Bablu

Bablu is the ordinary guy who, along with his brothers, runs a dhaba outside the North gate of our college. Bablu has good PR skills and tries to get students to avail the services of his dhaba instead of the one adjacent to it. Gullu, like a lot of other guys, had an ongoing account with Bablu. Initially I thought that it was to take advantage of the credit service Bablu offers. Moreover, most of time we just walk out of class during a break and forget to carry money; this is when Gullu's account came in handy. One day we had a relatively large bill so I told Gullu that I'd pay instead of writing in the account. That is when I got to know that he actually had a prepaid account! He had deposited some money, around 400 bucks from what I remember, with Bablu so that he can eat there without guilt. I was amazed.

Bablu also went out of his way to help Gullu. Gullu used to fast on Tuesdays. He would eat once a day and his food was required to have no salt in it. He would request Bablu to make special salt-free aloo paranthas for Gullu and Bablu would do that! Another time we ordered food from another dhaba outside IIFT and ate at Bablu's dhaba since we had a test and had no energy to walk. Bablu readily gave us cutlery and let us sit inside his shack and eat, since no chairs were allowed outside due to some police issues.

Gullu kept one notebook for the entire term in the last trimester. That notebook got lost and finally Gullu found it with Bablu! We were highly amused, teased him how that had become way too much of a hang out place for him.

Yesterday, I got to know that the account that Gullu used to run at Bablu's dhaba has 100 rupees extra credit. I suppose it is meant to be like that, Gullu wanted it to be so.

Gullu, I am missing you a lot here, seems like "life" is missing.