It's a Birthday Party for Russel!!!!

Sunday, July 14, 2019,
Bombay

It's a Birthday Party for Russel!!!!

     Namaste from Bombay!
     Its Quartorze Julliet! Bastille Day in France! My mind goes back to the Play, 'A Certain Quartorze Julliet' that had been put up by the students of the Alliance Francaise (AF) de Bombay, at least 40 years ago, when Monsieur Patrick Beck was President. I had reviewed the play for the Bombay press and when the troupe was scheduled to go to France to perform in Paris, Brest and Macon, I was invited to accompany them as the press reporter! Who said I did not have opportunities thrown at me my entire life??? Of course, I was on that Air France flight pronto and I can remember having the best time in la patrie with my friend and colleague, Aban, who taught French at Jai Hind College and at the AF. It was through that play that I learned La Marseillaise--the French national anthem. And I can still sing it!!!
     Well, today was a Red Letter Day in the D'Souza household as we were celebrating Russel's birthday which is on July 15 (tomorrow)--exactly a week after mine. But because Russel is not a night owl (he goes to bed by 9.00 pm), he prefers to have an afternoon celebration for his birthday each year and it is, therefore, scheduled on the Sunday afternoon closest to it--that would be today!
     So I awoke and barely had time to tweet before I had to leave to go to church for the 8.00 am Mass.  I chose to go to the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel today as it is next door to Venus cake shop from where I was supposed to pick up the cake. It was a childrens' mass and it was quite well filled with kids. Adults sat at the back. I wish now that I had done in Bombay what I had done when I had lived in London--I had gone to a different church each Sunday. God Knows there are enough churches in Bombay to have kept me going throughout the year! I met my cousin Laura (who was at the same Mass) and on my way back, I met my Cousin Veera (who was headed for the next Mass).
     Right after Mass, I made a beeline for Venus Cake Shop and found the most appetizing aromas emanating from within as patties, freshly baked and still hot from the oven, kept emerging. I picked a chocolate  cake of a kilo and a half for Russel and asked them to pipe the words, "God Bless You, Russel" on the cake (these were the words that Russel chose--not Happy Birthday!--who said he's not religious???). I also bought a few rich plum bar cakes for Dad to distribute to neighbors and friends (as he does each year on their birthdays). I also picked up an incredible looking chocolate eclair (my pastry weakness; it called my name loudly). It seems I have made a taste test of all the chocolate eclairs available in the neighborhood!
     Next, I took a rick and delivered the goodies to Dad's place. Russel was in his elements and very excited about his afternoon festivity. I did not stay long as I hadn't eaten my breakfast and I was starving. On the way, I stopped at Blue Tokkai Coffee Shop to pick up one of their amazing almond croissants (simply the best) when I found my American friend Gora having his breakfast there. He told me to sit and chat with him for a while (which I did) as my croissant was being packed and paid for. Then, I took my leave and walked home.
     I sank my teeth into my almond croissant with coffee and could not resist having a bit of my eclair too--it was gooooood!!! Then, I sat down on my computer to catch up with email and other chores. Dad told me that he would get the living room ready for guests with Rohit's help. Rohit had already taken out all the china and silverware that we needed for the party. Dad had organized drinks for the Bar. All I needed to do was buy fresh vegetables to make the salad.
     A little later, I got dressed for the party and walked to Dad's. I stopped and did buy my vegetables, Rohit washed them well and since I took my own large chef's knife, my own lemon reamer, my own microplane and my own vegetable peeler (my most indispensable tools and ones with which I travel all over the world!), I was able to set the salad up in no time and make the lemon vinaigrette that would be the dressing. 
     By the time I finished with the salad, guests began to ring the doorbell. I made sure the nibbles (pistachios, mixed nuts, crisps), placed in bowls by Rohit, were taken out. I also took charge of drinks (many beer drinkers in the crowd and, to my embarrassment, we ran out of bottles!). A couple of them had shandies and Fr. Austin, a dear family friend, had a very tiny whiskey on the rocks. I had carried my gin and tonic and settled down with a lovely refreshing drink filled with tinkling ice-cubes. The menu was entirely catered (but for my salad) by various suppliers from whom Dad usually orders: Mutton Biryani from Jeff's, Potato Chops and Sorportel from Ephraim, Lemon-Pepper-Garlic Chicken from Khane-Khas. It was all easily manageable and nothing like the challenges I had faced dealing with separate menus for vegetarians, non-vegetarians and Muslims at my party!!! It was also a trifle cooler and less humid and I did not find myself getting so completely down by the weather. Dad's guests know each other well and after drinks and nibbles, we had one of Dad's traditional sing-songs. Song sheets were distributed and people joined in with gusto. I saw some of my Mum's cousins (Hazel, Lynette, Mario) for the first time as they had been away from Bombay visiting their children scattered around the globe from Canada to Australia with Dubai and Singapore thrown in for good measure. Lunch followed the sing-along and then Russel was cutting his cake while everyone was singing for him and 'Happy Birthday' went into 'He's a Jolly Good Fellow'...and there was much laughter and many cheers. And Russel did not stop smiling throughout the afternoon. It was great to see the joy with which he surveyed his many friends and the affection in which they hold him. We had a truly fun time.
     After our guests left, at about 2.30, Russel opened his presents and was quite excited to see the T-shirts I had brought him from Uzbekistan and Buenos Aires, Argentina. He got a lot of chocolates and cash and a couple of cards--all of which made his day! Rohit did a brilliant job washing up and laying everything out to dry. I left after I was certain that things were under control.
     Back home, I decided to take a nap as my feet were simply aching as I had not been off them for over four hours! I awoke and planned to do nothing more than spend the evening reading. A pot of tea and more of my eclair and the last of my own birthday cake saw me through the evening as I continued reading Machines Like Me (due in three days!). However, after a while I got tired reading and decided to transcribe the letter that Dad had drafted and written long-hand to Russel's medical insurance company. He needed me to type it out, print it and give it to him to be signed. When I finished typing the letter, I sat down to replace a button that had fallen from one of Dad's shirts. So with that the quiet evening I had planned also became a productive one.
     I was aware that (as I do not have a cable connection) I was missing two of the most exciting sports events in recent times--the Wimbledon Men's Finals with Djokovich and Federer and the World Cup Finals cricket match between England and New Zealand. But I was able to follow both games on Twitter in and out while watching a film called Spy Game with a very young Brad Pitt and Robert Redford.
     At 11.00 pm, I hadn't finished the film but my eyes were closing while the cricket and the tennis was still going strong. I would have to wait to find out the results for myself tomorrow.
     Until tomorrow...