A call from the mountains:)

(Shh... Just Keep Breathing, It will get better)

So as I have mentioned before, my favourite childhood writer was none other than Mr. Ruskin Bond and it felt unfair not a to dedicate him an entire blog. 

The first Bond book I read, as mentioned before was Children's Omnibus when I was 8 . And I guess my favorite short story will always be The Blue Umbrella. It's too pure not to love. 

So when I was 13, Ma announced that we were gonna go meet him at the Cambridge Book Depot, on the Mall Road, Mussoorie where he came to celebrate his birthday, I absolutely died of happiness. The meeting was very brief. There was a long line behind me and I got like 5 minutes. But it was worth it. Mr. Bond is the most humble and down to earth man I know. He signed my books, asked me how I was, smiled for a photograph with me, saw the sketch I made ( I took a stupid cartoon sketch of him for a gift) even gave a humorous comment about it, "that looks just like me", he said and then gave me coy smile, and added, "I will have to work on my figure a bit though" and I laughed so hard.

I went another year and had another short meeting.

 

But the best interaction was last year. Due to covid, Mr. Bond's birthday  celebration had to be shifted online, and a best wish competition was organized. The winner would recieve a phone call from the greatest writer of all times. Mr. Ruskin Bond. And when that's the prize, you are too motivated not to win. 

I was taking my afternoon siesta when it happened... Suddenly the phone rang and obviously I was sooo annoyed! 

I picked up the phone to see who was calling and I would have cut the call, had it been a number or someone else, but it was 'Cambridge Book Depot'  calling and I was like.... what? Obviously still half asleep. I had totally forgotten that I had won the competition (I had written a poem and Deepak had made a video for it)

 I had no clue though that the phone call would come that late in November since his birthday was in May!

Anyway I picked up the phone, and I recognized Mr. Sunil Arora, the owner of the shop speaking, he told me that I'll be getting to talk to Mr.Bond. And I was still not very attentive when he handed over the phone to Mr Bond himself... and out of excitement I jumped out of the bed and my legs got entangled in the blankets and I fell on the floor with my face and hands while my feet were still in the blankets.

"Hello" said a rough voice on the phone, and I obviously recognized Mr.Bond's voice, why wouldn't I?  I was flabergasted at the moment... so I blurted out something like, "Hello? Mr.bond are you there?" or something  else like that, (I am too embarrassed to remember) He started talking about how I was.. After a second or two I was calm enough to talk back, I told him that maybe things would get better and I would get to see him on new year, I apologized for not being able to be there on his birthday to which he replied in the sweetest voice, "Aah my birthday's long gone". When it was time to end the call he told me to go back to sleep if I was resting and I thought "Gosh! was it that obvious?"! I concluded that he was too smart! He then said the most amazing words and I still cherish them and would do so for my entire life. "You have a very sweet voice". 

We chatted for 15 minutes, I got to tell him that I loved his murder mysteries, And Mrs. Ripley Bean was my favourite charector, that it was because of his books I even started reading, and everything I had ever wanted. He ended the call with, "It was very nice talking to you Shambhavi" (yes! He said my name!!!!) "Take good care" 

I still write him letters every now and then. I believe he reads a few of them. I don't mind if he doesn't read them all. He is old and famous, which means he has very less time. But he still finds time for his fans and how can you not love a man like that:)? 

Yours truly,

Sammy<3