Bakshi had a phobia for air travel and enclosed lifts of high-rise buildings. The claustrophobic lifts made him fear travelling to meet work mates or friends who worked or lived in high-rise buildings. He would often invite himself to my home, saying, “Because you live on the first floor and one does not need to travel by lift to reach your home, and since your wife Salma cooks the most delicious meals...”

Once Bakshi narrated an incident to me. A successful and famous English writer had an unfinished poem. On his friend’s recommendation, he travelled to a distant village and asked an old, talented writer to help him. The old writer read the incomplete poem and said he could complete it but he would charge 500 pounds. And very soon the old writer had completed it.

The successful writer was surprised and asked the old writer if he was justified in asking for 500 pounds for such an easy job, accomplished within minutes. The old writer replied, “You are hesitating to pay me because you are not convinced that I should charge you so much money for a job I accomplished with much ease and in a few minutes. You are taking into account the few minutes I took to complete your poem, but you are not taking into account the many years I have lived and experienced life to be able to arrive at this moment with the wisdom and experience to complete your poem. It’s only thanks to the life I’ve led that I could accomplish the job for you in a few minutes.”

... contd.