A Bend in the River of Life (44 page)

On his return to Miami from vacation he found himself embroiled with the Latin American Debt crisis. Obviously, his bank was a major player in that debacle. Few months earlier he had been transferred to Latin American Debt Office based in Miami without any specific portfolio. Now he was entrusted with the responsibility of the southern cone of South America, comprising Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile. However, Argentina had the lion's share of the overdue debts, accounting for about two thirds of the non-paying portfolio of the region. Thus by the dictates of his new position it became crystal clear to him that in the next few years he would spend more time in Buenos Aires than in Miami. So in consultation with his boss in New York he decided to establish a
camp office with a residential house for him in Buenos Aires, keeping his dwelling house in Miami in tact, so that while in Miami he did not have to stay in a hotel. Accordingly, he made arrangements for his children's education at the Lincoln School or the American Community School in Buenos Aires. Rana then wrote to his father that complying with his entreaty he decided to bring Saurav and Smita with him to Miami and then to Buenos Aires when he would visit Calcutta next before the New Year. So the siblings were counting days and weaving dreams to be able to live happily again with their daddy in exotic far away countries.

There is nothing wrong with dreams. Dream is what drives the River of Life. This dream has propelled man to traverse a long way from the Stone Age to Digital Age. In the process, the knowledge of man has multiplied many thousand folds. Dreams are born every passing moment and the knowledge gathered in executing those dreams keep generating increasing motivation and energy to the River of Life. As a result, the progress achieved in the last hundred years has reduced to insignificance the advances made in the previous five thousand years. In the light of all the acumen and foresight acquired in the process, it can be easily proclaimed that in the next hundred years knowledge will expand far more exponentially. By virtue of that erudition it can also be firmly pronounced that knowledge unraveled henceforth might actually be growing extra-exponentially. Thus the hiatus between the knowledge raveled and the knowledge unraveled will keep widening forever. Not because the knowledge unraveled is not yet in existence, but because only rapidly increasing knowledge base can keep on discovering the existence of infinitely vast incremental repository of knowledge yet to be explored. Even man's God-given prolific imagination has not yet been able to fathom in any significant manner how much of God's creation is still beyond man's faculty of dreaming. Consequently, for every discipline of knowledge explored ten will remain unexplored; for every dream fulfilled, ten will be lurking behind the horizon.

Be that as it may, when Rana came to Calcutta to take Saurav and Smita finally, he breathed a fresh breath of air looking at their beaming faces. He could not recollect when last he saw them so happy, so full of vivacity. Their countenances reflected their dreams of future full of promise. In the depth of their sparkling eyes Rana saw once again the River of Life, infinitely ancient yet ever rejuvenated, flowing ceaselessly with a saint-like far away look. He tried to turn back the clock many years to put himself back in their shoes and look to the future to understand what might have been going through their minds. They were now fourteen and twelve respectively. From the tender twigs of toddlerhood they were on their way to blossoming into fully flowered foliage of the youth.

At the first opportunity, the siblings handed over to him their passports that they had so carefully preserved and protected. Rana showed them their plane tickets. They began dancing in jubilation. They asked for the tickets in their hands to see, touch and feel. Not that they disbelieved their dad, but seeing and touching the instrument of their passage indicated that their dream was approaching closer to reality. Up until then they had been carried away merely by hopes and promises. Now the real life experience was within their sights and at a striking distance. They went with their dad to the US Consulate to obtain their visas which were granted without delay. From there they drove straight to the Airlines office to get their flight re-confirmed. Now they were fully prepared to set their sail.

Then came the difficult part. It was one thing to rejoice at the prospect of accompanying their dad and living their lives under the same roof with their only surviving parent, but completely other to leave behind the next important blood relations who showered them with their love and care and reared them up in absence of their parents. As the date and time for departure was drawing near, tears and emotions were also spurting out as the spring gushes out of the earth at unpredictable intervals. For their grandparents on both sides,
Amit, Monika, Sudhir and Mita, the emotions were mixed; an overlapping of joy, for the children would be finally living with their dad and the sadness in separation, for no one knew if and when they would see their grandchildren ever again. The departure scene was stricken with sorrow. Once again, Rana observed two of the cardinal truths that make the River of Life so fascinating: Firstly, man's woe arising out of his inability to see the future and secondly, two contrasting interactions emanating from the same object. The object which is the source of delight in togetherness also becomes a fountainhead of distress in separation. Man has no control on them. Thus oscillating between gladness and sadness the River of Life flows on unceasingly on its timeless and ageless journey toward Eternity.

Rana had planned a stop-over in London for a few days to show his children the historic city about which they had heard and read so much and where their dad lived nearly four years. They stayed at the Hamilton International Hotel where Rana always used to stay during his visits to London and where Heather had her flower business. Rana kept Paula and Joshua informed about their visit. After his transfer to USA whenever Rana visited London they were pleased to come and meet with him. But this time they were looking forward to meeting his children for the first time. It seemed that the siblings from both sides created a good impression on each other at their first meeting. In their congenial way Paula and Joshua made Saurav and Smita comfortable in London, their first stop in a foreign country. For three days they kept the younger siblings on their toes what with sight-seeing and what with shopping. Saurav and Smita spent some time with Heather in her business. Since most of the time they were with Paula and Joshua, they also spent a considerable time in Paula's business. On the second day of the trip Paula quietly told Rana that her mother was very happy to see Saurav and Smita. She also expressed her wishes to see him. Paula took that opportunity to convey to him that her mother broke up with her boyfriend. During that visit Paula and Joshua were their regular companions at lunch
and dinner. But on the last evening of their stay, Rana invited Heather also for dinner. He saw Heather for the first time in more than three years. She did not change much physically in the intervening period. He tried to be as courteous with her as before, but not as chummy. For it was difficult for him to forget the fact that she was the one who broke off their relationship without hinting anything beforehand. Anyway, before leaving London, Saurav and Smita cordially invited Paula and Joshua to Miami and Buenos Aires to be able to reciprocate their unforgettable hospitality.

The timing of Saurav and Smita's arrival in Miami could not be better. It was end of January. Miami was at its beautiful best. The economy was booming. Everything around appeared bright and sunny. The secure surroundings of their island condominium were ideal for them as newcomers. All the things that they needed were available within the island. They were not scheduled to proceed to Buenos Aires before the second week of March, because their school would open only in the third week of the month. So they had clear six weeks to enjoy the balmy weather in Miami. Rana felt very lucky that there was no need for him to discipline his children. They were supremely disciplined for every parent's delight. No restrictions were imposed on them by their dad except for their own safety and security. They were instructed never to go beyond the bridge connecting the island with Bayshore Drive where the traffic was heavy. And they would listen to every word of their dad. He took them to his work a few times. They felt good to see their dad's office. His colleagues liked their pleasing manners.

On the weekends, he would usually take them for a cruise around Biscayne Bay or, to South Beach or, to places like Parrot Jungle and the Everglades National Park or wherever else they wanted to go. He also drove them to the Florida Keys in the south and Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach in the north to familiarize them with the sights and sounds of South Florida. Rana felt relieved that at long last they seemed to be happy, as happy as they could be without their mother. Under this
uninhibited environment they were candid to express their genuine feelings or participate in decision making about their well-being.

Rana took the opportunity of their stay in Miami to commence basic Spanish lessons for them under a competent teacher, so that on reaching Buenos Aires they would not find themselves in deep waters. Shortly, they made friends with some other kids of their age in their condominium and kept themselves happily occupied. On the warm days they would spend more time at the swimming pool with their new friends. Thus the siblings were preparing themselves to make their upcoming life in Argentina as productive and as enjoyable as possible. At the same time, they were glad to know that they would spend their vacations and holidays in Miami. Rana was delighted to see that Saurav and Smita were adjusting themselves to the new ways of life across two oceans from their place of birth with the joy of the swans in a placid lake.

Buenos Aires is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is a fine blend of Rome, Paris and London. In the middle of the city, not far from the down town, it has miles and miles of lush green playgrounds with important arteries crisscrossing the open green space. Many of the cross-roads are embellished with cast-iron statuary made by Argentine Masters. These are the relics of the bygone eras when Argentina owned the eighth richest economy of the world. That wealth shows up in the rich Gothic, Baroque, Spanish and French architecture of the city. During those halcyon days, international trade used to be heavily in favor of Argentina. Hundreds of ships carrying its exports of grains, meat, fish and dairy products would sail to Europe. However, its imports were negligible and more often than not, the return voyage would take place without any cargo. But to maintain the correct weight of the vessels for their protection and that of the crew against storms on the high seas, the ships would return with cobble stones loaded in the cargo hold. These cobble stones were then used in the construction of roads and arteries everywhere in Argentina.

First impression is usually the lasting impression and it was good for Saurav and Smita that they liked what they saw in Buenos Aires. Most of all, they found their school to their liking with students from many countries, largely the children of Diplomatic Corps in Argentina. They were pleased to see their house with a beautiful garden and pool. In a couple of days of their arrival in Buenos Aires they also became quite familiar and comfortable with Rana's driver Mauricio and house-keeper Gabriella. In fact, Mauricio and Gabriella were husband and wife in real life and they dwelt at the service quarter in the same compound. That helped to a great extent.

The siblings began their school as soon as it opened for the semester. To start with, the Rector had an apprehension if coming from a completely different educational, social and cultural background they would be able to adapt to the whole new environment soon. However, what was most heart-warming to Rana was their enthusiasm to adjust themselves rapidly to the new ways of learning and environment. Encouragingly enough, within a couple of weeks the Rector expressed his surprise about their extra-ordinary effort and outstanding ability to blend easily with the school culture and regimen. Saurav and Smita virtually fell in love with the new school and the new system of education. Besides their regular studies, they also found pleasure in participating in various extra-curricular activities. Among these, Smita's favorite was music and softball game. Saurav's choice was soccer and waterpolo. Soon Smita began singing new songs learnt at the school. Rana was pleased to hear the musical voice of his daughter again. He was aware of Saurav's skill as a Monday morning quarter-back, but never knew anything about his indulgence in athletics. Now Saurav began enjoying his new found enthusiasm in sporting activities. Over all, it was a delight for Rana to see their joy and happiness to live under the caring comfort of their dad.

Gardening was one of Rana's hobbies. Mauricio had been a gardener before. So between the two of them they used to devote a
lot of time around the garden on the weekends. Saurav and Smita too found interest in gardening. They became enthusiastic helpers. They felt important by helping their dad and found it rewarding too. It was encouraging for them to go to the nursery with their dad and Mauricio; help them choose the plants, plant them, prune and spruce them. Finally, when the flowers would bloom, they would be overjoyed to see the fruits of their toil.

There would be frequent photography sessions around the garden. Often they would go to the sprawling playfields of Buenos Aires to play soccer. Rio de la Plata or the River Plate, which is the wide open estuary of seven rivers merging with the South Atlantic, forms the shimmering coastline of Buenos Aires. The River Plate is about fifty miles wide, separating Argentina from Uruguay. It looks more like a sea than a river. The river bank was a scenic place to take a leisurely stroll any time during the day. On the western side of the river drive there was a row of good restaurants serving Argentine grilled meats cooked in slow fire. It was an excellent place to eat lunch while enjoying a wonderful view of the estuary. So they used to visit the place with close frequency. Occasionally, they would also go for an invigorating daylong cruise on the River Plate.