It was a summer night. Sounds of gruff voices practicing Tap dance from the nearby villa invade the silence. I was rolling on my bed struggling to fall asleep. All of a sudden my daughter barged in and turned the lights on.

She was holding a newspaper-rolled mic and said, 

‘‘Lights, camera, action...”

I was wondering what’s wrong with her. Before I could ask, she threw her first question. 

“My dear dad, how many years have you been living in Bahrain?” 

“25 years…”

“Really?”

“Yes. Why? Can’t you believe it?” 

Without waiting for her answer, I added, “Even I can’t believe that I completed 25 years in this Kingdom.” 

 “How do you feel when you look back?”

“Quiet happy and comfortable.”

The third question was a bit emotional one. “Do you really miss your homeland?” 

“I miss my mom, relatives and a few close friends…” 

“What are the few things that you miss in India and would love to see in Bahrain?”  

Answer wasn’t quite easy. I took a pause and asked: “Do you want a blunt opinion or a general answer?” 

“Of course, I want an honest and frank answer,” she replied with a smile. It seemed she got no intentions to leave me.  

“I would like to see an Indian elephant decorated with gold caparisons, bells and necklaces walking through the streets of Bahrain, a lush-green forest bordering the Capital City of Manama, a river flowing from Muharraq to Zallaq and the sight of seeing a few coconut trees in my neighborhood.”  That’s it!

“Hahaha! You have very limited dreams! My daughter couldn’t control her laughter.”

“Dad, you have crazy dreams! Can I tell you something? I was born and brought up in Bahrain. The one thing that I would love to see in Bahrain is an Indian University with a huge campus so that I can stay and study here after completing my Plus Two,” she sounded reasonable.  

I was thinking of this vacuum considering a large number of Indian students residing in the Kingdom when the interviewer jumped to the next question. 

“By the way, tell me how you happen to be in Bahrain?”

I leaned towards the wall and said ‘that’s a long story, quite as big as ‘Ulysses’.     

“Once upon a time, a young boy lived in a remote hamlet in India along with his three siblings. He would often pray to God, seeking fortunes. 

 “On an auspicious day, God appeared and said: ‘don’t worry my son. You will be getting a visa to Bahrain soon’. And the rest is history.”  

‘Come on dad, Keep the jokes apart, I heard that you were on the search for a job and your uncle brought you here’ 

“Yes, like any other expatriate, I came to Bahrain searching for a job. But what made me stay in the Kingdom was nothing, but the warmth, comfort and love I received from the people here,” I substantiated.  

The reasons that made me choose Bahrain, as my home away from home is very simple. The civilized Bahraini society, which respects and accepts expatriates with equal dignity. The care given by leaders and members of the Royal Family towards the expatriate community. The security, comfort and transparent legal system, which is much above the global standard plus freedom of expression and cost of living. 

The next question was too personal and weighed on the emotional attachment ratios. “Do you love your mother or me the most?”  The young girls eyes was keen with the twinkling’s of thrill and cunning:

A terrible question! Every considerate father, who has also been a loved son, would certainly fear to answer this. 

“My mom is like my home country. The care, love and compassion I received from her during my childhood are beyond any reckoning. On the other hand, Bahrain is like you, a very precious gift God has given to me. A gift that brings abundance of joy and happiness!

“You should have been a diplomat,” she quipped.  

The next question was something every expatriate had to answer one day.  

“How do you plan to survive once you get back home?” This time she had a subsidiary assertion as well. “I don’t think you can get detached from this country even after you fly home.” 

That seemed to be the prime question. “I will plant a few palm trees near my house. I will be among the regular visitors to the shawarma shop nearby. I will also look into the possibilities of owning a camel! 

“But I am sure that I wouldn’t be able to replace my great Bahraini friends, who were there to support during my bad times and celebrate during my good times in this beautiful island.”    

She could feel the tumbling in my voce where I was getting into a deeper emotional zone. 

“Ok, cut. The interview is over.” 

She took the paper mike back and said ‘Let me wind up this episode with a beautiful Hindi song dedicated to my and dad and the entire expatriates residing in the Kingdom of Bahrain. 

She went near to the door and closed it half. Through the half closed door she looked at me and started humming with a smile.

Yeh Dosti Hum Nahin Todenge
Todenge Dam Magar Tera Saath Na Chhodenge…..

(We will not break this friendship ,I may die but I ll not leave you .) 

As she moved out of the room, she began humming the evergreen Hindi song ‘Yeh Dosti Hum Nahin Todenge, Todenge Dam Magar Tera Saath Na Chhodenge.” 

“We will never break this friendship, I may die but I will not leave you…”