Was walking down a crowded road all alone with my head slightly stooped forward. Everything around appeared so black and white with may be some shades of gray. Hardly noted the others on the road, making their journey. May be too engrossed in my own thoughts. But suddenly noted one of my good old friend, Dr. Tapas Mitra (by now should be a professor), walking only a few steps ahead of me. Was extremely delighted to see him after so many years (around 20 years), walking down the road in his own good old way, as if to maintain a balance. My delight new no bounds, and therefore called out loud: আরে, তাপস না ! [Isnt that our good old Tapas?] He could hear me, and turned around. And with the good old smile replied: আরে একি দৃশ্য ! আমি ঠিক দেখছি তো? হাঁ, আমিই তাপস। এতদিন কোথায় ছিলি? [What a scene! Am I seeing what I am seeing? Yes, I am Tapas. Where were you these days?] Thus our conversation started. But still things appeared grayish. We walked side by side, exchanging views and news. Answered his question through our favourite Camus lines: Dont walk behind me; I may not lead. Dont walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend [comrade]. The conversation was going on the old usual and happy way. But suddenly something somewhere interrupted the conversation. And soon found myself lying on my bed in the dark at night. :D Noted that it was around 4 am in the morning with the darkness struggling to maintain its form – usually too early for me to go out of bed. And I smiled, smiled to have a dream of him. So I lay on bed awake and fond memory brought the light of other days around me. Recollected those days during the Masters when we used to interact a lot on various issues of Physics, Mathematics, Politics, Economics and even Literature. Recollected how he used to raise troublesome question for the profs, and how the other students used to react. We two were the obvious abnormal people in the department. Recollected his style of laughter – used to breath heavily between the laughter. Recollected the time we last met at SN Bose Centre for Basic Sciences probably sometime in 1994/95. The sky soon got clearer and I got out of bed. Brought out the copy of the Third Volume of Feynman Lectures that he had gifted me a day before I was leaving for JNU in mid-1992. Turned the cover page and still his hand written lines: ক্যালকুলাস কে তাপস [To Calculus from Tapas] are clearly visible despite his fantastic hand writing. I was popularly nicknamed Prof. Calculus those days. He must know that I still remember him. Dream to really meet him soon.
Posted on: Sun, 03 Nov 2013 17:22:01 +0000
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