Just thought I’d share a close friend with you…this guy’s goes by the name MGC….well off but not showy…plays the Guitar superbly…learnt it in Los Angeles…moved further north to the greenery of Powai from a Mumbai Suburb after having moved there from South Mumbai….just cant stand the traffic,pollution,noise and cramped spaces in South Mumbai…now everyone seems to have discovered Powai too and it’s one construction mess there too
Originally he’s from Nagpur and froma well known “Khandaan”…..a whole area in Nagpur is named after them…yet this guy is Humility personified
MGC has his great fundas in life…no tipping at the club is one of them as he believes it gets you preferred service and that is unfair to other club members…actually the written rule is that tipping is not permitted but the unwritten rule is that it is expected!…he chides me whenever I flout this funda of his !…even the Barber at the Club is not an exception to MGC’s Funda of no Tipping…I’ve quietly advised the Barber to cut MGC’s hair the next time to leaves streaks behind like Aaamir Khan’s new style for “Gajini” and not show him this rear cut through a Mirror like normally done !
MGC cant stand cruelty to Animals and goes out of his way to save them…picks up “panga” with those who hit them
There is no mean or jealous bone in this guy….you feel a positive vibe everytime you’re around him…does not believe or not believe in God….not an Atheist, but an Agnostic
A few years ago I had converted a Rs Ten lakh Equity Portfolio of his to one worth over Rs 50 lakhs inside a year…his wife had called me to say “Hey Gaurav !…what have you been doing to my husband?!”…I was a bit wary as to what she meant till she revealed “He’s been taking me out for dinner twice a week !” ……I asked her to confront MGC about it !
Our wives hate Ghost movies…so a few years ago MGC wanted to see “Bhoot” starring Ajay Devgan and Urmila….so he coaxed me to accompany him for the late night show…and imagine us sitting in the theatre…the two of us….and everytime a “darawana” scene was unfolding he would grip my hand…we were getting weird looks !
Our Families were travelling to Kashmir together for a holiday by train way back in the late 1960s or was it early 1970s….MGC’s father had gone to the Bathroom…he had hurried back and told all of us to remain quiet…the Train had stopped and a guard came into our bogie to inquire who had pulled the Chain to stop the Train….you guessed it ! his father had gone to the bathroom and instead of pulling the Flush lever ,he had pulled the Chain to stop the Train!
The same man once overslept and was late for an appointment with the then PM of India,late Mrs Indira Gandhi where he was to present to her a book…..he was woken up and he rushed to meet her…guess what?!…he had the wrong book with him !
MGC’s a great guy…he’s into composing music for ad films and theatre and is a laid back guy….brings up his children too damn well..they say thank you even to automatic doors !
We talk atleast once a week and are exchanging inspiring and naughty emails more than once a week…. we try and catch up for lunch when he’s in town…rarely, as he hates to leave his Powai Citadel…our families had a blast when we went together for Shaimak Davar’s “I Believe” Musical Show at NCPA when it came the first time around…we had a scrumptious midnight dinner later at “Mocambo” where MGC ordered a special Non Veg Dish and when presented to him wrapped up in aluminium Foil,we all thought the waiter had mistakenly brought the doggy bag for takehome of another table’s leftovers !….It turned out this was the way the Ordered Dish was served !
We’ve met another interesting couple at his place for dinner too…a Mathematics Wiz Lady from TIFR (She’s been awarded India’s highest Honour for Maths) and her husband,the Director Promoter of CMS…they meet only on weekends,as she prefers to stay and do her research at TIFR in South Mumbai on weekdays and he has his office in New Mumbai and resides at Malad
Friends like this enrich Life enormously….Life is not just about Money,Honey !