Reunion of Schoolmates from 83′ batch of ER Higher Secondary School, Trichy-2022

Great Reunion of Schoolmates from 83′ batch of ER Higher Secondary School

—  for a popular reference – The school in which Sir C.V.Raman studied.

Some highlights and observations:

On the 2^nd and 3^rd of July, it was a fantastic occasion when we all gathered at Shelters Beach Resorts in Chennai. It was a boisterously emotional moment of mirth and joy to see our long-lost friends, most of them after 4 decades.

All of us intact in different shapes reached there to care a damn and two hoots about the outer world. Truly, a school reunion is the only way where instantly and transiently we become teens, once again.

Prabhu Deva had his school reunion function in the same resort on the same day. We jammed with him for a while and let him go. Down-to-earth guy whished us back and called us super seniors as theirs was a 1989 batch from Santhome HSS, Chennai.

We tried out our school prayer song in Rag Ananda Bhairavi at the beach and the Bay of Bengal clapped hands and cheered us up. Some who forgot the lyrics comfortably put the blame on memory fog due to 2 doses of vaccines for Covid 19. One confessed that he was always late to school and reached after the prayer. Stories were discussed about each one’s funny experiences that kept us in splits all through the time. Ilayaraja’s music came in as an unfailing company.

Slowly in the evening, we started off with a drink or two, and then some went for a few more. All of us had a drop more than we should.  Some started giving reasons for being jelouse of Nithyananda, Some challenged the belly dancers of Arabia, some became nostalgic for their lost love, some were too engrossed in the awe of being with the buddies, and I was one in all of them. I can only disclose the poet part of mine that shot up instantly as we were singing the following MGR song. Here are my lines…

மாணிக்கத்தேரில் மரகதகலசம் மின்னுவதென்ன என்ன

மங்கைமுகம் கனவில் வந்தது

அவள் தங்கைமுகம் சேர்ந்து வந்நதது

My friend Dr.K.B repeated the lines and said

– நண்பேன்டா! கவிஞன்டா!

He was about to throw up the Vodka he took right on me. Glad he didn’t. -lol

Very happy to see the friends who moved away in different directions and came back as wonderful grownups. All as Doctors, Engineers, Auditors, and shit like that who could advise each other like this. With these words of wisdom, we packed off after sumptuous lunch on Sunday.

1. Walk. Do at least 2-3 km every day. (Never walk on the beach sand. It sucks.)
2. Invite a retirement when you are fit for tours. Go around slowly. Go anywhere and come back happily to people who are waiting to listen to your experiences. Tell them more than what you saw. They will like you more.
3. Start living minimally. Do not have too many things that could clog your freedom. Not in your mind, body, room, or home. Stay light.
4. Excess of earning, saving more, and spending more are all as bad as borrowing more after 60.
5. The word lavish has a fine limit. Find the limit and spend well for yourself.
6. Love your wife and children. Even if you don’t -Pretend. It isn’t any different and doesn’t matter. Eventually, it helps to get real.
7. Have your health insurance intact. It helps as nothing else can. Remember, no hospital wants ‘your’ money anymore. They work for the money you are covered with. Makes sense and delivers better.
8. A drunkard is one who drinks in the daytime and one who drinks without company. Quantity is irrelevant. Drink a bit especially when you have my company after 7 pm.
9. Smoke if you want and if you can. Many smokers are still living in their late 80s. Smoking doesn’t kill. If you are still kissing passionately, don’t smoke. Keep the lady closer to your heart than the dirty damn cigarettes.
10. Do not use a public swimming pool anywhere in the world. Are you sure that nobody pisses in? Just asking.
11. Speculate. But remember that it is just a legal gamble. Most who play around in the share market don’t know that it isn’t a game of intelligence. When you gain much realize that it is not yours. When you have lost a bit remember that it is your hard-earned money.
12. Go to all social gatherings where you are invited. Do not apologize if you couldn’t go. Nobody remembers your absence as much as they remember you. Catch up in the next.
13. Love all you want to love. People, things, and places. Express your love well and live to the fullest.
14. Go to the temple whenever you can. And if you go there only to thank God for whatever you are, trust me – You are complete and you are an inspiration.

Thank You, God.

-Srirangam Ramesh