All tennis buffs look forward to the Grand Slams or the Masters Series where supreme tennis athletes enter ‘the arena’ to showcase their immense skills, sometimes defying the freezing cold, or gusty winds, or whatever it is the elements might throw at them.

My friend’s wife, Jumoke Ogunyemi celebrated her 60th birthday on Christmas day. It was an intimate gathering of close friends; most of whom were her husband’s or her secondary school and University mates. The ‘old school’ music that filled the air was also very stirring and apt.

Last week, Dr Christopher Kolade, the Pro Chancellor of Pan African University, turned 80. About a month ago, I had asked him what his birthday plans were. I really was not surprised when he said he wanted to make it as low key as possible.

We all dream of being rich, famous and good looking with lovely spouses and beautiful children. But for all of us, that is where it all ends— in the realm of the surreal. Harold Robbins puts it well in his timeless novel:‘Dreams die first’, because they do.

This is a tale of two people close to my family who had serious car accidents in two different countries in perhaps two different eras.