Friends for lifetime: Ming, Singh and dumb charades

Have you ever met with a stranger and connected with him/her instantly? Human bonding is a continuous process that starts right from childhood when we connect with playmates in the neighbourhood, moving on to schoolmates, college friends, co-workers, friends’ friends; and the chain keeps on growing. There is always a thread of mutual connectivity that runs through all these relationships.

But the most beautiful bond is the one we can form with a stranger instantly. At times you come across a person while travelling, or waiting in the airport lounge, looking for a book in a book shop, trying to pick up the same book at the same time, or meeting during a buffet breakfast in a hotel; and after a little conversation, you hit it off and become friends for life.

A very special one has been that of my husband’s connection with a Taiwanese young man, Ming Tsai, whom he met while travelling to New Delhi on the Shatabdi Express a few years ago. Sitting in the middle seat, he found this young man across the table who, with a broad smile on his face and curious flitting eyes, was trying to observe and absorb the glimpses of Indian life around.

A casual conversation that started with “I am Ming” and “I am Singh” moved on to Indian food, religion, and whatnot, concluding with an exchange of emails on paper napkins.

About four years later, Ming announced that he was visiting India with some of his relatives and would like to visit Patiala.

Anxiety and nervousness kept me on my toes for days together, as I made arrangements for a comfortable stay for these unknown guests without knowing much about their culture as well as their personal choices. On top of that we found on their arrival that of our guests, comprising Ming, his maternal aunt, her son, and daughter, only our friend could speak and understand English.

For the next two days, all I did was wear a broad smile on my face and bow to them every five minutes as they did. When the two ladies came to the kitchen to help me, I was completely at a loss for words and did not know how to explain things to them.

Then started a full-fledged show of dumb charades, with all three of us trying to communicate through gestures amid guffaws. We could understand each other only partially, though at times Ming, with whom we had long discussions about our diverse cultures, played the interpreter.

Ming and his relatives enjoyed vegetarian Indian food, as well as a visit to the tourist landmarks around. While leaving, they bowed repeatedly, expressing their gratitude, and I am sure they carried a pleasant impression about Indians and Indian hospitality.

Even today, I get so overwhelmed reminiscing those two days when a piece of sunshine from a distant land descended on my heart!

FOUR YEARS LATER, MING ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS VISITING INDIA WITH SOME OF HIS RELATIVES, AND WOULD LIKE TO VISIT PATIALA