January 27, 2011 - As I prepared to retire for the day, sans wife (off to her parents) and daughter, I started reminiscing, strangely enough, about Johns Hopkins. I took the liberty of browsing the internet to visit the JHU website instead of hitting the sack.
Navigating through its webpage, I clicked on my departmental link only to reveal the passing away of Dr. Charles O'Melia. With shock and sadness, I scrolled down the page and went through the obituary. As I scanned further down, came another shocker with the news of the demise of Dr. Wolman. For a minute, I couldn't believe the material in front of my screen. I experienced a numb feeling, accompanied by tears of sorrow. I couldn't control my sobbing as the reality sunk in, though rather LATE. Reds had passed away in February 2010, while O'Melia in December of the same year.
How did a year pass by so swiftly? Was I so busy with professional / social life that I hadn't visited the website of my alma mater for over a year? Did my classmates know about it? Has present life become so fast and engrossing that we have no control over time? Does it mean that I have moved that much closer to the INEVITABLE? Are the classroom memories slowly fading away? All of these thoughts ran through my mind, as I felt a tiny fragmentation in my HEART that holds the memories of a "glorious PAST".
Lots of visual flashes went through my mind as I remembered Dr. O'Melia teaching us in the Spring Semester of 2002. In addition to his brilliance and excellence in the field of Environmental Engineering, he carried the aura of calm and serenity. He carried an impeccable charm, which often had me smiling while he explained the technical aspects of "Physical & Chemical Processes of Water/Wastewater Engineering". I distinctly remember him mentioning about my perennial smile, implying that maybe his teaching made me feel HAPPY !!! His class was not only one of the more enjoyable ones, but also less burdensome class in what was a "whirlwind 9-month Masters Program".
With Dr. Wolman, I could never take a course under him, because of vocational obligations. I heard a lot of GREAT things about the GENIUS in him and of his brilliance in the engineering field. When I did graduate from Hopkins in May, 2002 and culminated my academic career, I reminisced about the joys and regrets of it all. One of the regrets was not able to take a class under Reds. As I heard many funny, as well as, wonderful things about him from my classmates - Gris Batchelder and Arjun KC - the missing out was a repentance.
I admired him for his resilience and meticulousness that often reminded me of my grandfather (who passed away in 2008), back in India. The closest personal encounter I had with Reds was at the Departmental Christmas Party hosted by the then Chair, Dr. Parlange. A few pleasantries were exchanged, which ensued in a photograph with him - a souvenir that I hold in one of my photo albums.
FAREWELL Reds and Charlie....both of you have left a LASTING IMPRESSION in my life and I still do think about you occasionally.....RIP !!!
