It was a friday night and I had a date with a Jesuit Priest and an Officer in the NZPD... Not too strange to stumble upon this New Zealand Cop on city streets in Bombay if you know his schedule nor to go knocking on the door of this People friendly priest with not so people friendly neighbours in the recesses beyond Holy Family Church in Andheri. It wasn't too late and the plan was set two days earlier amidst cluttered desks and people in pain. Our calendars were marked and inspite of no contact over the next 2-3 days we were on course with our destiny.
October 3rd 2014 I set off from home towards Andheri,detoured into the church for some prayerful solitude before venturing out once more uphill towards the living quarters of the priests. Outside the door stood this lanky figure clad in TShirt and Shorts and a knapsack on his back. Even in Civvies you'd give no lip to this gent if he were to accost you in a lonely alley. A quick telephone call and the Priest pops out of his lair to open the door to what could pass of for barracks in an old school hall. We walked quietly past closed doors and Bookshelves against the walls till we came to his den and only once we were in did we exchange pleasantaries and greetings
Meeting after ages we've known each other for over 15 years at least if not more. I met Fr. Robin on many occasions in Bombay but I really got to know him in Khandala where he conducted family camps for catholics and their friends. At once such camp I met the Gore Family, not Al Gore but Mash Gore and little did I know that that interaction would lead to me bagging my first job after I had graduated. Not like I didn't do odd jobs to pay for my indulgences during college but I didn't really have to then. Fresh Out of college and unwilling to yet take on the yoke of the corporate world and be bound to the shackles of the Nine to Five syndrome I was happily holidaying at the Camp, regaling the folk with twisted tales about Mountain legends that lived on in the Graveyards beyond Kune and sightings of wild beast and strange lights in the night. Work I had to do but it was all fun: Leading a bunch out on a early morning trek uphill or into a ravine. Planning games and entertainment for the afternoon and evening, Rationing out meals at the dining halls and managing flow of human traffic to the various spots in and around camp within the timetable that was set. I was all over the place doing all kinds of everything and answered only to Fr. Robin. Ash asked me if I would work with them- I declined, Mash later on asked me if I'd help them with the work they did to which I obliged and thats how it all started!
Thats exactly how I got my first break,No interview, no resume made, no knocking on doors, no asking for favours. While I was away on vacation I get a job offer! I worked with the Gores doing some stuff that seemed mundane clerical stuff initially until it evolved into something amazing- The McDonalds Spotlight! We launched a showcase of Talent, an inter school performing arts competition at The Spastic Society of India hall in Bandra Reclammation where students of more than 20 schools across Mumbai and Pune took part in Elocution, Essays, Poetry, Drama and Dance. It was fantastic! I couldn't believe what we just created out of all the leg work, the mailing, sorting, cold calling and outreach to this one big day, a mega event where we were just a team of 3 doing too much. Six months had gone by since I took up that job on a 1000 rupee stipend. As I prepared to ask for a raise Mash told me they were migrating to New Zealand where the grass was greener and the Mountains Taller and the Life was perhaps better. I was left to do what I could with the business they worked hard to set up and Platform Communications wound down into a mere M.L.D. Promotions. No MBA and no business sense, I trode on eggshells trying to make a living over the next 2 year planning and coordinating events in schools across Bombay and Pune for the Golden Arches. The money was good and the people were fine but in 2003 I cashed in my chips traded the Burgers and Hash Browns for a bunch of fun nights at the Call Center.
Today in 2014 we 3 Khandala Boys, one older than the other settled down to warm familiar conversation as we awaited our order from Sai Palace next door. We opened up some fruit juices and fizzy drinks while we spoke about people, time and places we knew. Technology helps you stay in touch without really connecting. Sitting face to face, taking in each others company, the paralanguage and non verbal communication syncing in unlike the emotionless emoticon or display pic we're accustomed to on the 'social' network. the delivery boy came in 30 minutes later, we were hungry and the smell of Butter Chicken filled the room as we set up our tiny dining table in the cramped room. Fr. Robin went about his 'circumcision' routine with his Scissors snip snip snipping away at the cello tape strips that held the plastic lids in place, then the packets of Spring Onion and slices of lemon. I made him open a packet of pickle for good measure and then unfoiled a stack of Rumali Rotis you could actually open up and blow your nose in if you had a mind to. This particular combination is our staple diet in these parts unless we feel in the mood for some Chinese and Sai Palace I must say has the best Butter Chicken I've tasted in this town so far.
Conversation stopped for the next 30 minutes except when we had to say hello to Bindu who dropped in and as we passed her a plate so she could join in the feast we got back to the quickly dwindling task at hand. Dinner was soon done and we moved on to dessert. Bindu surprised us with Rasgullas from Rambharosay Dairy and Sweets next door that disappeared in no time at all. I prodded Fr. Robin to open up the box of New Zealand Chocolate he just got which he whelmently denied having received. Then reluctantly he extracted an open box of Belgian Chocolate (I guess he knew that I would leave his room until I had my fill of chocolate) So we spent more time as the others watched me eat more chocolate. Then leaving the good priest to retire in his chamber we made our exit and went along our way... each in a different direction recharged and ready for what ever it was that life has to offer.
