Laurel & Hardy

Prem, having a king's meal, at Hotel Ashoka near Pantheon Road (where Fountain Plaza is). He was here on business for a day and was to catch the evening train. The three of us caught up for lunch, well past lunch time.

Venky and me had already had our lunch, so we settled for sambar vada and filter coffee. Venky is quite like his old college self and takes care not to put on weight. So in the end, Prem's lunch dessert of a vanilla ice cream remained untouched. We are all on various forms of diet restrictions - old-age ailments that now land in middle age.

I almost mistook Venky for a local political dada when I saw him in his white Scorpio. He is doing a PhD in Law from SRM university, for which he is legal adviser. His topic is "The evolution of the English language in legal judgments".

In contrast, Prem says he is only a small-time lawyer, not flashy and successful as Venky is.

p.s. They look more like two Hardys now, since Prem has put on weight.