In his long life of 89 years, Ruskin Bond has gained enormous experience and a large fan following across the country and beyond — among children who are still children, the children who have grown up into handsome youth, and the children who are getting ready to enter the senior citizen club. When he speaks, people listen. In fact, there are people who take the trouble to travel all the way to Mussoorie just to be able to meet him and listen to him in person.