“It has been a long time without you my friend and I will tell you all about it when I see you again” these are words taken from Fast & Furious, very apt and dedicated to our beloved friend Robert
Life is so short and before we could even think you vanished like a vapor, too early my brother. Your friendship turned into a bond, a brotherhood, and a family, how can we not talk about you and remember you when you are gone. Every memory so fresh and dear, here penned are a few unforgettable events that I cherish.
Robert’s name brings to all of our minds a friend with style and substance, someone who is a lot of fun and someone with deep courage.
He used to speak in typical Chennai Tamil, “Enna macha epadi eruka gulte mokka podurana” and when he spoke English we wondered if he was an Anglo Indian. Everyone loved to have a conversation with him to hear, his fluent flamboyant version of Chennai Tamil.
Bobby was very charismatic, the way he dressed, the way he tucked his shirts, the way he adjusted his hair with his hand, the way he puffed and the way he held the wheel when he drove were a class apart. It made all of us sit up and take notice. He wowed us as he flaunted his unique style.
Boldness: Do you all know that Bobby was a karate professional? Once we were watching a movie in the central theater when a gang tried to pick pocket us. It was a thrilling experience when we were surrounded by these thugs with knives and he sent them running like in the movies while we watched in sheer amazement and awe.
Adventurous: We used to climb mountains and explore the thick forests that are part of the western ghats. We used to enjoy campfires and take turns guarding ourselves from wild animals. We could hear elephants trumpeting in the middle of the night, as we looked up at the beautiful night sky counting the stars wondering if we will live to see the next day. We had such nerve chilling experiences and I still remember once there was a pond which was rather deep and I almost drowned, but Bobby saved me by swimming to my aid just in time.,
Bike rides: There were both short and long trips, to places you would never imagine such as Ooty, Mudumalai, Yercard, Mysore, Bangalore and even Goa and Mumbai…Crazy isn’t it? ☺
Fun loving and cheerful: Most Sundays we went to All Soul’s Church to get connected with God and also to have coffee fellowship with friends where we often met up with the Whites. He never backed down when he had to start a conversation, making us all smile (Walk Walk Walk in the light – does that ring a bell?). This made our other Coimbatore local friends jealous. ☺
Brilliance: Bobby was very intelligent; he would always think way ahead of us. His foresight was outstanding, his signature trait. This inherent talent set him apart making him reach great heights in his career at a young age. We used to always make fun of him, asking him to slow down and think like a normal human being. He was truly inspiring. ☺
God fearing: Bobby deep inside was very close to God even during college days, he used to read the Bible and pray. He had strong faith in God and used to council us when we strayed from the path.
Overall, I remember him as a sweet loving friend and a brother who will be missed till we meet again!
