When I feel cynical and friendless, when I am truly lost, I think of Subhas

The two persons closest in my life have been my two brothers.

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We have been occasionally out of touch, seem to have drifted apart, but a nagging nexus has drawn us back with the force and inexorability of gravity. With a suave grace unbeknownst to me, Subhas walked one day into that charmed circle. He became as close, as inescapable as any of my brothers.

We met by happenstance in a professional meeting where we represented our international companies. We sat at opposite ends and soon expressed quite opposite views. He told me later he liked my reasoning; I detested his but loved his wit and vigor. At the end of the meeting, he invited me for a drink, ostensibly to discuss our disagreement, but the conversation proved so agreeable that we talked about everything else besides the issue. I loved the guy. He liked me and proved it by inviting me to his home.

His home was a mess, for he was changing his job and residence at the same time, but I got to meet his wife. I liked her too. Subhas and I began a lifelong friendship, whose ardor defied both long absences because of travel and spirited differences of opinion. We were united by some personal liking to be sure but also by a commonality of values we shared and our common love for new ideas.