Lest I forget

Holy Child School, Guwahati, Assam (circa 1980)

This is not about the war heroes or martyrs but is as important in each and everyone's lives. This is about people who have been around for most for the time in life which were passed  on to be your classmate, roommate, colleague, friend, acquaintance tailor, barber, doctor, waiter....just about everyone else other than  family. 

Everyone and every forward on whasapp/facebook tells me that family comes first and the rest is gravy. In good time, I realised that the gravy's just as important. As someone said 'there are no ordinary moments', there surely are no ordinary people. It because of those people in your lives which has contributed to make you what you are. How you react and don't react to many things and altered behaviour, inherent or acquired, comes partly out of that. 
Ok. So whats the point? You see, in school, the classmate that you're next to in the B&W school photograph was probably the most important reason that you would be in that particular place/section. You would do anything to be with the same person in the same class for the next year. A similarity can be drawn to the tailor you go to, the resturant you go to, the barber, the doctor. So, the sum total of all the said interactions have evolved you into what you are today. That's non reversible. And that, my friend, is the prime reason that you can't make NEW lifelong friends.
Heres a list of a few people that come to my mind. [You can add yours in the comments]. Mr. Surendra for slogging till 3 AM during grade ten school exams. Mr. Rajesh Sharma for teaching me to play hockey in school. Ms. Charu for attempting to get the photo and Mr Tomar, history teacher for letting me go. The lady in the parrot green dress during admissions in eleventh grade at school. Mr Sudipto Modak for all the help.The warden in Hostel no 3. Mr. Vijay Thakur, roommate in college. Mr Singh, the doctor at PGI, Chandigarh one night during college. Mr. Jignesh Jethwa for introducing me to computer games and Shri Nilesh Fuke to the internet. Shri Kishan (my dads army driver) for teaching me to drive. Beautiful women who made my heart flutter (and hence stronger). The person at Dadar railway station who guided me to my train. Mr. Satish Kamath for teaching me finance. 
Many of the people I mentioned above ( and others whom I've met during the journey called life) made an lasting impression and turned me into what I am today. They are and always will remain, part of my lifelong memories. I mention them here....lest I forget.