Baby girl had chicken pox last week. My little bundle of joy had become a bundle of painful rashes. I couldn’t even hold her. She skipped school two days one of which I stayed home to watch her. But I was glad. Chicken pox is one of the things that kids take better than adults. Another, is love. Since she was the only one in the  family who hadn’t caught chicken pox yet, that is a chapter closed.

Our departmental boss is leaving. He was the kind of boss who knew everyone in the department by name, what they did and what they did not do. When he had a problem with you he’d come over to your desk and yell the hell out of you sort it out with you there and then. Further, he encouraged us to walk into his office any time if you had a problem and discuss it with him. You cannot work for 6 months, 3 months, even one month without a problem, he believed. Instead of e-mails, he advocated for face to face discussions whenever possible. But it was not uncommon for you to visit his office only for him to announce “Now is not a good time!” 🙁 , then, you’d have to see him later. He replied e-mails immediately often with one word : Discuss! (which meant you’d have to face him anyway! ) Some feared him. Many dreaded him. But he was a good man..outside the office that is. See, he believed in working hard and partying hard.

During his tenure, we held departmental dinners quite a number of times and what better way to give him a send off than have one of  ’em departmental dinners. That is why last Friday evening found us at Maxland Grill, Westlands.

Now, there is a problem.

Turns out the spot we had reserved is already occupied. …but the occupants are leaving, any minute we are told. We can live with that, so we hang around chatting. This is turning out to be one long minute and soon we are offered a place to sit as we await the guys at our spot to leave. We are shown to this miserable room that’s akin a class room. One would be forgiven for thinking we are funeral committee. At this point am starving. The drinks we are having are not helping. Soon it is announced that our spot is now all for us.

The mood is livelier here. After what was seemed like an eternity, food is served. I ask the guy seated next to me if I can wash my hands with his beer. He has no problem. The food is great. It was worth the wait. The boss makes a little speech. And curtains close.

Oh! and depending on what you are inclined to, you can either go home and sleep or dance the night away. 🙂