Adios Amigo�.Adios My Friend��
By: Daniel F. de Souza.
� Keep the lamp of FRIENDSHIP burning with oil of love because sun rises in east n sets in west but FRIENDSHIP rises in HEART and sets after DEATH�. This was the SMS my good friend Bab Peter send me on 13th Feb 2005 at 16.18 hours Gulf Time. I received yet another beautiful SMS message from him for Valentine�s Day. We would regularly exchange at least one SMS on an average 5 times in a week. Once in a while there would be a long e-mail in my inbox. But, six days later after the above SMS the inevitable has happened. As I recollect the events that suddenly took place in Bab Peter�s life from 14th Feb 2005 and the way his life took a twisted turn, till he breathed his last on a hospital bed in distant Bahrain, everything looks so very strange. I can�t help, but just wonder in utter disbelief whether my friend Bab Peter had a premonition about his impending death? The uncertainty of life begins to haunt me even more menacingly than ever before.
The entire tiatrist fraternity across the konkani speaking world plunged into a deep abyss of grief and sadness at the sudden and untimely passing away of konkani stage�s stylish and most adorable tiatrist Francis Peter D�Souza, better known by his stage name �Bab Peter. Bab Peter passed away on 19th Feb at around 19.00 hours IST in Bahrain. He was undergoing treatment at the ICU of the Bahrain Defence Force hospital since 14th Feb 2005 after he complained of chest pain and breathlessness while on duty. It is understood he underwent an emergency cardiac by-pass surgery on the following day. Ever since than he was in a critical condition and battled with life. He is survived by his dramatist wife and senior most stage artist Ophelia, and daughter Babli married to Sameer who are based in Mahim, Mumbai.
For me it is hard to believe that my friend is no more. Most of the SMS he exchanged with me had a strong flavour on the beauty and sanctity of true FRIENDSHIP. From the few years of close association I had with Bab Peter I can safely vouch that he gave immense importance towards the continuity of a good friendship. He always desired that we two should keep in touch with each other by whatever means of communication irrespective of where we were stationed. Like in one of his SMS he once wrote to me �Tuka hanvem mhozo ixtt mhonn mandla, ani hi amchi ixttagot fokot mornantuch doxim korum ieta. Amig eka mekacher kednach ragar zainant�. (I have accepted you as my friend and only death can part this friendship. Friends never get angry on each other.)
Bab Peter as I came to know him from close was a down to earth person with a lot of simplicity and sincerity of heart. He always had a warm and friendly disposition. He would go out of his way to help a friend in need. Many may have for some reasons or the other found him to be proud or reserved kind of a person. But, it was not so. On the contrary he was totally opposite. He was the most extrovert and outgoing type. Despite his huge celebrity status on the Konkani stage, he had no airs or pride of any kind. I recall the first interview I did with him several years ago, his interaction with me was so close and inter-personal that, I was totally knocked out with his warm heartedness and charm. To me it appeared I had known him closely for years, even though then I was meeting and talking to him for the very first time. This trait of his endeared me the most and perhaps that is why we began to like each other instantly like childhood friends. From that day on he kept regular contacts with me till the very day he felt seriously sick, never to recover again. He had an envious charisma and was very energetic. The gleam in his eyes and that kid like innocence with a schoolboy kind of a mischievous smile would just catch you in your tracks. This was one reason that made me nick-name him �Naughty Boy� of konkani stage. Many of his fraternity still call him by that name. I was reminded so just today by Joaquim of the Trio Kings. He was always young of heart and wished to be so as long as he lived.
Today with his untimely demise the Konkani stage has lost one of its most illustrious artist writer-director, composer, singer and actor par-excellence who could have taken it to dizzy heights had he to continue for more time. In a time when the Konkani stage is faced with an acute shortage of good composers and singers too, Bab Peter�s death at such a young age is a major irreparable blow to the quality of good and meaningful compositions. Not so long ago he had expressed to me his cherished desire to get back to his roots and serve the konkani stage with more vigour. He was just looking forward for that day, that never was to be. Other Directors and Playwrights on their part were just looking forward when their �Bab Peter� would call it a day in Bahrain and come back to the stage to satisfy thousands of his fans back home in Goa and Mumbai. Though �Petu� wished it so, Almighty God had other plans for this Babe of the stage. Bab Peter was earmarked for a long trip of London and other European cities together with other stage artist sometime in September this year and he was eagerly looking forward for this.
A few weeks ago when I interviewed Bai Ophelia for the �Goan Observer� she had expressed her deep desire to come back on stage after a very long hiatus and perform in her favourite tragedy role. I in turn had promised her I would certainly speak it over with �Petu�. In fact I intended to speak to him only after her interview was published on 12-2-2005, but then fate ruled otherwise. I will never know if he even got to read the interview in the Goan Observer. Time was running out for my friend and my promise made to Bai Ophelia remained unfulfilled. Today, his beloved wife Bai Ophelia, daughter Babli and Son in law Sameer are shattered with life taking a sudden tragic turn. The �Tragedy Queen� of the Konkani Stage Bai Ophelia herself is faced with a tragedy of the worst kind in her personal life.
Bab Peter always gave credit to his wife Bai Ophelia for his success on the konkani stage. In an interview with me in February 2001 he had said � It was not until I met Ophelia that on her insistence I tried my hand at composing songs on my own. The credit for my becoming a composer and stage hero goes to my wife Ophelia who was the catalyst in this transition of mine�. He narrates his real life story on the stage in a beautiful song �Ophelia� the title song of the audio CD he released last year for Easter.
As I bid adieu to my friend whom my family and me will sincerely miss I pray God grant His grace and courage to his family to bear this huge loss and may they endure this real life tragedy with courage. Adios Amigo��.Adios my friend� the road we have traveled has come to an end��.
n.b: The above tribute was published by the Gomantak Times dated 21st Feb 2005.
Daniel F. de Souza.
Vasco da Gama.
21st Feb 2005.
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Daniel F. de Souza
Konkani Writer & Freelance Journalist
C/3, IInd Floor, Elvira Apts.
Near St. Andrew's Church
Vasco - Goa 403 802
INDIA. Tel: + 91-832-2510714
Mob: 9822163329
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" GOD DID NOT MAKE MEN PERFECT, HE MADE THEM PILGRIMS AFTER PERFECTION."
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