THE PHENOMENA OF REDISCOVERY

It is always a very soothing and relieving feeling to have a break from your adopted place and undergo somewhat thrilling experience on return when one has to start many things afresh. The process of shift and resettlement no doubt throws many challenges. If one gains, there are bouts of losses as well. Upon treading both challenging and easy paths, a variety of relearning opportunities are thrown at, which impels us to follow the path of rediscovery. Prior to rediscovering others it may perhaps be appropriate to look into your own self, identify the strong and weak points and chalkout a careful strategy to take renewed initiatives. While doing so, may be, one has to de-link from one or two individuals and re-link with others. While former may appear easy, latter may not be a bed of roses. What matters, however, is to adopt a never say die attitude.
Any theory is proved futile unless it is put to practice and ultimately its efficacy is tested. A text is rendered useless if there is no context. In the same way, a statement of facts or do’s and don’ts need illustration, if not substantiation. This writer while undergoing an experience akin to one dovetailed above, was very well exposed to the pleasure of phenomena of rediscovery, very recently. A thought to look for a person after a gap of almost five years was coming to mind but somehow digressions were having an upper hand, even when a sort of prioritization was resorted to. Since a few were relocated and contacted, there was a strong element of possibility in this case as well.
The efficacy of a positive mind in a situation of odds and impediments did make a mark one day. In view of an uncertain scenario, the correct course of action appeared to be trying a call. Soon it transpired that it was not as easy as one had thought it to be. There could be many persons by the same name. Trying a few common friends or going through old diaries could have been other options. In the ultimate analysis a visit to his work place would have certainly helped.
Once a process of determination was established, way for exercising one of the options appeared imminent. One fine morning, however, from no where I bumped into an old, dirty and ‘dilapidated’ pocket telephone diary while clearing up a heap of papers upon consistent directions of my life partner. Before finding out the alphabetical order, browsing through opening pages seemed more fruitful. To my utter delight, I came across an initial of mine with date and year. Perhaps, I was approaching the target. Frantic turning of pages led me to a point of success. Alas it was not so. Logical course of action, therefore, was to reverse the name and to restart. I did find a telephone number but digit wise that was incomplete. The momentary sense of achievement disappeared in no time. But I was not to give up so easily. To my relief, I found an aesteric (*) mark over the same number which led to discovery of another number. This time the digits were in order but there was initially no response followed by the message “this telephone number does not exist”. A fresh attempt greeted me with the message “please check the number you have dialed”. Still further effort said “this telephone number has been temporarily disconnected”.
The last hope came in the form of 197, the universal telephone inquiry. Upon a wait of full five minutes, a number was disclosed only after I introduced and reintroduced myself without leaving even an iota of doubt. The number obtained turned out to be false. Hesitatingly, therefore, I redialed 197. I was ready to face the same person in the event of a sudden change of her mood. But to my utter relief, it was someone else. The numbers procured in this attempt brought me closer to the target. The first number was lifted but got disconnected in no time. Natural corollary was to dial the second one. Even though it was a PABX, a male voice gave somewhat optimistic signals. In no time, however, he disclosed that it was lunch time, so dialing in post lunch session may be advisable. Before he was to disconnect, a God sent opportunity came in the form of a colleague of my target, who happened to pass through the reception. Another number was divulged. The lady by the name of Prakriti appeared to have some acquaintance with the person I was looking for but to my misfortune she did not have his telephone number, as more than a year ago, he had decided to gain a decisive degree of reputation by following the course of deputation. I was left with no option but to reconnect one and only 197.
I was ready to face any consequence in my third attempt. Prior to dialing, I felt a strong urge to pray. My prayer worked as I was reminded of the earlier designation and the workplace of the person concerned. Again I was advised to follow the PABX path. The operator, however, knew the person I was looking for. She appeared to have made contact but by the time she connected me, once again I tasted defeat as the person concerned had just left for availing much ‘sought after and sacrosanct’ lunch hour.
I decided to do some breathing exercises followed by moments of silence. When God fails, meditation takes over, I thought so. Perhaps, I was not wrong. I dialed, therefore, the last number with a resolve not to try again if I was going to be vanquished. To my great sense of relief and satisfaction, I achieved my goal but did not divulge my identity so easily. Afterall, I wanted him to get a taste of what I had gone thr3ough the whole of the first half. The clues given were hitting well, yet my identity was not going to be established so easily. In view of the fact that his lunch hour was hijacked by the ‘preachings’ of his boss, the pet animal of Lord Ganesha had begun creating a ‘scene’ in his abdominal region. But naturally, withdrawal symptoms were to follow.
When I got an inkling of same, I came out with a somewhat close locational clue pertaining to my last place of posting. I did not forget to pad up the same by inquiring about some of his close relatives and friends. His patience and perseverance duly supported by the sharpness of intellect came to his rescue and my name was at last correctly taken. A burst of laughter replaced a typical bureaucratic smile. It no doubt distracted the attention of my colleagues, yet I was highly contended to rediscover a ‘lost’ friend of yesteryears. When the clock rang five p.m., my logical way was towards my friend’s office, rather than proceeding on the off beaten track leading to my dwelling place. I was determined to relive the memories of the past.