“Happy Birthday Mel, where’s the party?” This is how the conversation begins on the day of her birthday. “What party men. Here, did you inquire from that idiot about what I told you yesterday?” she would just deviate the conversation to something else, bringing the birthday party talks to an abrupt halt. I would simply give in and she would continue to talk about this and that, making me forget why I called her in the first place. But she always made sure to give me a birthday treat of a different kind. A damn good story idea!

Happy Birthday Mel!        

 - From a colleague 

(In memory of the late Mel Gunasekera whose 41st birthday falls on May 14, 2014 )