My Interactions with Habib Tanvir: Part III

Habib saab had a thing about drinking two small shots of rum at night. He needed it to relax and unwind. So, once he was travelling with Nageen to France. His flight to France was out of Mumbai. He and Nageen were supposed to alight at the domestic airport and then go to the international airport to catch their international flight to France. Simple process. He had also requested Sanjna Kapoor to send someone to help out in case they had to come out of the airport with luggage. They didn’t have to because when Habib saab and Nageen came out they were carrying just one hand bag.

We were in Mumbai that time. We were staying at Charkop, which is kandiwili west. And as usual we had no money. I think our collective worth that day was about a thousand bucks in India rupees. (for those reading this in the US , I guess can’t even imagine it)

Habib saab calls and tells me that he is going to be there and then move to the international airport and fly to France, why don’t we go there to drive him from the domestic airport to the international airport. Though a volunteer is coming from Prithvi but ‘ I would like you to be there, if you can’. Now that meant that if you didn’t he would remember and let you know the next time he sees you. I couldn’t tell him how much money I had in the account.

So, we quickly calculated, figured a certain amount will go into petrol and parking. We would still be left with some. But just before leaving I realized that due to security norms he would not have been allowed to carry his miniature bottles in which he carried his Old Monk when he was travelling. So, I pulled out some more money from the fast depleting non-existent purse of ours and bought a quart.

Habib saab came out of the airport quite angrily. It took me some time to take out the car from the parking and reach where he was standing. He got into the car. I told him – Habib saab I have got your rum if you would like to have it. He said – and I have got water, but how will I have it? I told him there is a glass under his seat. He took out the glass, quickly mixed his drink and gulped it( Chait Ram style- he was in a hurry) In about ten minutes we reached the international airport. I again had to park the car. Habib saab kept waiting for me till the time I reached there to thank me for thinking about it and remembered this small gesture of mine.