On the 12th of April, I got a message through my contact form in this blog from a total stranger who had reached my blog via a search engine, that simply said this:
“From: Vinod Desai
Subject: Social
Message Body:
Me ( 62 ) and my wife Vaishali will be moving to Kalyani Nagar shortly ( from Mumbai).
I keep excellent health and I have taken up some assignment.
May be we can meet when we will be in Pune.
With Kind Regards
Vinod Desai”
Mobile Phone: XXXXXXXXXXX
Immediately on receipt of the message, I rang up Mr. Desai and found that he was planning to settle down very close to where I live. I informed him that I was very pleased to get his message and that I looked forward to meeting him on his shifting to Pune. I followed up that with this email:
“Dear Mr. Desai,
I thank you for taking the trouble to contact me via my blog. My blog is my
formula to keep sane and I hope that you will read many of my old posts as
well as what I post every day to get to know something about me before you
move to Kalyani Nagar.
I have been a resident of Kalyani Nagar since December 1990 and have seen
many events happen here as well as in my home. I live now with my 94 year old
father and 40 year old son, all single, in a Bachelors’ Home as it were.
My address is:
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Land line phone: XXXXXXXX
You already have my mobile number with you.
I look forward to making your acquaintance when you move into our locality.
In the meanwhile, if there is anything that I can do for you here, please do
not hesitate to ask.
With regards,
RAMANA RAJGOPAUL
On the 14th of June, Mr. Desai sent me this mail:
“Dear Mr.Rajgopaul
We shifted couple of weeks ago and trying to settle down after finishing some of the basic things. May be we can meet during course of this week as per your convenience.
With Warm Regards
Vinod Desai.”
I rang Mr. Desai up on the 15th inst. and we decided to meet on the 16th inst. He landed up at our home in the morning after his walk and stayed for coffee and a nice long chat which got us to know each other quite a bit. We have a lot in common and the foundation for a strong friendship has been laid. As I write this, we are on first name basis with each other and he has threatened to ask me over to their place next week after his wife finishes the decorating that she is in the midst of.
He goes for his walks to the same park that I go to for my walks in the evenings, but in the mornings. We are planning to meet at the park so that he can meet my other friends who only visit the park in the evenings. And this is what he looks like:
He is not a blogger, but that can be remedied in due course of time.
Viva the blog world.