Time again to say Goodbye

As my days at Mangalore are coming to an end. I am yet again in life, going to carry lot of memories from this beautiful place. I have this strange habit of making every place my home. Here, also i made a little paradise for myself.
My life here revolved around the people near me. Mary aunty, Ajji, Lucy Aunty, Rosy Aunty, Gerard uncle, Roche Uncle....the list is seemingly long but I think i better pen their names down. ....will be difficult to remember these names later. I am bad at remembering names but faces i never forget.
People are possessive about me and I am slightly uncomfortable. I thank my parents for the manners, which they inculcated in me. It has always helped with my interaction with people. I feel happy being a daughter to so many people here. Somewhere, the rapport which i shared with some people over here was amazing.
I still remember when R Shankar had told me that I am going to stay in Mangalore for next 20years. When he told me that, the rebel in me arose and I said to myself naaaahhhhh....not happening.
My days with The New Indian Express was a great learning. It was sheer baptism by Fire. Being the only woman sub-editor, working in the night and plus pervert characters like Varghese around. It was a quite a challenge to avoid being ill-treated. My Deputy News Editor was so-called occasional drinker who had nothing better in life to than to bitch about the chief Mangalore reporter Harsha. he use to share his views with sub Naina and reporter Bhakti. God! i had to hear all this non-sense!!! I expressed my displeasure in talking bad about anyone openly.
Handling the Madikeri and Somwarpet edition was tough. BC Dinesh and Indresh being the reporters. Their writing was far from being close to English. But the way i handled their stories and gave them importance made them extremely happy. the photographer Ramakrishna was also happy as I use to publish his pictures on page two despite opposition by others.
My Kannada Prabha colleagues Krishna, raghu, venu were also more like brothers. It was tough to make them understand, that i am not an Engish journalist with headweight. Finally, with lot of perseverence I was finally able to reach their hearts.
I also had a blast with my internees. They treated me like their elder sister with Sitesh-the prankmaster from Bihar, Sreedevi-the silent one all becoming close to me.
Sree became a parcel of my life. I had to save her mentally and emotionally. I did everything in my capacity to make her life. From giving advice for hyours together to buying things to her, everything possible under the sun.....until I was completely drained out.