Personality is born out of pain. It is the fire shut up in the flint...

As a first year science student in Ferguson, we used to rush from one class to the other and to cover it all practicals and completing journals would used to take away the remaining peace of mind.
Central School product and secondly coming from National Defense Academy, it kept us in discipline even in college days where actually one is supposed to enjoy the freedom of getting out of school life.
I remember I was told not to sit in the class if all the students are doing mass-bunk. This sounded very weird to me but then I thought to take it with a pinch of salt at that time.
I still remember after a heavy duty practical session – standing in the lab all evening had squeezed out all the energy and after 5 rushing to catch the Pune Municipal Transportation bus number 83/84/85 – to reach home was killing.

Our bus timings were one hours frequency and that day we girls were so tired and fed-up of this routine run around to catch the 5:00 p.m. bus that we as a mass decided to go to Vaishali restaurant and get rid of our hunger and tiredness.
We entered the Vaishali restaurant and sat on the right hand side of the table where two each of us were sitting with a hungry face yet a worried expression on our faces. Lingoo the server came and looked at us and gave a smile.

 Lingoo, who has a salt and pepper hair, his teeth colored with beetle leaves yet that smile has so much warmth that anyone in that restaurant comes in feels so welcoming and more over one will forget all their worries and would look forward to hear what they have to offer.
Lingoo came to me and said what are you worrying about…do you want to know what’s good here? because I think you girls are new here…first year student?

and I smiled nodding my head as yes, and with a wondering expression as how he know all this.
We four girls ordered and then Lingoo brought us tea – saying this will relieve all your worries…indeed Vaishali tea…I still have that taste in my mouth – and still remember the wide white cup – it really had that magic which took all our worries away. We were concentrating on our food in between when I looked around there was another server called Vasu…who used to give a cunning smile and look and walk away when Lingoo came and said …that guy is a crazy guy – don’t indulge with him.
“Hospitality is making your guests feel at home, even if you wish they were”

As soon we see Lingoo disappeared in the kitchen Vasu comes and says that guy Lingoo he is a bit crazy so you girls better be careful and don’t smile too much with him…
All this was so funny and entertaining that how we spent our three years there and later on also the experience never changed and it was all because of people like Lingoo and Vasu who kept entertaining the guests – They treated us like their own kids…they used to come and help everyone whether you’re after some girl or boy – Lingoo and Vasu will give you proper and right advice and information.

My last meet with Lingoo was in 2005…when I went with Milind for a coffee…one after the other coffees came  in and as we left the place Lingoo came in and blessed saying be happy where ever you are …those words are still lingering in my ears …that smiling face where his eyes used to almost close – Vaishali won’t be the same again…We will miss you Lingoo….
May your soul rest in peace and give your family the strength to bear this loss. The person who was so senior to all of us Lingappa was always known to students as Lingoo…he had no other name and I think love has only one name…You will be missed yet your stories will remain alive as generation after generation people will recite…

“Attractiveness and magnetism of man’s personality is the result of his inner radiance”