13th July

Completed morning program. In fact pranayam, asans, exercises & walk are more important than anything else. These things and particularly walk, games, swimming etc. are absolutely essential to keep body and mind in a fit condition. As far as possible we should not miss them on any day.
Pilku asked to visit Common Wealth Games Village to look up flats. We have already decided to visit as soon as we hear from the builders.
Visited Safdarjang hospital and consulted the dental surgeon who advised an ORG X-Ray of the mouth to know the condition of teeth for further procedures. Obtained the permission for X-Ray ORG at Star 'Imaging' Path lab, Tilaknagar. Will get it done as soon as the antibiotic course of four days is over.
On way collected coffee from Cafe, Vikaspuri. But the girls on duty did not take money.On inquiry came to know that as I had won the bet due to victory of Spain, they had not charged for the coffee. In fact on Sunday the 11th they said that Spain would win. I agreed with them. As both of us agreed there was no scope for bet. Then they said that they would go for victory to Netherlands so that we could have a bet. The bet was for Rs.10/- only, but they had said that if they lost they would rather give me a cup of coffee free of cost. In fact I had forgotten the bet. It is only when the driver told me that I didn't have to pay for the coffee I remembered the episode. The 2 girls working in the cafe Vikaspuri are studying in the Delhi University in 3rd year of their graduation course. They get Rs. 6000/- per month for a 12 hour schedule of work per day with one day off each week. I was reminded of my daughter-in-law Ruchi working in Mc. Donalds in UK to earn some money so that she could carry on along with my son who was then studying in the London school of Economics. It's good that the youngsters take to jobs so that they can carry on their studies and later try for better jobs. In fact when my son Pilku got a job in UK, my daughter-in-law left Mc. Donalds job and joined MSC course in Information Technology at London School of Economics & after completing it joined Nessele in the first instance & of course she joined Unilever UK later followed by some other companies. After the birth of the 2nd child she has not been able to join any work. When I think of all this I salute Zap 86 (about which I have written in my blog on 9-11 July).
An old friend of mine of school days met me. We were reminiscent of old days. He told me the story of his life as to how things we were going on between him and his wife. He said,quote,"There is a deep seated dislike for me in the mind of my wife since very inception of our married life.",unquote. I asked what the reason was. He replied,quote,"I don't know .As you know ours was an arranged marriage in which none of us had seen each other. I have taken care of her to the best of my ability. But she appears to have somehow tolerated to live with me. She made every possible effort to leave me but somehow didn't succeed. There was none in her family who could give her succor. She wants to leave me even now. I told her that she could live separately if she so desired. But she does not want to live separately to keep facade of living together so that her parents, brothers & sisters didn't feel unhappy. She wants me to leave her. How can I leave her? I am at my wit's end. I think I have lived long years with her and will perhaps continue to live some years that are left."unquote. After hearing my friend I felt quite sad and advised him to continue to take care and put up with her as he had done so far. Life is like that. It is difficult to understand it as also to keep on living it. There is no alternative but to carry on. My friend left after lunch at a restaurant in Cannaught Place. He had to catch his flight by Jet Airways at 4.30 pm for Mumbai. I saw him off at the airport and promised to look him up as soon as I could when I went to Mumbai. I also asked him to call me whenever he came to Delhi to see if we could meet again over a cup of coffee/lunch/dinner. He was quite close to me in the school days from our 5th to 8th classes in AS Higher Secondary School, Fatehpur. Now he is in a good job and drawing a salary of over Rs.50,000/- a month. All his children are well settled and he lives in a suburban area of Mumbai. We met after over 55 years.
Retired to sleep at 10.30pm.