September 9 is a date I dread. Those close to me professionally and personally would be aware of the horrific experience that I underwent along with three other colleagues on this date twelve years ago, which changed the course of my career for several years thereafter. Even worse was a health related encounter exactly three years later.
Though I am not superstitious at all, 9 is usually supposed to by my lucky number - my house in Torda is 144/9, for example. So perhaps the year 2009, when all the nines came together, was time to turn the tide. Maybe, maybe not, but for sure I met with two people who have been so close and yet so far, in surprising ways on 09.09.09.
The first re-meeting was in the afternoon. A friend sent out "old memories" photos on facebook, and I was tagged on a few of them. The first one opened up to a picture of a long nosed lean mean me with a thinned down casually dressed Ravi Gupta, clapping his hands, like the rest of us in the pitcure.
Tears rushed into my eyes when I saw his face reach out to me from my laptop screen, and it was like he was telling me not to be afraid of September 9 anymore. There is much that I am working on today which was exactly the same that I was working on then, but this time around I think I have him beside me to help.
Later that evening, I went to the Campaign A-lister's party, and met Josy Paul after a longish time. We did the usual rounds of leg pulling, set a date to catch up etc, but in a large gathering of five hundred people, making small talk about big things, you don't really "meet" anyone, do you?
So I opened up the A list book and looked up the entry on Josy. Sure felt good to meet him properly. Read it here and meet him too:-)