Looking back in time! Moments that stand out.

Year 2000:

A tender moment

One evening we landed in Calcutta, later to be called Kolkata. It was in late 2000. The Execo at Hutch was planned the following day. Some of us were checking in at the reception. Asim Ghosh, Managing Director just arrived himself. Suggested it was a great evening. Would we like to go for a walk? Sudershan Banerjee, CEO for Delhi and I agreed. Maybe walk down to a local bar for an evening drink? Yeah, let’s do that, Asim suggested. So we agreed to meet in a short while again downstairs at the lobby.

We started walking and chatting about the city. Asim was amazing. He revealed little nuggets of the city, that although I was born and brought up there, I had not known. We crossed writers building, walked down Waterloo Street and onto Government house. Asim was talking nonstop. Minute by minute he narrated historical facts, pointing out to one building then another.

As we kept walking, we came across a pariah dog. He wagged his tail enthusiastically at Asim, who stopped and lovingly rubbed him on his neck, later his head. The dog warmed up to him and wagged his tail vigorously. Asim talked to the dog for quite a while, while we waited, patiently at first, then not so patiently. Both animal and he developed a strange bond in the moment. After a while we moved on, but the dog followed a few paces behind, not unnoticed by us. We kept walking on for some time, and kept noticing the dog following us still, but several paces behind. Asim stopped once ten minutes later and waited for the dog to catch up. Again ensured a long conversation between dog and him. We moved on again. And Asim this time, was amused and delighted to see the dog still following behind. Asim kept encouraging the dog to catch up each time his pace dropped or while we crossed over to the other pavement.

Soon we were close to the hotel, near Metro cinema. It was late. Around 11 pm. The dog was still a few yards behind. He’d been following for the last thirty minutes. Suddenly, Asim turned to me and said, “Steve, he must be hungry. Get me some food for him’. Food, at this hour, from where. Feeling a little foolish, I dived into a nearby lane. A dhaba was still open. I wonder what food I should buy, I thought. I had never been to a road side restaurant to buy food for a dog. Anyway, I thought rotis would be a good idea. Bought a couple and returned to the main road, trying to spot if I could find Asim and Sudershan.

They there were. They had walked back now quite some distance. Asim had gone looking for the dog. He had apparently disappeared. Sudershan looked incongruous in the dark, wearing a suit. Asim had disappeared too somewhere. I found the whole moment hilarious. I holding, a few rotis, in my hand, Sudershan standing still and Asim darting around on the road busily looking for a pariah dog. If someone could see us now. Managing director of a highly reputed company, whistling away, desperately looking for a recently canine friend that could not be found.

Suddenly, the dog appeared from behind a wall, even a moment later Asim. Asim whopped in delight, in finding his new and recently lost friend. Both moved enthusiastically towards each other. A moment later, the dog moved across the street, onto the divide. We followed. Did you get the food, Asim asked me excitedly. I handed the packet over to him, while he tore the food in small bits and bend down to place it before the dog. The dog scooped up the morsel of food, and swallowed it down hungrily. He scooped another bit and munched on it furiously. It had started to rain now, a few droplets. We all stood there silently, watching him eat. It soon started to drizzle lightly. We continued to stand there while the first drops of rain began to descend. Yet, Asim stood by undaunted and we with him.  I cannot say who looked more pleased – the dog or Asim. Asim watched with great satisfaction as the dog hungrily ate the last morsel up. ‘He needs water, Asim said excitedly. Gosh, I hope you are not going to ask me to get a bottle of Bisleri mineral water, I thought.

It began to rain in right earnest. A pool of water began to gather at the edge of the kerb. The dog thirstily lapped it up. Then he looked up. He caught our eye and then it raced away. We watched him run across, to the other side, and followed him till we lost him as he turned around a block. Asim sighed with satisfaction and we turned away. We crossed the other side and walked back to the hotel. The rain gently kissed our cheeks, and added weight to our clothes. But I felt light, happy and connected.

I had learnt a valuable lesson in love and affection. Even today, when I walk down the same street on Chrowinghee, I look for the dog, and then glance over my shoulder, looking for Asim.