Diwali Spirit Continues...and a Funeral Mass

Thursday, November 8, 2018
Bombay


Diwali Spirit Continues...and a Funeral Mass

     Namaste from Bombay!
     The city of Bombay (indeed all of India) has almost come to a standstill as Diwali festivity reigns supreme. I awoke at 6.30 am--which is now my average waking time--and began by reading my email, Twitter feed and The headlines in The Times. I also dashed off a blog post. I did not go to the gym today either. I am not sure if it is open (it probably is), but I had to have my breakfast and then reach Dad's at 9.00 am for the start of Russel's physio session with Lenita. He is making rapid progress with the walker (and with help as human walking sticks are offering additional support). But he was able to traverse the entire flat and took great pleasure in showing Lenita his huge T-shirt collection (about 350 of them! if you can believe it) in his cupboard!
     As I had no interviews scheduled today and as all libraries are closed, I had a day off. Hence, I decided to spend most of the morning with Dad and Russel. Dad needed me to assist him in reading to him the Minutes of the General Body meeting of his building society which had taken place while Russel had been in hospital in September--the font was much too tiny for him to read himself. He also needed some assistance with his electricity bill. We had long discussions about Trump in the US and the mid-term election results. It was really a very nice morning. However, Dad is feeling vey week indeed--his bout with a bad cough and cold and the antibiotics he took for 8 days straight have taken a toll on his system. His housekeeper Satyavait is in equally poor shape--two days ago, she had a fainting spell and in her instinct to save herself from falling pulled down Dad's TV set and put it out of order. The technicianswho can repair it will only be available on Monday as Diwali brings a stop to normal activity here. Dad is lost in the evenings and has been turning in early--which might not be a bad thing.
     Back at home, I spent some time reading my friend Michael Anderson's book Heaven's Above. It is a collection of short stories--the first was amusing and I am in the middle of the second.  As Michael was born and lived in India till age 18 (his father was a senior accountant with Ferguson, the firm of British Chartered Accountants), and married a Parsi woman, he knows the city and the Parsi community like the back of his hand and this knowledge is masterfully reflected in his writing--it reminds me a bit of Rohinton Mistry's Tales from Ferozeshah Bagh. 
     I stopped for lunch (green chicken curry, pan rolls and spinach with potatoes) while watching a bit of Couples Come Dine With Me. Then, I took a 20 minute nap and got ready to accompany Dad for a funeral Mass.

Attending a Funeral:
     I did not know the person who passed away--he was a Christian Brother named Bro. Milton Lawrence--but I do know his sister Iris well.  She lives in the vicinity of our church. As it is a very old family that is well-known to all parishioners, the church was packed. The Mass was con-celebrated by our family friend Fr. Austin Norris who preached a very thought-provocative sermon. The first reading was done by my friend Michelle Lawrence who is the sister-in-law of the deceased. The choir did a lovely job. As Bro. Milton had been suffering from lung cancer that had spread to his brain, his passing was a relief from his earthly woes. A vast contingent of Christian Brothers were present for the funeral and they posed for group pictures outside the church. Dad did not know the deceased either--but it was his connection with Iris Lawrence that took us both to the church. I met my friend Annabelle there as well as Blossom Coutinho, the new friend I have made who lives in my new lane, St. Monica's Road. I saw loads of familiar faces in church. It is amazing to me how well the Bandra community rallies around for a funeral. I was attending a funeral for the first time in the same church in which my mother's funeral had occurred six years ago. I sat in church filled with memories of that time.
     As neither Dad nor I would be going back to church for Mass at 7.00 pm, I said Bye to him and went back home for an evening of calm relaxation. I brewed myself a pot of tea and enjoyed it with cake. Then, I channel surfed as I tried to find another Midsomer Murders to watch on You Tube--but there was nothing to be seen and I returned to Couples Come Dine With Me.
     At 7.00 pm, as I had cabin fever and wanted to get out to enjoy the Diwali lights of Bandra, I got dressed and went for a walk.  I had to write a check for an electricity bill and deliver it to my landlord who lives about a 15-minute walk away from my place at Prof. Almeida Park. That was exactly what I did--as I said, it is pleasure to explore the city at this time as it is emptied of its human population.
     I found my landlord Sameer in the lobby of his building just getting into the elevator with his wife and sons. They invited me to join them upstairs for dinner but as I had completely taken them by surprise, I declined.
     Instead, I walked around the park (it was dark by then but the ponies were still giving rides to the kids in the same way that Arav and Anaya used to ride them when they were little) and arrived at Hill Road which was aglow with lights and festivity. The gourmet shop called Nature's Basket was right there and so I strayed in for a look. I ended up buying 2 cans of tonic water, a hunk of Castel Blue Cheese (as I am really missing it) and a packet of crackers. It would be cheese and crackers for me at home with a frosty G and T as I watched more TV.
     And that was exactly what I did. I followed it up with dinner (repeat of lunch) and continued watching Dead Wind, a Finnish detective show with English sub-titles that I had started watching about a month ago.  It provides lovely aerial views of Helsinki in which the plot is set--and brings back memories of our very brief visit to the city while on a Baltic Sea cruise about five years ago. At 10.15, after changing, brushing and flossing my teeth, I fell asleep.
     It is nice to have a bit of break and to take the time off, as the rest of India does, at this time.  Tomorrow, however, I have a very full day again (with two interviews in the city during the day and a play at the Royal Opera House in the evening...)
     Until tomorrow...