Never ‘ not be friends’

Back in Bangalore, after a month’s stay in Himachal Pradesh. Never mind the fun side of the stay, the news of my friend Itty’s departure blots them, his funeral was today in the morning and  I reach Bangalore in the afternoon.
There is always a debate in my mind on such occasions, the visit to see the lifeless body before a cremation or burial for the last time. For me, I would like to be there if I have a role to assist in the completion process, which is generally done by the family, close relatives and near by friends around. My role becomes being a part of the crowd at the final farewell and I make it, if in town. Thereafter the unpleasant face seen the last time is what lingers in the mind. I would prefer to visit the family members, later when they are left alone after others go back to their life.

Right now, I recall Alex (his name ia Alex Itty), our interactions, his pleasant energetic face comes to mind.
We came from different department, he from structural and I from Electrical and became colleagues and friends  in the Systems department ( those days it was recognised as computer division). Our works overlapped many a time and we would assist each other in whatever way it was necessary. His enthusiasm and energy used to put springs on my lazy feet.

One day he tells me, Mr Achari wants to automate his structural drawings by feeding a few parameters , which Itty could have  done but he suggested my name. It will be a good learning and experience for me, he said. That was huge step from his side to benefit me.
I am coming  to how one thing lead to other and became a life changer, later.

I started working with Achari we could convert his designs to structural fabrication drawings with the help of Autolisp programming in Autocad. This togetherness created a good bonding between Mr Achari, a very senior engineer and a kid, me.

Later I moved out of the company and went to Dubai to join a government sponsored TV broadcasting company.  My bad luck ( hindsight good luck), few hurdles and it did not take off and I was left to fend for myself by providing training courses, in windows and Autocad ( they were all new at that point of time).

I knocked around for 2 years and  decided to return mainly for the reason that I could not get a family visa ( again all for the good).
Interestingly Itty was also in Dubai working in a company and we kept in touch.

Back in India, I was looking for a job, my friend Ramachandran went out of his way and helped me get one in Ashok leyland’s IT division, though the area was new for me. I had the appointment letter and was about to join in a weeks time.
Out of the blue a call comes from Achari, we were not in touch, a friend Mr Radhakrishnan from a software company asked him whether he can help him find an Electrical Engineer with Autocad knowledge and he gave my name.
I told him I am joining ALIT, when he said you can join but meet Mr Radhakrishnan once. That meeting and the job description excited me, where I could see a future where I can contribute with my knowledge.
I took up the new job and went places though my relation with Ramachandran strained, whose out of the way assistance made him lose his face with his bosses ( of course time has healed and we continue to be the best of friends now) .
All the learnings and relationships of the initial days finally blossomed into a very happy and fruitful career.

Itty is among the one who is at the other end of the rope of my happy life. Thank you, friend, your life enriched many  others.

During my visit to Mandi, in himachal pradesh, my granddaughter, Anvita and  her friend Gautham has this to say, I quote ” we can never ‘ not  be friends’,  we are already so good friends.