Dads Friend I never knew, while losing a dear friend

I am walking down Bistupur main road, and as habit is, I stop by at Ajay's jwellery shop.

Yes its been a good 20 days that he has left us to become – the late Ajay Shah I see his father in the shop, probably the 3^rd time I am seeing the gentleman, we start to talk.  I offer my condolences; he seems quiet distraught still and not focused, to make him comfortable I mention my dad as a way of introducing myself (a very Indian small town way of introducing oneself through ones parents) whom I lost 13 months back.

All of a sudden the gentleman is full of words and speaking to, starts to narrate how my father started his career, at Biswas clinic in Bistupur, how much my dad charged (Rs 2   some 48 years back, interesting to think and in 2012 my dad still charged Rs 50 a patient) to the days that my dads business was still to pick up, to how my dad did lose hope a few times and wanted to move back to Calcutta, but this gentleman Mr. Shah was instrumental in keeping him in JSR with his words of encouragement.    It was wonderful listening to him talk about my dad and tells me stories of the time my dad started his own chamber some 45 years back, the time they spend having numerous cups of tea while waiting for patients to show up .

Slowly he did open up talking about his days and how it was living in Tatanagar all these years ,,, he did share his feelings about Ajay, How good a son Ajay was to him (why am I not surprised) , and how proud he is of Ajays friends -  Pankaj, Vikas, some dudes from London ( wonder who )   needless to say, I left a good 45 minutes later,  knowing Ajay need not worry , his dad is doing well and so will his family , who have the support of all friends and family.  Lucky is a man who has so much good will as Ajay does posthumously.