An American retired Marine officer stayed at my guest house for a week. He had contacted me through Craigslist three months before his arrival in Varanasi. He was in the process of writing a novel and wanted to spend a year in India, but this visit was just a scouting trip to find a potential place to stay in the future. I was thrilled to host him, intrigued by his background and eager to learn more about his experiences as a Marine. I was hired for two days as his tour guide, and I took him around Benares. He quickly fell in love with the city, finding it reminiscent of his childhood in New York.

He noted that New York also had yellow streetlights about 60-65 years ago, similar to those in Benares today. After my tour duties were complete, he began exploring the city on his own. Despite being 70 years old, he was remarkably energetic. I remember one instance when I found him sleeping, and he told me, “I sleep when I die.” It’s a quote I’ll never forget. However, he had a bit of trouble with the local cuisine. He began indulging in street food, which unfortunately made him quite ill.

On one occasion, he ate over a kilogram of yogurt and 12 bananas at once, leading to severe sickness. His blood pressure and sugar levels soared, and he developed a cough and cold. I had to take him to a doctor, who attributed his condition to the excessive yogurt and bananas. By the end of the week, he left Benares, which was a relief for me. Despite the health scare, it was a memorable experience hosting such an interesting guest.