I wrote a bit about Nishantha in my blog entitled Suduwelle St Joseph Eka. Nishantha wore glasses. Nishantha was also quite a special person. I think while many of us were bogged down in studies and our knowledge limited to those information we extract from books and our teachers (there was not even television those days, but we used to listen to Radio though), Nishantha knew something beyond books. Perhaps he read more than us then or had interaction with more mature persons. However, these revelation of new things by Nishantha, as I remember, did not go that well. Often they were too much to digest or too amusing to believe. So Nishantha was regarded by some of my classmates as a person who was talking about incredible things. Nishantha was very kind. But he was also firm and always ready to defend himself, which I could not do those days as I was too timid.
Nishantha got in touch with me during late 2011 months. I think, the last time I remember seeing Nishantha as a classmate was in around 1983. So, it is after about 25 years, this long lost friend was found, of course, through the Facebook. As soon as we got in touch with each other, we had a lengthy exchanges mostly written. Then we managed to talk over Skype and see each other. It was an amazing feeling that I felt when I talked to him. I felt our friendship has been frozen over time and just now revived. We talked just like we have done 30 years or so. Special thing about Nishantha was that he remembered every thing: every little details of what has happened during those years and every classmate of our class. He then put together the list of our classmates, straight from his head, some 40 odd persons. Not only names, but he could remember every face and anecdotes relating to each person. He helped me to remember many things I have forgotten. Those information that were residing in some part of my brain kept coming back, thanks to Nishatha. Then I realized how special he is. He memory is unmatchable to anyone I have known in my entire life. He also remembered all the good things about each classmate. He started relating stories about them. I was fascinated. I was brought back to the past!! Nishantha also had a great regard to all our classmates. He had such a loving and fraternal feeling towards them. And his feelings were as pure as our feelings 25 years or so back. While some close friends I had could not even remember me at all, Nishantha remembered everyone and everything. So Nishantha is very special! He was and is a very special friend to me. Perhaps more than a friend, a long lost brother!
Nishantha also related to me very hard time he has gone through. I cannot write here what he has gone through, which is nothing compared compared to any classmate of us. I cannot write here because I feel that would violate his privacy. But the beautiful thing is he has survived and overcome terrible time. He has lived through hell and survived. He then related a story about another dear friend Tiran Costa. This is the story as he told me about Tiran, and how special Tiran has been.
\”One day Tiran myself [Nishantha] Marlin and another few of others were near the College chapel and we were discussing something while one of the staff cleaners came to us and asked \’Mahattayo mata Rupiyalak denna\’ (Sir, Please give me one rupee?) Those days one rupee was a big sum but non of us had money to give this man and Tiran spoke to this man.
\”Tiran: Ouata badaginida (Are u hungry)
\”Man : owe mahattayo (yes sir)
\”Tiran : mage laga salli naha oua may kama eka ganna (I do not have money but you may take this meal packet)
\”And then Tiran gave his lunch packet to this man
\”I saw the diffidence between Tiran and myself because those days very rarely we shared something with each other. When I remember Tiran I always remember this incident\”
Like this, Nishantha could relate such interesting stories from our past. Today, Tiran is living in Tokyo with his wife a lovely daughter.
I learned that Marlin Perera joined the police in Sri Lanka.
But, finding Nishantha, after such a long time has been a special incident in my life. I think we were destined to find each other. As soon as we started talking we realized that our friendship has remained the same! And we were very relieved that we are now in touch with each other and we feel the same way about each other, except I feel more respectful to Nishantha more than before.