A lot of times, for various reasons , I keep putting off doing certain things, for a later date/day. I have come to realise, this more often than not happens , when there is going to be some amount of interaction with another person. Known or unkonwn. Visiting or even something as simple as making that call... I keep putting it off... for another day. But does that day ever arrive? Sometimes it could just be too late.
He was my boss. The Manager, Admin. In an organization, where several values were upheld. Managers and the managed, ate at the same table. The cubicle culture existed as against the cabin culture. There was a family feeling inculcated right at the induction stage. They carried it a bit further by preferring to employ immediate kin of the employees as against a similarly qualified 'outsider'.
So there I was , one fine day , on the roster of the company. My Department Head, the Admin Manager, was a gentle looking soul , with the most endearing smile playing on his salt and pepper moustache. More salt actually. Mr. D. Yes! That's what we called him. He could easily be in his 50's. Closer to my father's age. I was 21 then.
In the 18 months that we worked together, after a few hiccups, we got along quite well. As a person he was very pleasant. Affable too. As a manager, he was not very generous . But not an unreasonable nitpicker either. 'Whoa, Whoa !' these words resound in my ears even now. He had reminded me of Santa Claus, then.
He was a social person. An organizer. In the office and in his personal circle too. He had a way with words and was often seen playing the Master of Ceremonies at his local club and in community events.
After about a year and a half, I moved to a different office. But whenever our paths crossed, we met with a lot of warmth. He retired soon after.
And within the next 2 years, I quit the company too.
I kept in touch with my friends and colleagues over the phone . Once, for some reason, I felt like reconnecting with this gentleman. This was sometime in September 2000. His birthday was round the corner. And I called him up. It was quite a sentimental conversation we had. We spoke to each other very fondly. Enquiring about the spouses, the children. His wife spoke too. And this became a practise. For the next 4 or 5 yrs. That call , on his birthday. Once they even surprised me, by calling me up on my birthday.
Somewhere soon enough, other things took priority and I forgot to wish him on his special day. The next year , I remembered , but did not call. And then I never remembered to make that call.
A couple of years later. through my ex- colleagues, I got to know that he had suffered a heart attack. Then again , I heard that he had a clot in his brain. He had a problem with his vision. Yet , there was something, I still do not know what , that kept me from contacting his family and him.
With the PC boom and the magic of Google, I have searched for news about him on the net. About the activities he organized. Alumni....but to no avail
Yesterday after many many years, I remembered him again. And google searched him. And I found him. A mention of his name, his children's names too.
Excited and mentally making a note of visiting him, I clicked on that link. And there it was . A notice. Announcing a Mass . On the 23rd of December 2011. In fond memory of.........
Yes.. that is what he is now . That is what he will remain now....... a fond memory!
He was my boss. The Manager, Admin. In an organization, where several values were upheld. Managers and the managed, ate at the same table. The cubicle culture existed as against the cabin culture. There was a family feeling inculcated right at the induction stage. They carried it a bit further by preferring to employ immediate kin of the employees as against a similarly qualified 'outsider'.
So there I was , one fine day , on the roster of the company. My Department Head, the Admin Manager, was a gentle looking soul , with the most endearing smile playing on his salt and pepper moustache. More salt actually. Mr. D. Yes! That's what we called him. He could easily be in his 50's. Closer to my father's age. I was 21 then.
In the 18 months that we worked together, after a few hiccups, we got along quite well. As a person he was very pleasant. Affable too. As a manager, he was not very generous . But not an unreasonable nitpicker either. 'Whoa, Whoa !' these words resound in my ears even now. He had reminded me of Santa Claus, then.
He was a social person. An organizer. In the office and in his personal circle too. He had a way with words and was often seen playing the Master of Ceremonies at his local club and in community events.
After about a year and a half, I moved to a different office. But whenever our paths crossed, we met with a lot of warmth. He retired soon after.
And within the next 2 years, I quit the company too.
I kept in touch with my friends and colleagues over the phone . Once, for some reason, I felt like reconnecting with this gentleman. This was sometime in September 2000. His birthday was round the corner. And I called him up. It was quite a sentimental conversation we had. We spoke to each other very fondly. Enquiring about the spouses, the children. His wife spoke too. And this became a practise. For the next 4 or 5 yrs. That call , on his birthday. Once they even surprised me, by calling me up on my birthday.
Somewhere soon enough, other things took priority and I forgot to wish him on his special day. The next year , I remembered , but did not call. And then I never remembered to make that call.
A couple of years later. through my ex- colleagues, I got to know that he had suffered a heart attack. Then again , I heard that he had a clot in his brain. He had a problem with his vision. Yet , there was something, I still do not know what , that kept me from contacting his family and him.
With the PC boom and the magic of Google, I have searched for news about him on the net. About the activities he organized. Alumni....but to no avail
Yesterday after many many years, I remembered him again. And google searched him. And I found him. A mention of his name, his children's names too.
Excited and mentally making a note of visiting him, I clicked on that link. And there it was . A notice. Announcing a Mass . On the 23rd of December 2011. In fond memory of.........
Yes.. that is what he is now . That is what he will remain now....... a fond memory!
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