Georgekuttychayan from USA

 In 1996, I was at SBI Trivandrum Main Branch. It was a heavy seat like almost all seats I had in SBI were. No grudges. I enjoyed heavily loaded postings.

Lila was at the Kerala University Office. She too was busy. She had the onerous task of managing the house and looking after the children who were growing up. But she enjoyed hosting guests, especially relatives. She still does.

She had known of GK much earlier as her cousin was his classmate. And Susammamma was her elder sister's classmate. 

One night. There was a phone call on the landline. Mobiles had not entered the scenario at that time. To my surprise it was Georgekuttychayan from USA. It was the first call from him in my life. 

While young he had been my role model. Somehow,  medical degree, marriage and USA had frozen the relationship for good. There were no contacts after 1967. His marriage had taken place in that year. Not a unique phase. This is inevitable in the life of any one and everyone. 

In the struggle for life, relationships have no place.

Returning to the phone call.

Georgekuttychayan said he was coming to Trivandrum for a programme at SAT Hospital. He wanted me to receive him at the Airport which was 10kms from our place. He wanted to stay with us till he moved on to SAT and return to our home and stay with us till he left for USA. I replied, fine. 

When I told Lila of the phone call, she was only happy. As usual she started planning. 

Georgekuttychayan came. I took him home. For Lila, though it was hectic, she enjoyed prepaing and serving dishes. We too had a good time in the sense special food marked it's entry only when we had guests. 

I took Georgekuttychayan to all the places he wished to proceed to. In between he said he had never attended a Kerala marriage for quite a long time. He had a longing for that. He could not even attend our marriage though he was in Kerala at that time  on account of various pressing preoccupations.  His mother had explained to us he had a prior appointment with the Principal of the Lovedale School on  the date of the marriage and that it had been arranged four years ago.      

 We said we were proceeding to Mavelikara to attend the marriage of the son of Lila's cousin and he could join us.  He said how he could do that uninvited. We replied they'd be happy to have him. We attended the marriage. He could meet his classmate there as well.

 He took us to Kovalam Ashok, five star,for lunch one day. We were grateful, for five star hotels were beyond us at that time and even now. We thoroughly enjoyed it. We spent sometime at the beach. The waves drenched us. 

Finally Georgekuttychayan took the flight home. I left him at the Airport.

We presumed he must have reached home safe for there were no calls after he departed.

Typical of our people who have emigrated.