Valentine thoughts

Having always regarded him as a father figure 8212; as a matter of fact, I address him as 8220;abba8221; 8212; he is not, of course, my Valentine in the conventional sense of the term. But here is a man who can teach the rest of his sex a lesson or two on how to sustain a friendship.

I don8217;t know how the image as man of wine and women came to subsume the other aspects of Khushwant Singh8217;s personality, but here is a man who instinctively knows what affection and caring is all about.

In my several years of interaction with him, he comes across as a downright conservative personality who lives his life in accordance with his convictions and principles. He also never really compromises on time or the timetable he has set for himself. He will welcome you with great warmth only at 7 pm sharp and until the 8220;bottoms up8221; hour of 8 pm, he is entirely there for you.

Over whisky soda for stubborn teetotallers like me he will hear you out on anything that8217;s preoccupying you at that given moment and then respond to your observations with such honesty and spontaneity that each word has the capacity to touch you.

He will then bid farewell with a gentle hug and a warm clasp of the hand. Although almost 89 years, his eyes still retain a childlike innocence. He speaks from his heart and writes in exactly the same way 8212; undeterred about the effect his words could have on his readers.

It is this that makes Khushwant Singh stand apart 8212; this, and the unchanging genuineness about him. He is what he is, without any frills or facades. This, in itself, is a rare quality in these times.

For human relationships are all about genuine caring. If a relationship can be based on caring, the rest follows. And such caring cannot be confined to one particular day in a year 8212; whether you call it Valentine8217;s day, or anything else. It should be for keeps.