Biff the “T” out of Can’T

A Memoir of a Lucky Optimist

When author F. J. Mehta was a young boy growing up in Hyderabad, India, he set his sights on becoming a doctor and taking part in operations in surgical theaters. But through a twist of fate, his lifes work revolved around military aviation. In Biff the T Out of Cant, Mehta narrates ninety-four evocative episodes in his life in three phases. The first phase (19311954) covers his early years. The second (19551979) is about his Air Force service, and the third (1980 onward) is his postretirement period. This collection shares stories from Mehtas eventful life that brought him from his early childhood in India to the years he spent in the Air Force, serving with distinction in peacetime and wars, to his successful entrepreneurship, and to his creative retirement. He recounts his experiences with family, friends, and colleagues with wit and humor. Despite the odds, insurmountable at times, and several harrowing encounters over the course of his life, Mehta describes how grit, courage, boundless optimism, and a lot of lucky breaks helped him navigate a lifetime worth of challenges. Wing Commander F. J. Mehta, VrC (Retd), grew up with his parents and six siblings in Hyderabad, India. He served in the Indian Air Force for twenty-four years and fought two wars with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971. He received the Vir Chakra in 1971. After his retirement in 1979, Mehta ran a successful screen-printing business with his son Shiraz for twenty-five years. For the past nine years, Mehta has been enjoying life in Secunderabad, India.