Walking Companion

I have developed a good habit. I go for morning walks at-least for six days in a

week. I walk for forty minutes from 6.45 a.m.

During these walks, I got to know a gentleman who must have been three years
older than me. We used to exchange pleasantries and normally walked together
at-least for three days in a week In the first meeting, he told me his name He
told me that he is a retired Head Master of a School from Davangere.

After some time, I forgot his name. Sometimes, he would come late for walks and
on those

occassions, I could not see him.He was capable of walking faster than me.
However,he preferred to walk along with me. Our views on politics,ethics and
religion matched and I began to believe that we were on the same wavelengths.

During such morning walks, he would talk very vehemently about the need to
resume dialogues with Pakistan. After what had happened in Mumbhai, he felt that

India should even ban export-import trade with Pakistan. In his opinion, ISI
(Pakistan!s Interservices Intelligence) should be declared a terrorist
organisation by India. He was not from RSS,but he held these strong views.

As he spoke very emotionaly, I asked him not to think about these issues as
these were outside our control. I advised him that we should think and worry
only about those situations where we can have some control and influence

From April to June, I did not meet this gentleman during morning walks. I
thought that perhaps he must have gone to London or USA,where his two sons were
employed He surfaced agin in July.

One day, he was walking very slowly. I asked him whether there was anything
wrong with his health. He told me that he has been diagnosed as suffering from
Lukemia.He also looked pale. I advised him to take a second opinion. He
mentioned that

there weret three doctors in the family and all of them, after seeing his blood
test

reports, had confirmed the worst.
He walked very slowly. He said he was not afraid of death,but looked worried as
tohow his dear wife would be taken care of by his children after him.

I was told last week that he had died a couple of days ago. Had I been informed
in time, I would have attended the funeral.
I wanted to offer my condolences to his wife. I did not remember his name or his

flat number.

With great difficulty, I found out his name and flat number from the Main Gate
Security.
I spoke to his wife. She said "yes, Mr Arunachalam, my husband had told me
about you".
I told her that my name was Balasubramanian. In-as-auch as I did not remember
his name, he alsodid not know my name. This, inspite of walking together for
three

years,exchanging views on all topics on the earth.

What a shame? What an irony? Personally, I was ashamed of this predicament.