Tom, Dick and Hariprasad Gaitonde

Waking up to the reverent fragrance of incense sticks, was daily habit.... Hariprasad Gaitonde, my roomie ( of course not his real name !! ) , would stand by the window, almost in the buff , a wet  towel covering the bare essentials , hands folded, head bowed, ...i am sure he half closes his eyes ....just in case God lands up......two lit incense sticks wedged in between his index fingers....reverently  mumbling his early morning prayers. Waking up the heavens with this rhetoric.


“ I’m not like any Tom,  Dick and Harry” he used to say when asked about this wet reverence .” I am a devotee” he briefed the rest of us. 

The bachelor pad was just getting over last night’s booze bout.Struggling with a hangover, contemplating,  if the last swig in the bottle was still available for a quick morning round with contaminated tap water. so much for acquired immunity. The water tank probably had dead rats in it ...  in any case, the stale , re-heated “choley bhaturey” from “Pappu’s dookan” would kill the whiff of ..the whatever we were on and negate anything.  Not looking forward, to the working day, better to stay in bed and catch up on lost sleep.  In any case the frequent “bandhs” and “ andolans” had messed up the market….sleep was the best investment. Mummy told us to sleep well. There …justified.


Sleeping late, ...No ... Not HP, no he was a class apart...he was good to go, fresh ironed shirt and trousers, polished shoes, allprim and proper, by 0745 hrs .HP was an ideal son eligible bachelor, the perfect employee, punching in at 0759  am for two years at a stretch. Hotly pursued , by the enterprising marriage middle - men…the perfect husband to be.” No…..No he does not drink….no affairs….no smokes…no nothing…...devout..spotless reputation…God fearing… good looking…good company ”…the “shadi dalals” had a field day when they were touting HPs CV to second hand maruti 800 owing shady looking ,pan parag chewing prospective dad – in - laws .

“ Im not like any Tom , Dick and Harry”  HP insisted , when the rest of us  cronies suggested , that we play his family and negotiate and collect the dowry from his smuggler (could be drug dealer) prospective father –in-law… and split three ways . HP would not take the money . He was a devotee….HP would still get the girl ..his wife, and hmm …Kishore kaka the paan dookan chappie,  could play HP’s father …and we his brothers..…ok split four ways .HP was listening….HP was a good listener.

“ What if ..my Mother, and Father find a girl and fix an alliance in my village ?”  he challenged us with this very apt question…. “ Adjust bhai “…we replied …Polygamy was no problem if secrets could be kept, ….one wife in the city …one in the village…..HP was a zamindar one and only beta, a very devout beta….of course he loved us as friends…and he had such a nice heart.  ..do it for us  HP …do it for us ..please !!! …..“ I am no Tom Dick and Harry” ..he blurted out almost apologetically …the get rich quick dreams disappeared for the rest of us …at least for the moment.

This......was a long time ago.......a very long time ago …in fact “ Maine Pyar Kiya “ had just completed 100 days in the nearby Lata Hall.  We lost touch in a year or so

Many ,many, many years later…by the ghost of a chance or divine intervention… I met HP, in a roadside café in steel city, surprisingly , we recognized each other ….i had not changed much …..It had been ages years since we moved out following our own dreams..living our own lives . We bumped into each and wham!! …HP was now a conversationalist and bordered on being cop …., I had been taught by life to listen ” good to catch up buddy !! he said  …married  ?  he asked…  “Yeah” .kids  ? yeah  …wife works ? yeah …settled ? ..yeah looks like…middle management job ..huh ?  ..yes ..sort of…good group ? ..yeah …want some more tea..? …hmm well yes..why not ..you don’t get to see an old friend …everyday…. HP pulled out a pack of smokes..and offered me one…no I quit ..hey that’s nice  he said ..when did you start.... I asked ? ..he blew onto my face ….”Long story ..Long story “  he muttered..”  …lets go get a drink..he suggested ..Steel city was full of cheap bars…” I was shocked ..HP and booze ...?? 

 No I got to be back by the evening train ..i said.  ..|” oh come on”  he said …I had to turn it down I was not doing the pub crawl  any more ..”you’ve changed buddy” ..he noticed .”.you ‘ve dumped all this ? ” …Sort of I managed to blurt…” but you surprise me …HP “ you were this great devout .and vehment .teetotaler…? what happened ?

“ I am still devout ...long story … you don’t want to know “ he said ..He was right . In a nut shell …married the perfect woman , split , re-married , split..booze, a bit of drugs…smokes, kept job hopping …obviously booze and grass had done him in …in fact he was now living in …”you see”… he went on “ Im no Tom Dick and Harry “ people mess with me ”lifes been unfair to me “, … I had no time ..I had a train to catch …I did not want his number…No point keeping in touch with a total loser. “ Mail me “  he said  . “.sure thing..” ..call me … the will do will do nonsense , business cards…I jumped on a waiting cab, and slammed this loser shut behind me

…after all  Im no Tom Dick and Harry.

 The HP I knew as a roomie was not the HP I met….. they say much of life is lived by the choices we make, one would even question if righteous living did guarantee a good deal as life plays out . HP did seemingly make the right choices ..and he got a  lousy deal …well..bad luck ?predestination ? …..stupid choices ? ….I did not have the answers… ..may be HP was an exception….I did  not know and I did  not care....the rhythmic Steel City express …need a shut –eye …tired …grateful ...satisfied …redeemed ..yeah redeemed  and sleeping ….