[SeelaypeKet]

PR's meeting with Annan:

http://www.mayyam.com/hub/viewtopic....613%20#1962613

equanimus wrote:
ஓ, பிறவிப்பயன் அடைஞ்சுட்டாரா!


இனி இங்க என்ன வந்து, என்ன எழுதி ....என்ன என்ன என்ன என்ன....

equanimus wrote:
Congratulations, PR! Planned or accidental?


Completely accidental. I was thoroughly tongue-tied. I didn't say a thing. Was a complete goofball.

Was walking with an acquaintance to a restaurant in Beasant Nagar beach when I saw the man. Frail, dark, wearing a cap.

No-one around, he was by himself in a nook near Cozee restaurant. I went up and shook his hand and said the cliched "big fan". In a voice gruffed by age he acknowledged in a soft soft tone -which was profoundly atypical.

எங்க வேலை பாக்குறீங்க ? எங்க இருக்கு ? நாவலூரா...ரொம்ப தூரமாச்சே...etc. I was answering in monosyllables. He was talking more and I felt uncomfortable as if I had intruded into his space and was eager to walk away. Just told him I was glad to meet him.

The zillion things which I have always wanted to say, I didn't manage to say

- that in my books he ranks up there with PGW and no-one else. Ever.
- that if the whole TFI history - with its Sivajis, Kamals, Rahmans, IRs and MKTs- was wiped out of existence I wouldn't care two hoots, as long as we had records of his achievement
- how there are a whole bunch of people in the world who appreciate his comedy for its peerless uniqueness
- that we have here discussed him extensively and theorized about him
- that I am annoyed by detractors with misplaced sense of sensitivity - so much so that I have even wrote a short story with the express purpose of shutting them up
- about my doubts on whether he realizes what a phenomenon he actually is - given he is a chronic self-effacer

estra estra esta

oNNumE pEsalai Embarassed All this came back after I was settled in the restaurant and ordered my food. The moment of the meeting I guess was naturally awed. And this is not a celeb thing- permit me this bragging - I have met some celebs with whom I have managed to be at relative ease when conversing. I am sure - ANYONE else, I would have had sufficient composure to say something sensible. This was one was sudden and overwhelming.

I feel like a total goofball. A happy one though.

When I walked out of the restaurant. He was still there in his nook. I had organized my thoughts enough to say something sensible, atleast take a pic on my mobile etc. But he was sitting there chatting with a couple of friends, in an intelligent unrecognizable nook. I didn't feel like butting in.