Mangalore: In two days he turns 100. But C.R. Robert Michal could put a far younger man to shame, waking up at 4.30 am, still driving a car - with a driving license valid till 2019! – living on his own and doing all his housework by himself since losing his wife a couple of years ago.
He has no children but his many friends led by rationalist, Narendra Nayak have decided to make his 100th birthday a special occasion. A fitting celebration has been planned at the Canara College on October 16, his birthday, by his many admirers, to whom he is clearly an inspiration.
Absolutely fit with no blood pressure or diabetes, he eats what he likes and drives like a young man on the roads of Mangalore. Born on October 16, 1914, Michal served in the British Army and worked with the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Madras government.
Ask him the secret of his longevity, and he smiles, “There is no secret. I live my life happily and take it as it comes with the grace of God.”Sleeping at midnight,, he wakes early at 4.30 a.m to do all his chores. “I feed my ducks and dog, cook, wash my cloths and go out to drop my neighbour in her car to the bank, which is about 2 kms from the house. I also clear the weeds and look after the trees and plants I have planted,” says Michal, who goes for a walk for about two hours in the evening and spends time with his friends before enjoying some TV time till midnight.
His tenacity and love for life have made his address at Martin Pais Road a much sought after one among friends of whom he has many .
