This is not something I'm very proud of, but I completely stopped brushing my teeth for a month in fourth grade. Frankly speaking, I could not understand the whole importance of it- my teeth looked white enough and I did not care whether I stunk. I probably did.
We had a seven day festival, called the Saptaha going on in our temple at the time and so it happened that they decided to hold a free dental camp for everyone. I loved going to the temple. I and my friends used to play hide-and-seek the whole day, run to take the aartis in our hand and even fight for them, which in hindsight feels embarrassing. However, as adept as I was at hide-and-seek, I could not hide from my dad and he forced me to go to the dental camp.
I hesitantly entered the room. The dentist had a mask and gloves on, and I was convinced he was about to do unspeakable things to my teeth. He introduced himself, “I’m Vibin, what’s your name?”. He spoke in such a kind voice that I was convinced he could be of no harm. He checked my teeth for cavities and to my pleasant surprise I had none! Right then, my dad opened the room and told him to please teach me how to brush properly.
I was a bit embarrassed, but he held my hand gently and taught me how you must go in circles and all the places the brush must reach. I was stunned. ‘Is this how I was supposed to brush?’ This seems so exciting! The kind dentist had convinced me. I started brushing every day.
Fast forward a couple of years in 2015, I had my Upanayanam scheduled. Vibin was a mutual friend of my father’s by then and he had been invited. The day before the ceremony, I had to visit the temple and for some reason I came across him. He asked me, “Deepu, what gift would you like? Sujith told me you read a lot of books!”. I did read a lot of books and I excitedly told him I would love a book.
The next day, he got me ‘Paper Towns’ by John Green from a nearby book fair. He told me something along the lines of how the book might be a bit too mature for me but he hopes I like it. Indeed! I started reading the book from the next day excitedly and even though I finished it in a couple of days, I could not grasp fully what the author meant. It just seemed so sullen to me, or perhaps like a mystery I just could not solve. I did not have the tools for it!
Along the three years after, I read it multiple times. I would like to believe that each time I read, the book made more and more sense to me. Although once I read it the day before my board exams and my mother got quite angry and started crying because she was scared that I was wasting my time. I started crying with her, but I topped my school anyway. I discovered more books just like it. I started exploring different genres and reading more.
Vibin probably never meant to, but ended up impacting my life in a profound way. He got married while I was going through JEE coaching, and had a kid later on. I never would have guessed that he had TB. He passed on to the other world in December 2021 due to complications which arose from his disease.
Looking at his Instagram posts full of family, friends, and joyful moments, and reading his bio 'Im Nevr ever getting older...!', I realize that we all have our own Vibins, people who impact us in ways we don't foresee.
This is a tribute to him, and all the Vibins that we know. We will remember you for everything, from our cavity-free teeth to how you changed the way we think. Even though you inhabit a different world, the ‘paper towns’ of here shall cherish you, forever.