A few years ago Elizabeth ‘friended’ me on Facebook. She had sent me a message that effectively said that she is married to one Premnath Nagarajah… and… and… You see Prem not only grew up in my old neighborhood but also spent a lot of time in my house. We had lost touch all that time ago… but through his wife we were once again reconnecting.
Skip forward a few years and my train arrives in Boston. The last time I was here was 1981. Not only had I arranged to meet with Karim who was picking me up but Prem had graciously agreed for us to “tumpang” at his home.
Getting to Prem’s place was a bit of a comedy of errors… but we did make it there. Meeting us at the front door was the warm vivacious Elizabeth with full welcoming hugs. She invited us into their lovely home and we sat in the kitchen and chatted while she cooked.
This is the actual moment Prem walked into the room and saw us.
Then, Prem arrived home from work. After the happy hugs the “catch-up” commenced. First in his “man cave” then over a delicious curry meal Elizabeth had cooked. She laughed when I told her that my Mum had once described Prem as ‘shy but sly’.
Prem has a beautiful home in the Roxbury area of Boston which is about 130 years old. Elizabeth proudly told me that it was Prem who is responsible for maintaining it… her very own “interior decorator” as it were.
The view of Boston from the perch from one of the rooms.
They have raised 3 beautiful children. The eldest, Raj… took us out to Wally’s… a little bar club wherre we spent the evening. It was latin jazz night and a very talented group were soon pumping out the cubano tunes with aplomb.
The packed crowd danced around us… the drinks flowed… smiles lead to “hi’s”… then smiles and one couldn’t help but swing and sway to the rumba infused music. I have to confess there were names connected to many of these faces but were duly washed away by the scotches Prem kept buying me. Click the video for a sample of the night.
An old friend of Prem… Tony joined us. Soon it was time to head back to Prem’s house. But the evening was not done yet. We sat outside talking and laughing some more… but the sleep devil was chasing us and soon caught up.
It was a full day… and a good day… reconnecting with an old friend and making new ones.