A day I'll never forget - Part 1

What a truly unforgettable day Feb 8'th turned out to be. It was also this day 10 years ago that I stepped into the now defunct East-West Airways flight enroute to my first trip outside India, to Singapore. The circuitous trip would take me to Bombay's domestic airport and then from Bombay's International Airport to Singapore via Bangkok. Why that long roundabout trip instead of a direct flight is another story. I hardly could have guessed then what I would be doing 10 years later.

Exactly on the same day 10 years later, I am on the Mysore-Kaveri express train heading for Bangalore from Chennai for three important reasons. First, to meet an old friend after a decade. In fact I was with Binny for a month when he started his software career in Bangalore in 1996. I was working for another software company, also in Bangalore. Hardly three months later I was off to Singapore. Though I was in touch with him till 1997 contacts with Binny ceased. It was just a few months ago while searching in an old diary that I located his Kerala address and phone number which fortunately had not been changed. I tracked him down with that information and boy did I surprise him. We have been in touch ever since. He had changed three jobs, have got married and also had a son. I was only eager to see him and his folks but had no idea how he would look after all those years.

The second and most important reason, to meet my most respected and admired school principal after a period of 20 years. What a shame that I visited the only school I went to only once after leaving school, and that too the very next year of leaving to write an examination. I have met teachers and classmates on and off outside school but I wonder why was I an introvert in going to school and seeing my teachers or friends whom I respected and loved so much.

And finally the third reason. Going to watch Uriah Heep about whom I had written so much in my previous posts. They were playing in India (Bangalore/Chennai) after 23 years. My friend Binny was a big fan and it was he who had given me a "Best of Uriah Heep" cassette, during our first time together at Chennai.

To be continued...