We all have certain favourite fictional characters and it is not that you get to meet their namesakes every day. But, once you do, do you compare them with their fictional counterparts? Do you have an image in mind for every character you have read in books?
So, is my Mr.Rochester different than yours? Or have you met Mr.Biswas for real? Does Miss Honey evoke the same emotion each time you hear the name from someone else’s mouth?
All these thoughts and much more came to my mind when I met a guy named Tridib in a conference. The moment he said, “Hey I am Tridib”, my head went into a different direction.
So, let’s see Tridib eh!!
———-Mind scanner on —–
“Shadow Lines —- Specs– Bong — Brainy — Geeky/ Yet smart — Well-read (Booklover/ avid reader)
Jack of all trades — Smart — Intelligent — Funny ”
— Mind scanner off—–
And after processing all of it within minutes, I come back with,
Me: Have you read the Shadow Lines? Tridib is my favourite character.
Tridib: Err. No… (Quite, taken aback with the weird-yet-visible- enthusiasm in the stranger’s voice)
Me: Oh! You should. He is awesome at everything. Probably, one of the best characters sketches in Indian literature.
Tridib: Really, that good eh? I shall definitely read it, who is the author you said?
Me: Oh! it is by Amitav Ghosh. You will love yourself more if you read the book (Slightly disappointed because of lack of awareness about the character.)
On that note, we bid goodbyes and perhaps, a chapter closed. I do not think about him. He has no reason to think about a mad-weird-inquisitive-pushy-persuasive-for-no-reason-person.
5 months later...
For some work related promotions, I am put in touch with a Tridib. We interact, keep on talking about what can we do for brand together and so on. I keep insisting on a meeting so that we could put faces to numbers. But, somehow a plan does not come into place for long.
One fine day on a boring conversation about brand deliverables:
He: Blah
Me: Blah Blah Blah Blah
He: By the way, why do you keep saying “Let’s put faces to numbers, Dude we have already met”
Me: Met? We? When?
He: Don’t you remember, I read an entire book because of you. Remember Tridib? Shadow Lines?
Me: Kill Me! Are you that Tridib? Conference? *red* *Blushes* *smiles* *laughs*
He: I thought you knew all this while. I did. And thanks to you I read about the “intriguing Tridib” in the book. Thanks a tonne.
And I guess rest is history. I did meet Tridib after this and trust me, I think now I am never going to forget him. This particular interaction, though random, not so important for many, was quite interesting for me. I t was so overwhelming to know that someone took a suggestion to read a book from a random person to seriousness. Not only that, he managed to recall that I was the one who suggested that. I was super thrilled to know that someone took me this seriously 😉
This post is for all such random encounters that life throws at us and we forget to take a note of them. It did make me happy to frame a friendship for life. Thanks, Tridib — fictional and real.
Have you met someone like this? Have you met fictional characters for real?
The big question is: “Do you scan real people with fictional glasses, like me?”
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