RX Laxman was born and educated in Mysore but lived the better part of his life in Mumbai as the cartoonist of The Times of India. For half a century his 'Common Man', that silent but eloquent sum of all that is India, faithfully kept his early morning date with readers. On the rare occasion that Laxman either forgot to include him in the 'You Said It' cartoon or allowed him a day's casual leave, letters would flood the Times Office, demanding an explanation for the lapse. The cartoonist soon had to accept, with a dry paternal pride, that 'this fellow' had taken on a life of his own, and that his legion protectors had a very decided idea on what he should