Curious, I got up to greet him and politely asked him how he knew me and my profession.
He smiled and said, ``I’m your next door neighbour--- staying right next to your cottage. Are we not supposed to know our neighbour? I enquired and then googled to know more about you. So you are a Colonel too…!” And then he remarked, “are you not wasting your time and money? You are simply sitting in this verandah for the last two days ….. Why don’t you enjoy the sands of this beautiful beach?”
He asked me, “Don’t you have any interest in cricket?” I replied, “No, but at times I watch Indo-Pak matches.’’ He then said, “Okkey. Now that you are not asking anything about me, let me introduce myself…I am Gary Kirsten, the coach for Indian Cricket team. We played with Sri Lanka and the team is now relaxing here.” I was taken aback and felt a bit embarrassed. Here is a public personality enquiring about me, his neighbour and I had not even bothered to ask about him. I was left startled.
After that, Kirsten and I spent quite some time over a cup of tea. One of the questions that I asked him was the secret of Sachin Tendulkar’s indefatigable spirit and energy. He replied, ``although Sachin has been playing for so many years, he still feels he is new to cricket, when he gets on to the field. He is always the first to come to the ground for practice sessions and ever so enthusiastic in his attitude and action. Success has not gone to his head’’
So, Kirsten left behind a lot for me to introspect and I’m sure this editorial would also make you think. How many of us care to know our neighbours or care to know about them, whether in our housing society or corporate office? We, more often than not, confine our interaction to our immediate colleagues or just ourselves and hardly ever share joys or sorrows of so many people working in our environment. Also, how many of us have the ability to be relentlessly enthusiastic about our work, no matter how many years we have put in, in our respective organisation? Very rarely would be a safe answer. Isn’t it time to take off from the cyberspace and get real with social relationships? It’s time for such introspection.
Though, as far as I am concerned, I am too old, having missed many an opportunity.
Dr (Col.) A. Balasubramanian
editor-in-chief
