Light evening drizzle, umbrella on hand, tired after 20 rounds of walking at the corporation park I was returning home hurriedly. A Taxi kept trailing behind me for over 100 metres, got irritated I turned back suddenly a scooter overtook the taxi, came in front of me and blocked my way.

A gentleman shouted, “Are you Mr Venkatarangan?”. Rattled, before my mouth opened to answer, my mind was running through a list of people who might not be liking me – I don’t owe money to anyone – I haven’t even met anyone new in the last few days to have them come chasing – I haven’t shouted about “politics” even in Facebook – I was courteous to the Ashok Nagar Police Officer who came to my house requesting me to install a CCTV facing the road – so what did I do for this encounter?

The gentleman parked his scooter on the side and extended his right arm with a friendly smile. The part of me which was shaking in fear settled down. “I am Balasubramaniam living near-by, I am a regular reader of your blog, you write very well(?) and it is a pleasure to get to meet you”. Hearing this I was relieved and I began flying in Cloud 9, telling him humbly “thanks, I am a common man blabbering online just like the other millions of Indians online”. For the next 10 minutes, till my phone rang with a call from my WIFE, we both were discussing the state of the economy, the IT Industry in India, and movies.

Thanks, Mr Bala, you made my day!

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