Teri pyaari pyaari Surat ko........

The whole programme was sudden. To think that just a day before I had been longing to meet my little one and-on getting the slightest hint that she was willing to travel home if the other option (read my going) wasn't working out-had checked all incoming flights to Delhi. But when I told her about the best schedule, she demurred. Despite the homesickness, practical wisdom prevailed. Missing many more classes (having missed plenty due to a bout of viral fever) wasn't such a smart idea after all, she said. I couldn't help admiring the sagacity in one so young, aware as I was how keen she was to come home...but that put paid to all her plans. Now, how could we close the gap separating us, this east is east kind of situation and make the twain meet? Nothing seemed to be happening on the official front either. In fact, a visit impending since the beginning of July had prevented me from making any personal plans, something I would have done ages before if it hadn't been for this uncertainty, this 'a training will happen next week' kind of see-saw predicament. Like I said, nothing seemed to be working out on the Ahmedabad front-that particular client was closed like an oyster!

Now, after this latest conversation, when her acute homesickness surfaced again, I was feeling well-nigh desperate. If only, Icarus-like, I had a pair of wings, I would fly off-pari like-to my chosen destination...if only...........

Suddenly, around eleven o'clock on Tuesday, I was informed that a training programme scheduled for Aug 2 & 3 had been advanced and the client wanted it on July 29 & 30 instead. In a God-forsaken tribal area, 80 km east of Surat. This had pretty much been on the anvil and my colleague was already scheduled to travel there the following week but the whole programme had been advanced very unexpectedly. All it meant was that now she would have to go there earlier. However, there was a catch-she couldn't get away the week before due to some urgent family commitment and requested me earnestly if I would please bail her out. Going off to this unheard-of place-without any prior information and that too for 3 long days came as a bolt out of the blue but there seemed no option. What had to be done had to be done. As always, I tried to turn a disadvantage into an advantage; see the silver lining etc. How could I make the most of this? There was no return flight from Surat on Saturday, why didn't I just go off to Ahmedabad and catch a flight from there? Traversing the distance of 300 odd km was a bit galling, but on second, thoughts, I said to myself-what's a mere 4 1/2 hours' drive when sheer joy awaited me at the end of it?

The die was cast-I would go, conduct training, then off to Ahmedabad to meet darling daughter.

So here I am...two days of unadulterated bliss...sheer delight.. are mine.