Culla Remembering Dada

i remember going on the ship and seeing you go down the hole.
i remember you ringing that bell thrice in the middle of the night, and we were so excited and scared that you were back.
i remember you dropping me and my friends to first holy communion class and painting the church gates a silver color, thinking wot a cool color you chose.
i remember you in your cool suit that you wore for my communion.
i remember going with you to don bosco's and thinking we were hep catholics.
i remember you applying butter and cheese 'lavishly' :)
i remember you getting goodies for judy's family too and me trying to get the best shoes for myself.
i remember my first 'tight' denim skirt and sky blue corduroys.
i remember when you took me with you for your physiotherapy in the '80s.
i remember us calling you 'langda pran'
i remember that time you took us for a whole week to calangute -- it was my first 'resort' holiday, and the time you took us to the kesarval waterfalls.
i remember my 'golas' that you got me.
i remember you putting up the swing for us on the jamun tree, and lying down under it eating bounty and taking in the sun.
i remember you patting mommy's bum and trying to kiss her all the time.
i remember the night i spent on your ship and then you went off with mommy, i was sooooo proud of you.
i remember sitting with you outside ruzad aunty's house and you being both at peace and crabby.
i remember seeing a photo of you on my school poster, and pointing out that handsome guy to all my girlfriends and saying he's my father.
i remember how proud you were of the nessai house.
i remember how you loved mama above all else, and i always wanting a husband like that.
i remember you taking me to the andheri market and keeping me at the 'oil' or mafco dukan while you went marketing.
i remember you putting your legs on mommy and sleeping.
i remember you giving me talks about Our Lord.
i remember fighting with you for rubbish.
i remember being a real jerk and saying horrid things to you.
i remember you sitting next to me on the luxury bus when i was 16 and telling me that you saw me getting giddy headed over some boys. (i was so scared).
i remember you listening to 'ajeeb dastain' 25 times in obx.
i remember your life stories.
i remember how you were so perceptive and figured amit out immediately.
i remember trying to get money out of you when i would meet you in the street.
i remember daddu how you dropped me to the andheri station or the airport when i started working and had to leave early or come in late.
i remember my 'hero' dada
i remember how you glared at all the boys and snarled at your customers at 'madonna'.
i remember you asking me for a drink at rachel's wedding and i said no, and you said 'okay baba, you will remember this'....... i will never forget this dada, it haunts me every time i think of you.
i remember and will always remember you calling me your no. 1 when i was 11 years old, walking down our driveway in nessai one afternoon.
and i remember your last words to me on thursday, july 26, 2007 ... 'mama made nice food today.