I was to be in UK in July and I contacted Dr Bernard Knight on e mail to ask him if I could meet him. That is how it started and this is how I met him.
Dr Knight and Mrs Knight invited us for lunch at ‘New House Hotel’ in Cardiff. With Sat-Nav system in our taxi, it was easy to locate. The Sat-Nav system requires one to know the location code of a place. On feeding that in, a voice keeps directing you before each turn to turn at the right places. A highly convenient service. When we parked our taxi, at the destined place, ten minutes in advance, Dr Knight was already there, waiting for us! He walked upto us and asked, “Are you the guests I am waiting for?” I asked in reply, “Are you Dr Knight?” and he said, “Yes.” He was so very warm, humble and polite.
Dr Knight admitted that he loved farming and was more than content doing farming as his profession. Incidentally, he got into being a Laboratory Technician. In this chance profession, he met Mrs Knight, he lovingly calls Jean, who was also a Lab Technician. Then was a chance offer to join the Medicine course and then came specialisation in Pathology.
Once in the hotel, we made our introductions and sat down for lunch. Dr Knight is quite unassuming and very open in his comments, but is miles away from being critical or accusing. Mrs Knight took the responsibility to place the order for lunch at the Hotel. Dr Knight asked her to place the order for him. Either she knew exactly what to order for him or he ate what was ordered for him. Mrs Knight would place a question for us so openly if there was something that wasn’t clarified by our statement that we could not but appreciate her openness. She asked us why we were travelling in a tri-radiate way rather than in a circular continuous way. We had made London our base and we went to Stratford upon Avon one day and went back to London. The next day we had come to Cardiff and would go back to London. The next day again to Cheltenham and then back to London. Then was the plan to go to Scotland. Logically, all these places can be covered one after the other in a simpler way. We explained that we had our accommodation at London, which had been very comfortable and that getting accommodation at three different places would be cumbersome. Dr Knight, in all British culture and perhaps more, always opened the car door for his wife and once she was seated and comfortable, he would close the gate and then go to the driver’s seat. While on foot, when we crossed a road, Dr Knight’s attention and care would be around Mrs Knight. Mrs Knight would beam and smile pleasantly all the time.
The big name in Forensic Pathology I had gone to meet up was equally impressive as a ‘person.’ He had got his books as gift, a Forensic textbook and four other crime fiction books. While giving the books he mentioned almost apologetically that the books would make my baggage heavy and whether that would be inconvenient or impossible to handle! I could have removed other things from my baggage, if need be, but I was travelling light. I wanted to have his books from him but could not say so. I did not need to finally! That was sheer luck!
When I complimented him that his language in text books has a flow and as it remains simple and easy to understand, it is different from most other books which reflect the complexity of issues and do not attempt to simplify the concepts. He replied in his casual and down to earth way that perhaps writing crime fiction for general public kept his language simple and imparted to it a flow!
You meet Dr Knight and you know that his is a life worth lived, rising from being a farmer to becoming Forensic Pathologist of International repute with sure and certain steps, unhurried and steady. Realising that he could express better than people writing at that time, he took to writing. Ever since he continued to write. He admits to having a substantial fan mail. The book entitled ‘Forensic Pathology’ which I mentioned was a book I really liked, initiated a prompt response from both Mrs Knight and Dr Knight. Mrs Knight remembered that the book took the longest time, about 2 to 3 years of commitment and Dr Knight mentioned that it required lot of effort and compilation.
Dr Knight took us around Cardiff showing us the Cardiff castle, the colleges, Court, GE Aviation centre, etc It was a wonderful experience.
Dr Knight and Mrs Knight invited us for lunch at ‘New House Hotel’ in Cardiff. With Sat-Nav system in our taxi, it was easy to locate. The Sat-Nav system requires one to know the location code of a place. On feeding that in, a voice keeps directing you before each turn to turn at the right places. A highly convenient service. When we parked our taxi, at the destined place, ten minutes in advance, Dr Knight was already there, waiting for us! He walked upto us and asked, “Are you the guests I am waiting for?” I asked in reply, “Are you Dr Knight?” and he said, “Yes.” He was so very warm, humble and polite.
Dr Knight admitted that he loved farming and was more than content doing farming as his profession. Incidentally, he got into being a Laboratory Technician. In this chance profession, he met Mrs Knight, he lovingly calls Jean, who was also a Lab Technician. Then was a chance offer to join the Medicine course and then came specialisation in Pathology.
Once in the hotel, we made our introductions and sat down for lunch. Dr Knight is quite unassuming and very open in his comments, but is miles away from being critical or accusing. Mrs Knight took the responsibility to place the order for lunch at the Hotel. Dr Knight asked her to place the order for him. Either she knew exactly what to order for him or he ate what was ordered for him. Mrs Knight would place a question for us so openly if there was something that wasn’t clarified by our statement that we could not but appreciate her openness. She asked us why we were travelling in a tri-radiate way rather than in a circular continuous way. We had made London our base and we went to Stratford upon Avon one day and went back to London. The next day we had come to Cardiff and would go back to London. The next day again to Cheltenham and then back to London. Then was the plan to go to Scotland. Logically, all these places can be covered one after the other in a simpler way. We explained that we had our accommodation at London, which had been very comfortable and that getting accommodation at three different places would be cumbersome. Dr Knight, in all British culture and perhaps more, always opened the car door for his wife and once she was seated and comfortable, he would close the gate and then go to the driver’s seat. While on foot, when we crossed a road, Dr Knight’s attention and care would be around Mrs Knight. Mrs Knight would beam and smile pleasantly all the time.
The big name in Forensic Pathology I had gone to meet up was equally impressive as a ‘person.’ He had got his books as gift, a Forensic textbook and four other crime fiction books. While giving the books he mentioned almost apologetically that the books would make my baggage heavy and whether that would be inconvenient or impossible to handle! I could have removed other things from my baggage, if need be, but I was travelling light. I wanted to have his books from him but could not say so. I did not need to finally! That was sheer luck!
When I complimented him that his language in text books has a flow and as it remains simple and easy to understand, it is different from most other books which reflect the complexity of issues and do not attempt to simplify the concepts. He replied in his casual and down to earth way that perhaps writing crime fiction for general public kept his language simple and imparted to it a flow!
You meet Dr Knight and you know that his is a life worth lived, rising from being a farmer to becoming Forensic Pathologist of International repute with sure and certain steps, unhurried and steady. Realising that he could express better than people writing at that time, he took to writing. Ever since he continued to write. He admits to having a substantial fan mail. The book entitled ‘Forensic Pathology’ which I mentioned was a book I really liked, initiated a prompt response from both Mrs Knight and Dr Knight. Mrs Knight remembered that the book took the longest time, about 2 to 3 years of commitment and Dr Knight mentioned that it required lot of effort and compilation.
Dr Knight took us around Cardiff showing us the Cardiff castle, the colleges, Court, GE Aviation centre, etc It was a wonderful experience.
1 comment:
Very nice achievement mam. Great experience. In fact this is my dream to meet Dr. B. Knight, which i think, is not possible. Thanks for sharing.
Post a Comment