(Bharat’s account for the benefit of those who could not attend).

Thank you all for attending and thank you all who could not attend but were
there in spirit.

Partly because of the last minute time change from an 11.30 to a 10am
set-off (courtesy City Cruises and the boat-captain taking a sickie),
fourteen (out of the original target of 20) made the sailing in time.

Apart from myself, Naina and my sister Dina from Nairobi, on the boat were:
Sandy, Suraya, Carina, Ambrose, Barry, Jan, Jonty, James, Junaid, Rickin and
Shaz, with others arriving late or joing the Brunch later on.

The boat set off from Cherry Garden Pier (hey guys, did any one see any
cherry blossoms?..Er, was it because it wasn’t Spring? Doh..) a little

after 10 am, made for Butler's Wharf, and set
anchor momentarily for the ashes-laying in the Thames. I scattered the
contents of the Urn chanting a Jain peace prayer (the 'Manglik').  Junaid
followed next throwing in the river the lavender potpourri earlier handed
out to everyone in a small gift box. Everyone then filed in, each doing the
same but with little punctuation differences to suit their own style and
preference. The last one to go was Barry who took his time throwing in the
lavender a pinch at a time and smiling as he did so. The Captain seemed in a
hurry and set off even as Barry was still 'doing his thing'. We returned
to the pier at 10.30 to have Li Yan waiting outside with apologies for not
arriving in time for the sail-off. Jan had to go but the rest of us strolled
gently to Butler's Wharf for the organised Brunch at All Bar One. Along the
way, Ambrose offered to me some comforting words and understanding born of
his own and his parents' experience of having lost his brother a year ago.

We duly arrived at the Butlers Wharf All-Bar-One after weaving in and out of
the riverside route from Cherry Garden. We seemed to be the only patrons all
the time we were there - we arrived before 11am and were there well into the
lunch-hour. I understood why the Manageress had earlier suppressed her
giggles when I had fussed while booking the venue and Brunch about assigning
us the best part of the restaurant with the best riverview etc. We decided
to congregate at the furthest end and ordered our drinks and breakfast. In
wafted Vivien who strolled in bearing a lovely bouquet of white lilllies.
David and Andy had been left stranded outside the pier as I had forgotten we
were supposed to wait for them before setting off for Brunch. A phonecall
and apology from me had them arrive at the venue in no time at all and it
was good to have them join the party. Zahid too streamed in without a trace
of pain or distorion from the morning spent having his jaws dismantled and

reset thanks to the ongoing aftermath of a messy job at the hands of an
orthodontist - or orthosomething- in his earlier years. I kept calling him
Raj (amazing what you can get away with when you are grief-stricken..) and
he never once winced whether unable to do so from the pain he was already
suppressing or being ever the diplomat - I think the latter. Junaid sportily
joined the Brunch despite his Ramadhan fast and threw himself into the
proceedings - whether on the Boat or now at the eaterie - with little sign
of weariness. Rickin fenced sportingly with Ambrose; "How can you swing a
Third (degree class) - thats not easy, you know?". David offered some
complimentary words but in the din and buzz I cannot remember if this was
about the Brunch or the day before when he attended Real World's Graduate of
The Year Award ceremony where he fronted the public announcement of an
annual Personality of the Year Award to commemorate Anjool. We were
well-served with our orders, if a little late coming to the table, and
everyone seemed to have enjoyed a small but sufficient fill, even more
the chat, before we finally decamped an hour and a bit later.

The weather had been on our side (can't decide whether Jools had a hand in
organising this as he was equally capapable of making sure his mates were
rained on..). Of the ashes trip, Jan commented later "I think we said our
Byes in style in keeping with how Jools would have wished". Sandy exchanged
some moving texts with us after lunch, not least some consoling words for
me, the grieving father who despite his best efforts had broken down twice. I
later put to Barry why he had smiled as he took time throwing in the
lavender. He replied: "I looked into the water and I could see us (he and
Jools) dancing around each other in our shirwanis. I smiled and looked at
the sky and promised we'll do it again."

We continue to rejoice at how fortunate Jools was to have friends like that.
Thank you all for taking part in this important final duty whether you were
able to attend physically or in spirit. Jai Ho All.