First times, last times with…

1st of its series

The first time you attended a wedding?

It was for my godmother’s wedding when I was three years old. The date was 27th December 1958. Aunty Juliet was my father’s first cousin. The wedding was in Alawwa. I travelled in a Morris Minor car with my parents, my grandmother and my uncle, my father’s elder brother. I sat on his lap during the ride. I was the page boy at my godmother’s wedding.

Last time you read a good book?

I am still reading it. It is The Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. I read it every night before I go to bed.

The first time you did something illegal?

I raced with friends on my Lambretta scooter on the Galle Face on Colombo's main road. It was a double crime. Not only was it my speed, but I also did not have a riding license. I rode on the wrong side of the road for a few seconds. I was too stupidly young to realise the gravity of what I did. Foolish boy!

Last time you were mesmerised by a movie?

A few months ago. The movie was The Power of the Dog by Jane Campion, an Australian director. It is a Western, but devoid of violence: directing, acting and a storyline. Classic cinematography. I was so fascinated with the movie, I watched it twice. I could watch it again any time.

The first time you sang?

It was at a school concert when I was eight and in grade three. I was too close to the microphone, and the music teacher approached me and pushed me to the back, behind a row, saying I sounded bad. That was it for me. I did not take up singing after that. But I do enjoy listening to music all the time.

What was the last song you listened to?

Michael Jackson’s Rock With You. I am listening to it now on my Sonos system. It is a classic disco song from the seventies. Michael Jackson is probably the most talented singer who ever lived.

The first time you cooked?

I learned to make Rotis from my grandmother in her kitchen. I scraped coconut, mixed the flour with coconut water and salt and roasted it on a plate covered with a banana leaf from a woodfire under her supervision.

The last time you did something creative that wasn’t writing?

I photographed a wedding for a daughter of a friend of mine a weekend ago for their pre-wedding party and reception. I loved the creative part of capturing the moments of their happy event.

First stories you ever heard?

My grandmother’s stories. She narrated children’s stories at night against the backdrop of lamps. She had a limited number of stories, about four or five, that she repeated repeatedly. There were enchanting stories of a cunning fox, a crooked crow and a laundrywoman. Listening to her own brand of unique stories was entertaining. I fell asleep listening to her bedside stories.

The last story you wrote?

I wrote a short story yesterday about a trip to a Catholic shrine when I was sixteen. I wrote it in a hurry.

The first time you smoked?

It was during a school holiday trip with my friend Ajit and his siblings in the hill country. Our days were filled with freedom only afforded to carefree teenage boys looking out for the next adventure. We swam in reservoirs and fished. Ajit and I smoked in between, hiding from his brothers. We wiped our fingers on tea leaves to get rid of the tobacco smell.

The last time you smoked?

Smoking was a fashion fad among youngsters of my time. I lit cigarettes to impress others that I was a confident adult. By the time I turned eighteen, I was a smoking addict. This continued for a few short years. After I landed in Dubai, I wanted to give up smoking. I became aware of its health hazard and risks to my body. But it was a habit that was extremely hard to give up. I switched from Rothmans to the Silk Cut brand because the latter had less nicotine. A year or two later, I gave it up cold turkey. It was hard; I failed many times and gave up yet again. Eventually, I won in a matter of a few months.

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