Not being able to spend more time with my grandfather will always be one of my biggest regrets.
The memories i have of him will remain with me forever, for he was a man, who definitely had an 'aura' about him. Walking next to him along Air Force Road, Katunayake, seeing the way the other people on our street greeted him and respected him, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.
I was 10 years old, back then, i never appreciated how special it was to have a dedicated journalist as a grandfather. Taking into account the heavily regulated society we live in currently, some of the things my grandfather was capable of doing, gives an intriguing insight into the world of a trusted journalist.
My family home in Sri Lanka is located a stone's throw away from the International Airport, thus making it an ideal location for my grandfather to be based at whilst he worked for The Times as their Airport correspondent.
One of the fondest memories i recall, was when i travelled to Sri Lanka with my family for our summer holidays. Now, when the plane lands and comes to a halt, the standard procedure would consist of the airline hostess opening the door from the outside. However, my grandfathers press pass, or in all likelihood his ability to charm his way past anything, ensured that he was standing outside the plane door to greet us.
The V.I.P treatment didn't stop there. Customs? Passport Control? Taking off your belt and shoes and walking through the metal detectors? Not a chance.
Walking alongside my grandfather basically meant the red carpet treatment, we would simply walk past the painstakingly long queues, trying all the way to ignore the puzzled looks from the other passengers. In fact, as mentioned in one of the articles above, my grandfather was such a well known figure in the airport that everywhere we walked, people would greet him by his first name, ranging from the custom officers and security, to the cleaners.
I remember clearly this one instance when a customs officer opened my mothers suitcase and began searching it and messing up her meticulously folded clothes. All it took was one nod of the head from my grandfather, for the officer to rapidly close the suitcase. He almost seemed to bow his head in embarrassment.
Aside from all the cool, V.I.P perks, what i remember the most about my grandfather are his human qualities and values.
To date, people approach my father to thank him for services that my grandfather had done to them whilst he was alive.
He struck me as an extremely driven and determined man, qualities which i hope to develop if i am to become at least half the journalist he was. He would always have breakfast on the table fresh from the shop each morning when we were in Sri Lanka, and would always put the needs of others before his.
As a 10 year old boy, i remember him telling me as we sat on the beach to look after my parents, and especially my father, those were his exact words. That sums him up perfectly in my eyes, a beautifully eloquent, diplomatic and valued grandfather, no matter who he was addressing.
Proud to be your grandson.
Au Revoir!
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