Today I woke up with a message that a dear friend who had not been keeping well is no more. He had lost his battle with ‘The Big C’

I had met him much late in life, in 2020 and we had only met twice in person. Both times we had spend over 3 hours chatting. But we had connected on a range of things about life, politics, society, books, movies, philosophy and more.

The first time we met was during my trip to Bangalore and I was on my usual bookshop pilgrimage and I asked if we should meet at some bookstall to which he said “Perfect, where else can two people who have never met meet for the first time”. We met at blossoms and I also bought some books he had recommended and then we had a late lunch and spend chatting into the night.

After that we had been in constant touch on social media and spoke on phone every time I was in India. He never used WhatsApp.

Last year we met the second and last time. Not just us, he had also invited a few other friends of his and we all discussed politics and the social contracts between us humans and how we all break it and mend it and live with it.

I spoke to him when I was in India during May. He had shared the diagnosis. Yet I did not meet him, I could have but I did not and today I feel bad about it. You never think it will be the last time. These are reminders for us to know that the present is all we have to do what we got to do and say what we got to say.

My Bangalore trips will never be the same and will have this vacuum. Since we did not meet every single time I went to Bangalore, I will try to deliberately fool myself thinking he is still there at his home and I just did not get time to call or meet him.

Adieu Friend !

Today when a common friend who he had introduced me during our second and last in person meeting, messaged me with the news I replied…

“He will continue to be in our memories. he will be present whenever we both chat because he was the one who introduced us. I guess that is how we all leave our mark in this world… through the people we have connected and woven into our life”

He wanted his body to be donated for medical research and be physically useful one last time before he signs off… there will no cremation but the memories will live on.

There is a lot in life where your memory will come to me !
We will all miss you !