It is with considerable delight that I indite this brief note on my old school-mate Amita Abayesekera. Amita Abayesekera, journalist, wit and raconteur received his education at S. Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia, an institution noted, among other things, for its emphasis on high standards in English literary expression. In Amita Abayesekera his tradition received an addendum when, yielding to the influence of his father, Mudaliyar E. A. Abayesekera, a leading Oriental scholar in the Education Department, he incorporated excellence in the Sinhalese language as well to his other accomplishments. Further solidity to this foundation was given in 1950 - when he enrolled in the Heywood School of Art from which he emerged a skilled cartoonist. Choosing teaching for a career, he first taught in various schools in both the Western and Southern Provinces until, as a reprisal for too energetically espousing political views contrary to that of a powerful politician in his electorate, he was, ironically enough, translated to the more congenial climate of Bandarawela for further pedagogy. Even while in the profession, and thereafter on retirement, he was a regular contributor, both as a cartoonist and journalist, to such newspapers as 'Lanka Deeva', 'Sun', and 'The Island'. His witty column captioned "Anecdotage" first appeared in the 'Sun' newspaper. Such was their appeal to the reading public, that on the folding-up of that newspaper, when he transferred his column - (now retitled 'My Island in the Sun') to the Upali Group of Newspapers, the public thirst proved to have remained unslaked, as witnessed by his even wider readership in 'The Island' newspaper. He was long and happily married until 1994, when his wife Bertha was tragically lost to him in an automobile accident; a bereavement only softened by the close and continuing companionship of his children and grandchildren.