Mr. S. Gunadheera writing of former PM Dudley Senanayake, concludes the letter saying "Here was Dudley - when comes such another". (The Island 21/10). Well the candid answer in Sri Lankan jargon would be - "Alas, long time no see."

Here is a story about Dudley narrated to me by the late Mr. Pals Wijesuriya, Dudley’s lifelong friend and confidante. The two of them had returned after an overseas trip, and had been cleared at the Customs. After Dudley got into his car homeward bound, he suddenly realised that he had forgotten to declare that he had bought eight fountain pens, to be handed out as presents to friends. He had nudged Pals and had directed him to rectify the oversight and to pay the Customs’ dues. This Pals did.

Well bath the bard said of great men - "And departing leave behind us, footprints in the sands of time."