drunken driver had knocked him down brutally with his car. Even so Subodh was generous and gracious, he led our bus to the river side from where we were ferried across in a boat to an island (off and around Basrur on the main land) in the middle of the river. The island owned by one of Dr Malli's friends, has been developed as a resort, with modern cottages located amidst cashew and coconut groves, and other green wild life and a bird sanctuary – accessed only by a bamboo pole-driven boat. The boatman had to do two trips to ferry across all our group – and this I must say was not without its own share of fear, fun and intrigue on the part of some of the ladies (especially Stany's wife Shirley) who had their own inhibitions about large water-bodies.
I with most of the ladies was in the first boat trip – and once on the island, spared no time exploring right away the lay out and the facilities available on this resort. Some of us without hesitation raided the cashew trees for the ripe and juicy cashew fruit and dug our teeth into them warning each other even as we ate of the consequences if the squirting juices spilt on to our clothes. There were cottages spread across the island (…one even on stilts over the flowing water with a sit-out deck too) with electricity and running water in taps, with all the modern fittings, furniture and linen one would envisage at a suave tourist facility. For the price we paid for each room, it was evident to me that we had hit the jackpot by any standards. Without hesitation I selected for myself the cottage on stilts above the waters – and was surprised that others for some reason had thought fit to avoid.
Peter Fernandes took a picture of me at this cottage on his blackberry and I promptly shared it on email with my children in UK and USA. This was another thing – I was thrilled to find internet facility too on this island, through the Reliance NetConnect stick I had carried for my little laptop. Thanks to which, I could share more emails and pictures from this very island with family and friends.
After the second boat trip had arrived and all had chosen their respective rooms for the overnight bags we had carried, and the inevitably looked forward to night on the island….. we all assembled for some drinks and a lovely meal of course, at the makeshift gazibo on the island. This, after a good some time spent on island exploration for quaint fauna and flora and also for the birds we were told it was a sanctuary for. Apart from the central gazebo, there were hammocks spawning the stretch between trees – where Arun of course lost no opportunity to gently swing the ladies atop it.
By this time we had christened Narayan the boatman who had ferried us across the river as Captain Narayan. His efficient but very talkative wife Muthu was dubbed the favourite of all; she was found to be the chef and chief manager of the whole resort; and their lovely little 15 year old daughter Radhika was there too helping her out with the cooking in the open kitchen on the resort. Despite her confidence and efficient demeanour, Muthu found cooking for a group like ours quite daunting and intimidating – going by the manner in which we were polishing every dish she managed to put before us. The mackerel curry she had produced for the afternoon lunch was out of this world (I have not polished as many fish-heads in a long time, as I did that day).
The ladies, it appeared, had taken over and were totally in command by now – there was a clamour for toddy, and a little disappointment over its non-availability being already afternoon – but there was a promise of toddy the first thing next morning, so everyone made do with the beer and whiskies that Harry and Subodh had arranged for to raise our spirits. Coming back to the ladies, one wondered whether at all we'll survive the trip with the amount of leg pulling the ladies were up to!
'Am not really privy to what the others did and how they occupied themselves after lunch, having myself adjourned to my log cabin over the waters for my session on the laptop. I assume most must have gone to their own cottages too for a well-earned siesta or done something else that interested them. Till of course there were emissaries landing up to drag me out of my room with a clamour for tea. By the time I joined the rest at the gazebo, I thought the tea hour was well past; and before one knew, the bottles with glasses had made their appearance. The ladies had dreamed up a version of dumb-charades and pitted themselves against the men asking us to perform and enact words like 'circumcision' and 'lesbian' etc – which they were floored when we did! Then they made fools of themselvestotally trying to enact the word 'circumstances' I had chosen for them, and yet guessed the answer right – which evidently was just not possible without cheating! We all concluded Lennie the leader of the women's team was mischievously competent at this feat.
As 'schaknne', Muthu produced the 'Khube-sukhen' that she had promised for our evening drinks, and fried 'kaane'(lady fish). In addition and among other things like 'mogen saar', salads and vegetables, there was chicken fry, boiled red-rice and chapattis too for dinner. While we all hogged like pigs, to ensure he wud not drown his sorrows with drinks alone, somebody made sure there was enough vegetarian fare too for Prabhakar – the only veggie in the group.
Before I crashed out for the night, did hear sounds of some others arriving at the other room in my cottage over the waters, but not until morning of Day-3 when I dragged them out of the room from the deck side to take in the serene and calm river waters did I know that three of them – Leo, Siggie and Lionel, had shared the facility. Remembered that Siggie had stepped in to recce my room but said he preferred the loft in the other room for his yoga exercises in the morning, and had departed. We used the deck-chairs and watched the calmly flowing river and told the rest how deceivingly placid the night waters had appeared, and of the plop plop and plop of the fish jumping on the waters that disturbed my senses even while lulling me into deep slumber. Watching the king-fisher dive for their catch, we heard the peacock call from the opposite beach, and commented on the lack of adequate bird life to really call the island a bird sanctuary. Soon the ladies' raiding party arrived with all their 'oohs' and 'aahs', to inspect what they'd all missed at the cabin over the waters – and ended up taking pictures of the waterfront from over the deck.
Then the inevitable call for breakfast came, and we joined the rest at the gazebo dining facility for our morning cuppa, and a whopping breakfast produced by Muthu – idlis with lots of sambaar and authentic coconut chutney (the likes of which I hadn't tasted for a long time – bringing to mind mummy's well-ground narlachi chutney with green chilli and ginger for the morning pez); deep-fried Mangalore buns which I found to be just a local version of the north-Indian Batura which one has with Chole; and some mildly sweet exotic ksheera. With stomachs quite heavy under our belts we hurriedly bid farewell to the island after another inevitable philanthropic gesture of a tidy sum for Muthu, collected impromptu with the passing of the hat around!.
Boat rides again back to main land – we men breathed a sigh of relief watching the girls had conquered their fear of the water by now – and then by the same bus into Kundapur and to Malli's mansion there; where Norman's taxi was waiting to ferry him and Maisie for a wedding in Koppa up in the ghats. At the house we met Subodh's gracious but shy wife Jayashree – and experienced Arun to the fore once again to discover how small the world really is, with serious discussions with Jayshree over how many mutual connections their two families had and knew! Subodh escorted the ladies into town once again, the load their handbags with the famed Kundapur chicken and fish masalas – and some I spied had bought enough to last at least a thousand days! I owe one to Lennie, who brought a packet of chicken masala for me too to carry back to Delhi.
By which time arrived the much-awaited fresh and frothing toddy with which we all but got drunk; warranting a beeline to the washrooms by one and all before we set our course back to Mangalore. With the queue-ing up that resulted, at a particular point in time one heard one of the ladies even ask loudly "…are there no more bathrooms in the house?" Arun the naughty even remarked that he spied one of the ladies standing cross-legged too.
The trip back to Mangalore seemed all too short – and it was time now for farewells. It was good-bye to the Mangalore crowd anyway on Jan-26 night itself, as most from Mangalore (apart from Harry, Stany and Shirley) had not joined us for Kundapur. Then Peter Fernandes and Claudy Pais who had made the trip to the island, had already left the previous evening without spending the night on the island; and then while we left behind Subodh and Jayashree at their abode, it was good-bye to Norman and Maisie too from Kundapur. On reaching Mangalore around half past one pm, one by one the bus dropped Prabhakar and Arun at their respective stops before reaching the Fatima Retreat House to dislodge the Bangalore gang. I was the next in Falnir, followed by Stany and Shirley and then Harry the last – also in Falnir. All too soon, our fabulous reunion get-together of 2012 had come to an end.
Before I end, a sincere thanks to all – especially Harry, Walter and Subodh – who pitched in their time, energy and effort to make all this happen. Thanks also to all those who made it to the reunion, without whose arrival and participation it really wouldn't have been the fun and frolic filled event it ultimately turned out to be! And my special thanks are reserved of course to all the better-halfs that accompanied their spouses – Victor's wife Rosemary included, without whose presence and leadership we men would all have ended as mere damp squibs…
When is the next reunion, by the way? ….and when really are we meeting again? Soon, I hope!
Maxie
Saturday, 28 January 2012
A recap of SAC-1960: Reunion-2012: Day-2&3
Thursday, 26 January 2012
A recap of SAC-1960 Reunion-2012: Day-1
(.....Maxie's account to classmates who were absent at the 2nd Reunion)
This little account is especially to Raphael, Terrence, Ozzie, Cyril, Denver, Melville, Sylvie etc. -- all those of you who could not make it to the 2012-reunion of our SAC batch of 1960 ….scheduled to meet on Jan-26 (India's Republic Day) for our second rendezvous of batch-mates. It is no less to all others of our group too, who took pains to attend this our 2nd reunion after passing out.
Much as I had timed myself to reach our erstwhile campus by 9am for Fr Walter's mass at our St Aloysius' Chapel, I was a few minutes late thanks to having to turn back midway to pick up my camera which I had forgotten to carry despite all the meticulous planning. (Had I not turned back and ensured my camera's presence, you guys would have been denied the web album of 175 pictures of yesterday, the links to which you must have already received from me some hours ago. I hope you've had an opportunity to view the album by now).
As a consequence of my delayed arrival, this late lateef had the embarrassment of alighting from my car in the presence and full view of quite a good crowd who constituted the lot who had already assembled before me – but what was heartening was the welcome I got with cries of greetings and warm hugs from all …that swelled within me nostalgic emotions of camaraderie and filial bonds of affection that had stood the test of time over half a century and more. It was good to be back in familiar company on the precincts of good old St. Aloysius', our alma mater.
Among the new faces at this 2nd Reunion which were absent at our 2010-reunion were those of Arun Talwar from Cardiff/ UK; Claudius Pais all the way from Vancouver/ Canada; Bopayya with wife Krishna from Mercara/ Coorg …and Rabindranath Kini from Albany/ New York – like Raphael an American citizen, with quite an accent too. Faces from the 1st reunion missing at this meet were those of Victor, Raphael, Redmond and Terrence. Had the pleasure of having in our midst at this meet Harry's wife Cherry, Siggi's wife Hariette, Norman's wife Maisie, and Rex's wife Lennie. Missing face from the ladies at the last meet was that of Radhika – Prabhakar's wife.
No one minded the delay, everyone quite at home to 'go-with-the-flow'. At the commencement of mass, Fr Walter formally greeted all and thanked The Almighty for making it possible for those present to have made it. While remembering also those who could not, he especially remembered all those from our batch The Lord had already summoned for their just reward in the nether world: Victor Currie, Wilber Fernandes, Orlando Fernandes, Jagadish Uchil, Canute Machado, Archibald Pereira, Melville Pinto, Prakash Eipe, Lancelot Rodrigues, Rudolf Velu, Loy Saldanha, Subraya Shenoy B., John Unger, Yeshwant Karnad, Winston Farias, Bonaventure Martis (…it was a bit disturbing to note how long the list was of the dear departed from amidst us!).
The first Reading was done by Rosemary, wife of Victor – the latest addition to the list of the 'departed' between the last reunion and this. And the singing was ably led by Hector's wife Elvira and Siggi's wife Hariette. With Fr Walter's Homily et al it was indeed a touching service – there was a wonderful feeling of one-ness, of a family togetherness, with no barriers or differences of creed and religion, class or status. For this, I can't but help thank each and every one present for their participation and tolerance. Why can't the whole of India be like our little group of classmates!
Lots of photographs after mass – of the group together on the altar steps against the backdrop of the stunning chapel with its paintings; and plenty more outside the chapel too. Everyone signed the visitor's book presented to us by the church-guide, a new introduction perhaps after the St Aloysius' Chapel has been declared a national heritage monument.
The next assembly for the group was for a cup of coffee at the Woodlands in Candle Gardens below Jyoti Talkies. Lots of bonhomie there too. The St Aloysius College bus (…courtesy Fr Walter) that ferried us from the chapel to Woodlands, then took us on a joyride across the city from Padav hills to Mangaladevi, and finally to Mangalore Club… where the grand reunion lunch had been arranged by the organizing team led by Harry. At the Club, first the savouring of the stunning views of the Netravati from the Club terrace, and of the railway bridge – even the Railways obliged us by sending a train for us to view on the bridge. Lots of photographs and catching up; which continued even when we adjourned to the dining hall two floors below. Born leaders Arun and Prabhakar then took over – with not a little help from some of the gracious ladies too – to organize games and competitions with forfeits that showcased quite the quantum of talent within our unique family! Like did you know Trilochan Bailur is a guitarist and an uninhibited lovely baritone? Like who could imagine Bopayya coming out with the shortest joke ever.. with his "Boy scouts, girl guides" Brilliant… ! And then, singing competitions between two teams, one led by Rose Currie and the other by Elvira Noronha. It was a fun session, and I must repeat, lots and lots of camaraderie too. That the Bar helped in bringing out the talent in some, is just a whispered and mild aside. And at Fr Walter's behest, there were short speeches too – even at which, of course, there were still some who managed to keep their lips sealed tight. Wise guys… ! …or spoil-sports?
Most of us then adjourned to our respective lodging stations (….majority from outstation, especially the Bangalore group, were housed at the Fatima Retreat House – courtesy Hector's brother Fr Ronnie Prabhu) for a well-earned late afternoon siesta. Which regretfully I had to deny myself because of my rather stupid sense of duty towards the 'group' and especially the absentee guys, for sharing with all the pictures and all the fun and frolic that we were up to at this reunion! So spent the available time transferring from my camera all the snaps to my laptop, then editing and captioning them and uploading them to my web albums on picasa – and sharing with all, the url and links to this web album.
All this, before we met again for dinner at Harry & Cherry's penthouse at 804 Symphony on Sturrock Road. At the end of which we were all unanimous in our conclusion that the ladies put the men totally to shame. The absentee guys really missed something – it was such a fun party. With Leo and Siggie valiantly practicing their long forgotten vamping chords on the piano, the ladies saved the day leading in all the party songs including Konkani bailas… and then literally burning the floor with their feet and enthusiastic dancing – thanks to Harry & Cherry's son Samir coming to the rescue with some fantastic foot-tapping and romantic oldies music on his sophisticated Bose contraption. (Harry and Samir, please do not forget the request from some for copies on CD of these great medleys that Samir treated us to!) That drinks were flowing and Cherry had a spread that beat hollow the afternoon Club fare, is quite an understatement. I repeat, ….the ones absent, missed it all.
Talking about absentee guys, the illusive doctor Bailur who graced us with his presence at the afternoon lunch was missing at the 'Symphony' dinner - perhaps saturated already with his once childhood lot and their now re-lived ideosynchracies. Subraya and Kini were other missing faces too from the morning/ afternoon lot. In their place, we were happy to have the company - though very very short-lived - our once funny-guy Pfoka aka Francis Mascarenhas. One got the impression he is either intimidated by human company in numbers that he cannot cope with, or is totally paranoia driven over injuries he suffered some decades ago (...or so he told me)! He left without even having dinner.
Despite the fact that we all were scheduled to marshal up for the bus pick up for our Kundapur trip early next morning, the party at Harry/Cherry's did not wind up till late, with even the early sticklers starting to make their exit not before 10:30pm. On the looked-forward-to agenda for the next day was a visit to co-batchmate Sylvie Rego at an old age facility near Padubidri followed by a full day with a night halt and more at Kundapur. In addition to Harry and Subodh Malli who else is involved in organizing all this is still a bit hazy to me… but then, that doesn't appear very important to me at this moment…
Till my next, ...….Maxie
(PS: the above is just my little summing up of the Day-1 activities – I am sure there'll be others who'll write more, with better comprehension and narratives of their own… )
This little account is especially to Raphael, Terrence, Ozzie, Cyril, Denver, Melville, Sylvie etc. -- all those of you who could not make it to the 2012-reunion of our SAC batch of 1960 ….scheduled to meet on Jan-26 (India's Republic Day) for our second rendezvous of batch-mates. It is no less to all others of our group too, who took pains to attend this our 2nd reunion after passing out.
Much as I had timed myself to reach our erstwhile campus by 9am for Fr Walter's mass at our St Aloysius' Chapel, I was a few minutes late thanks to having to turn back midway to pick up my camera which I had forgotten to carry despite all the meticulous planning. (Had I not turned back and ensured my camera's presence, you guys would have been denied the web album of 175 pictures of yesterday, the links to which you must have already received from me some hours ago. I hope you've had an opportunity to view the album by now).
As a consequence of my delayed arrival, this late lateef had the embarrassment of alighting from my car in the presence and full view of quite a good crowd who constituted the lot who had already assembled before me – but what was heartening was the welcome I got with cries of greetings and warm hugs from all …that swelled within me nostalgic emotions of camaraderie and filial bonds of affection that had stood the test of time over half a century and more. It was good to be back in familiar company on the precincts of good old St. Aloysius', our alma mater.
Among the new faces at this 2nd Reunion which were absent at our 2010-reunion were those of Arun Talwar from Cardiff/ UK; Claudius Pais all the way from Vancouver/ Canada; Bopayya with wife Krishna from Mercara/ Coorg …and Rabindranath Kini from Albany/ New York – like Raphael an American citizen, with quite an accent too. Faces from the 1st reunion missing at this meet were those of Victor, Raphael, Redmond and Terrence. Had the pleasure of having in our midst at this meet Harry's wife Cherry, Siggi's wife Hariette, Norman's wife Maisie, and Rex's wife Lennie. Missing face from the ladies at the last meet was that of Radhika – Prabhakar's wife.
No one minded the delay, everyone quite at home to 'go-with-the-flow'. At the commencement of mass, Fr Walter formally greeted all and thanked The Almighty for making it possible for those present to have made it. While remembering also those who could not, he especially remembered all those from our batch The Lord had already summoned for their just reward in the nether world: Victor Currie, Wilber Fernandes, Orlando Fernandes, Jagadish Uchil, Canute Machado, Archibald Pereira, Melville Pinto, Prakash Eipe, Lancelot Rodrigues, Rudolf Velu, Loy Saldanha, Subraya Shenoy B., John Unger, Yeshwant Karnad, Winston Farias, Bonaventure Martis (…it was a bit disturbing to note how long the list was of the dear departed from amidst us!).
The first Reading was done by Rosemary, wife of Victor – the latest addition to the list of the 'departed' between the last reunion and this. And the singing was ably led by Hector's wife Elvira and Siggi's wife Hariette. With Fr Walter's Homily et al it was indeed a touching service – there was a wonderful feeling of one-ness, of a family togetherness, with no barriers or differences of creed and religion, class or status. For this, I can't but help thank each and every one present for their participation and tolerance. Why can't the whole of India be like our little group of classmates!
Lots of photographs after mass – of the group together on the altar steps against the backdrop of the stunning chapel with its paintings; and plenty more outside the chapel too. Everyone signed the visitor's book presented to us by the church-guide, a new introduction perhaps after the St Aloysius' Chapel has been declared a national heritage monument.
The next assembly for the group was for a cup of coffee at the Woodlands in Candle Gardens below Jyoti Talkies. Lots of bonhomie there too. The St Aloysius College bus (…courtesy Fr Walter) that ferried us from the chapel to Woodlands, then took us on a joyride across the city from Padav hills to Mangaladevi, and finally to Mangalore Club… where the grand reunion lunch had been arranged by the organizing team led by Harry. At the Club, first the savouring of the stunning views of the Netravati from the Club terrace, and of the railway bridge – even the Railways obliged us by sending a train for us to view on the bridge. Lots of photographs and catching up; which continued even when we adjourned to the dining hall two floors below. Born leaders Arun and Prabhakar then took over – with not a little help from some of the gracious ladies too – to organize games and competitions with forfeits that showcased quite the quantum of talent within our unique family! Like did you know Trilochan Bailur is a guitarist and an uninhibited lovely baritone? Like who could imagine Bopayya coming out with the shortest joke ever.. with his "Boy scouts, girl guides" Brilliant… ! And then, singing competitions between two teams, one led by Rose Currie and the other by Elvira Noronha. It was a fun session, and I must repeat, lots and lots of camaraderie too. That the Bar helped in bringing out the talent in some, is just a whispered and mild aside. And at Fr Walter's behest, there were short speeches too – even at which, of course, there were still some who managed to keep their lips sealed tight. Wise guys… ! …or spoil-sports?
Most of us then adjourned to our respective lodging stations (….majority from outstation, especially the Bangalore group, were housed at the Fatima Retreat House – courtesy Hector's brother Fr Ronnie Prabhu) for a well-earned late afternoon siesta. Which regretfully I had to deny myself because of my rather stupid sense of duty towards the 'group' and especially the absentee guys, for sharing with all the pictures and all the fun and frolic that we were up to at this reunion! So spent the available time transferring from my camera all the snaps to my laptop, then editing and captioning them and uploading them to my web albums on picasa – and sharing with all, the url and links to this web album.
All this, before we met again for dinner at Harry & Cherry's penthouse at 804 Symphony on Sturrock Road. At the end of which we were all unanimous in our conclusion that the ladies put the men totally to shame. The absentee guys really missed something – it was such a fun party. With Leo and Siggie valiantly practicing their long forgotten vamping chords on the piano, the ladies saved the day leading in all the party songs including Konkani bailas… and then literally burning the floor with their feet and enthusiastic dancing – thanks to Harry & Cherry's son Samir coming to the rescue with some fantastic foot-tapping and romantic oldies music on his sophisticated Bose contraption. (Harry and Samir, please do not forget the request from some for copies on CD of these great medleys that Samir treated us to!) That drinks were flowing and Cherry had a spread that beat hollow the afternoon Club fare, is quite an understatement. I repeat, ….the ones absent, missed it all.
Talking about absentee guys, the illusive doctor Bailur who graced us with his presence at the afternoon lunch was missing at the 'Symphony' dinner - perhaps saturated already with his once childhood lot and their now re-lived ideosynchracies. Subraya and Kini were other missing faces too from the morning/ afternoon lot. In their place, we were happy to have the company - though very very short-lived - our once funny-guy Pfoka aka Francis Mascarenhas. One got the impression he is either intimidated by human company in numbers that he cannot cope with, or is totally paranoia driven over injuries he suffered some decades ago (...or so he told me)! He left without even having dinner.
Despite the fact that we all were scheduled to marshal up for the bus pick up for our Kundapur trip early next morning, the party at Harry/Cherry's did not wind up till late, with even the early sticklers starting to make their exit not before 10:30pm. On the looked-forward-to agenda for the next day was a visit to co-batchmate Sylvie Rego at an old age facility near Padubidri followed by a full day with a night halt and more at Kundapur. In addition to Harry and Subodh Malli who else is involved in organizing all this is still a bit hazy to me… but then, that doesn't appear very important to me at this moment…
Till my next, ...….Maxie
(PS: the above is just my little summing up of the Day-1 activities – I am sure there'll be others who'll write more, with better comprehension and narratives of their own… )
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