“Good evening Kain Sir”,I heard him say .I was deep into a exchange of bbms when he interrupted me .I was at the Heathrow Airport and was waiting for my flight at the departure lounge .I had checked in early and  still had about 3 hours on hand .I looked up .I did not recognize him .

“Good evening.I am terribly sorry but I have a ageing memory .You got to forgive me but I cant place you ”,I responded .

“No ,no .I don’t expect you to remember me .Its been nearly thirty years .But students don’t forget teachers –do they?”,and he smiled 
30 years !!God that’s a long time back .But the gentleman I was looking at looked as if he was sixty .He was  very shriveled ,was bald ,had bags under his eyes and held a walking stick .I was very puzzled but did not tell him that in no way did he look  like someone who I could have taught .He looked very ill .His jacket hung over a body that seemed as if it had melted .He  took me back into the years .Very soon ,I realized that I was talking to Pankaj (name changed to maintain the dignity of his privacy).Soon ,I learnt  that he was suffering from what appeared a very advanced stage of cancer and was  enroute to Houston for medication 
.
We discussed a lot of things .I remembered him as a wonderful looking boy who was very proud of his good looks .He had got involved in his dads business and had made a lot of money .Had many properties including one in Dubai .But then about 2 years the disease struck him .”I started to feel breathless and lost my appetite .Then I consulted a doctor and it was discovered that I had a lump which was rather big .And quickly they put me onto medication .”

I talked a lot to him .I kept taking him into the past –he kept dragging me into the future .All of a sudden he looked at me and asked
 “What do you think happens after death ?You know Sir ,its such a important question ,but no one ever thinks about it .But I am sure you must be having your views on it”

I was unprepared to answer it .And frankly speaking ,I have never thought about it .Its a question that must be confronting all of us when we know that death is imminent .But in routine –well at least I don’t think about it .But he looked  eager for a answer and  I was compelled to respond just to satisfy him .He looked every inch the hungry student that he once was .

“Well I guess it must be a bit like sleeping .”
“But do you think it will be peaceful”,he asked very intensely .
“Oh yes ,for the people who  have lived at peace with their conscience ,I am sure it will be “ ,I answered .I  then added,

“I think the fairies will come and take such people away”.He just smiled .He looked very nice .

“I have lived at peace with my conscience”,he began .  “Only once I cheated on my wife ,and she did not talk to me for 4 years”,he said .He was getting into the private domain of his life .I was not interested .I was more worried about his life .

“But thank God cancer got us back together”.I was amazed at his answer .Here was a man battling for his life with a dreaded disease ,and thanking God for it .Because it was once again bringing him back to his wife .
“How is your health?You look fit as a fiddle”,he said .His statement coincided with the announcement of his flight .

“Well OK .I am fine –you know a bit of BP ,a bit of high cholesterol.Chalta hai .Life started giving reminders that I am not immortal !!Should be OK for about 25 yrs or so!!”.
“I wish you a long life Sir .You know you made a huge impact on most  of us .I still read your blogs”.

And then he said “I can see my end”.When he said that ,I was looking at Rishi Kapoor who was walking through the Airport .Suddenly I looked at Pankaj .I gave him a stony ,and steady look .I held it like that for about 30 seconds .And semi barked out,

“You think you  can predict the future ?Can you.?Are you God ?”

“No ,I am not predicting the future .I am predicting my death .What happens to me after death I cant predict .For me ,that’s the future now .Death is certain”.

I walked with him till as far as the airport rules allowed me . I  hugged him and  ,wished him a warm goodbye.I gave him a bar of chocolates that i had picked up at Edingburh .I wondered whether I would meet him again .We exchanged our telephone numbers and email ids .He disappeared along with a number of other passengers .

I came back to Ahmedabad .Got immersed in day to day affairs .About 10 days back ,I got a call from his cell number .His wife was speaking .
“Kain Sir ?”
“Yes” I answered ,prepared for the worst .
“Sir Pankaj wants to talk to you”,she said in a very unenergetic voice.
As i talked to  him he told me what he had predicted was about to come true .I told him to have faith in his destiny .I told him  not to worry.I told him everything would be fine – the normal cliched stuff which we talk to people who are nearing their end .I also told him that I would meet him on the 9th morning when I was going to be in Delhi.

“Sir ,I am very scared .I don’t know where I am going to go .But Sir i know i am going ”.A pause .No response from my side .What could  I say .Maybe everyone feels scared .Finally he spoke in a very feeble voice
“I hope the fairies will come to take me away”.
A lump formed in my throat .Sometimes sentences spoken without a thought can make such a huge  impact .I had spoken those words to him so casually at Heathrow .Now he clung onto them as if his after life depended on them .My mind flashed back to  the teenager  we had so protectively brought up.
“Oh yes I am sure they will.”
I just about held on to speak those words .I could hear a hustle and bustle and some muffled voices in the background. Somebody shouted “jaldi karo”.The phone went dead .Silence .

Those were the last word I spoke to Pankaj .
Three days later , I phoned up on his cell number .I was told that he had passed away .I asked his wife one final question .
“Did he die peacefully?
She was crying as she answered “Yes Sir ,he kept repeating “fairies ,fairies “,and then fell silent .”

The fairies had taken Pankaj away .Bon voyage Pankaj .!!    

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