It’s an odd place to meet after seven years. And even more an odd way of beginning a conversation. 38-year-old Abbas was quite concerned seeing his co-passenger chewing tobacco on this short trip in a city bus on Thursday. When he told him tobacco chewing could lead to oral cancer, the stranger was annoyed. But soon, the two moved on to other issues, such as family and work.
Abbas told Ravichandran that he campaigned for blood donation and the latter discovered that his new friend had saved his daughter with his blood when Vijaya Bharathi, then 11 years old, was badly hurt in an accident seven years ago. Daily wager Ravi, 35, was excited that his long search has at last ended and now he could thank him in person.
“When I told him I am insurance advisor, he invited me to his house in Vyasarpadi for signing up a policy for his daughter. I told him I want something more than that”, Abbas told DC.
“The payback will be your promise to give up tobacco, I told Ravi. He hesitated for a moment and then held my hand. 'Upon my daughter, I promise you', he told me”, said Abbas.