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Kader Rowther opened the door of their house. His
wife Fathima stared at him.
She was able to read the result from his sorrowful
face. "let me not disturb him with
unnecessary poking
questions" she said to herself and turned her face,
the other way.
Kader Rowther didn't miss to see a few drops of
tears rolling down on
her cheeks.
"Don't worry Fathima; Allah would show a way out" he
said.
They were silent for a while.
He sighed.....; lied on
the bench out there in the
inner hall.
Fathima tore the silence.
"How is the pain now?"
"I took two painkiller pills in the morning-but
still pain persists"
"Shall I give some hot fomentation?"
"Why useless botheration, Fathima?
It is not going to
help in anyway-Didn't the doctor tell this,
the other day?"
She knew very well that it will not give him any
worthwhile relief but she couldn't resist
telling those affectionate
words-Didn't those soothing words
give him a little relief at least?
" I am a fool- I should have done this as and when
I was strong physically
and economically. I spent
all my time and money for
the sake of my children. Today
children have shown their true
faces" he murmured to
himself.
He thought of Akbar, the neighbour, who used to feel
sorry for not having any children in
life. Kader rowther
smiled to himself sarcastically.
"Mad fellow-foolish thinking! I am also having
children -
all grown up and earning! Not one; but
four-four sons! I did everything for them.
What has happened
to me now? They have grown up
- well-off -
looking after themselves- What have they done
to me?"
"Why don't you go to the government hospital and do
the operation free of cost?
Why do you
want to spend
thousands of rupees in a private hospital?' The
words of his
daughter-in-law, the wife
of his second son tore him
to pieces -
he still feels the agony of those
irresponsible words. As she spoke those
words, his son was simply
silent......!.
"You give me whatever
you can, my son; I shall get a share from all your
brothers" Kader rowther virtually
beseeched.
His son didn't look at his face. Instead, he was
looking at his wife's face very attentively.
"That is what I am telling you Mama-we are giving rupees
one hundred and fifty exactly on the first day of
every month-you must leave us with that, Mama!- you
must not disturb us frequently like this" she told in
stern voice. Rowther felt hurt by those pricking
words.
"I am not asking you...- I am asking my son!" he
retorted in a flash of anger; there was enough heat in
those words.
The face of his son's wife became furious.
His son was visibly upset at the turn of event.
He felt that his father has insulted his wife. He
acted immediately
"Why are you angry unnecessarily Aththa?
You cannot blame her in
anyway! What is the difference after all? She is
talking on my behalf only. She is explaining our
actual family economy, that is all. You should not
insult her like this. That too in front of me! This is
highly ridiculous, aththa!" his words were carefully
organised so as to pacify his wife.
Rowther lost patience and started off.
He did not know- would never try to know the gates of
the government hospital- he had never taken his
children there for treatment- he preferred a private
clinic always for any ailment even if it is meant at
times, the whole of the day's income.
Standing in the long queue; getting an OP chit;
consulting a government doctor, who listens to the
complaints of the patients with closed ears and frozen
face-scribble some medicines on the OP chit which
usually is not available in the hospital pharmacy; a
few ounzes of the century old mixtures which will
never work!-he never liked that formality! He used
to hate going to a government hospital.
His son knows all this- his dislike for he govt. hospital and all that. In
spite
of all this he keeps mum-he doesn't utter a single
word against his wife who is asking me to go to a
govt. hospital. Instead, he scolds me -he says she is
right in her suggestion!
Rowther who was lying on the bench turned his body to
the other side - now a days he is unable to lie on one
posture for a long time.
He brought to his mind the words of the doctor again.
"Bhai! I must do the surgery on both sides-a long
standing case you see! there are a lot of adhesions- it
is inevitable! you must stay in the hospital at least for
ten to fifteen days- you may need some blood
transfusion too. I think you may have to bring four
to five thousand
rupees at least - I can give you some concession in my
fees; but the hospital is not mine-they do not show
any consideration for anybody".
Rowther maintained silence.
"What are you thinking about? you are having four
sons-all the four earning nicely-why don't you take a
thousand from each boy and come for the surgery
immediately?"
Rowther smiled dejectedly.
"Okay doctor! I will see you next week" he told the
doctor and came away.
"Don't delay anymore bhai! Don't take any risk-already
it is too late-if you happen to face another
obstruction-well, it is pretty dangerous."
warned the doctor.
The very mention of the word "obstruction" threatened
Rowther.
Once, he had an obstruction of his inguinal hernia-
that is, the intestinal loops that had come down to
the scrotal sac had not gone up as usual but remained
in the sac itself. The pain was unbearable and
killing. The doctor said it was not a complete
obstruction but only a partial one. That partial
obstruction itself was horrifying. It was near death
for him until the doctor put it inside by careful
manipulation of the scrotal sac.
At that time only the doctor warned of the danger of a
full-fledged obstruction - he said it may be fatal if
not intervened surgically in time.
It is now nearly a month -
He is unable to keep up his words to the doctor - he
is unable to report to the doctor for surgery in time.
There is no worthwhile progress in raising the money
for the surgery.
His second son was reasonably richer compared the
other three. That fellow has now declared that he
would not help him in this matter.
The youngest two are wage-earners. In spite of their
meagre income, they were very prompt in paying their
share of rupees one hundred and fifty each for their
parents every month.. They may not be of any help to
him in this matter.
Therefore, Rowther's hope was solely pinned on the
eldest one-there was no other go. He was not having a
very solid income but his wife was from a
comparatively rich family and therefore she
possessed a good amount of jewellery with her. They
can help him now, if they want.
His house was on the west street of the village.
Rowther went to his house in the evening ; he
purposely timed his visit so as to coincide with his
son's return home after the day's work.
Thank God, he was in the house.
He was very kind to him -
served him tea and biscuits; Spoke a few words about
their welfare; enquired about their mother, etc.
Rowther was encouraged by the initial hospitality of
his son and daughter -in-law.
After a while, Rowther opened the matter.
He listened to him patiently and attentively and
looked into the room on his right. He might have
received some signal from the room; he stood up and
went inside. There was some discussion in
hushed voice inside the room. His face was bright when
he returned.
"Okay Aththa! I will give you money tomorrow
- come after 4PM -
I have to get money from the bank through a jewel
loan. My wife has consented to give her jewels
for the purpose -
she is always very generous , you see! She is
not like the wives of my brothers , you see! I will
give you the whole amount needed for the operation -
you can do the surgery in the private hospital as you
desire".
Rowther was dumb-bound at the statement. "This fellow
is grateful at last - some
goodwill for the
father - the affection for
which he was thirsty. He thanked God Almighty.
"Okay my dear son; I am very very happy -
Insha Allah I shall come tomorrow" he
stood up
and walked over to the exit door.
"Aththa....! called his son "A small matter.....!"
Rowther turned back and looked at his son.
"Come on my son, speak out; what is that?"
He was hesitant; seemed reticent.
"Don't bother about anything ; don't hesitate; tell me
what you want to say"- he encouraged.
"Nothing-nothing, Mama! It is a small thing but he is
hesitating - not bold enough!
See, Mama, you are
pretty old already. The
operation proposed is some what a major one.
Therefore your son opines that it would be
better if we were given' some sort of a hold'- that is.
a 'pledge'! over the money which we are going to give
for the surgery . That is...that is...some kind of an
agreement in writing". - his
daughter in law came to his hesitant son's rescue.
Rowther was visibly upset! His eyebrows raised.
"Agreement? what do you say? what type of an agreement
you want?" he asked.
"Mama, see, we are to give you five thousand rupees
which I do hope , you will accept no mean money. But
we don't mind giving it to you after all!. But you must
not forget that your other sons too have a moral
obligation and duty to help you at the time of your
need. They are not coming forward to help you now. It
is quite obvious that these people are not going to
disown their right of share in your properties later ;
That is.. in the house and the vacant plot at the
backyard of the house. Legally and justifiably
we have more right over your properties than all of
them. It is quite an obvious thing -
That is why your son wishes, that the vacant
plot be written on his name before the surgery."
She gave adequate pressure to the words "your son
opines" and "your son
wishes".
Rowther felt giddy. The joy was gone. It burst like an
over inflated balloon.
'You silly fellow, you are asking for a hold- pledge from your own father-for
helping him for emergency surgery! You have drooped so
low? "Rowther simply couldn't stand those words.
He was trembling - tears rolled over the cheeks.
He
stood there for a while and said "you go to hell you
ungrateful fellow! I do not need your money" he wiped
out his tears and turned back.
"Aththa! Aththa! Listen to me!" the son cried out.
"You are asking for a hold - an agreement in writing
for the money you are giving to save your father's
life! I would better die without doing the
surgery, you fellow -
Otherwise, I will sell out the vacant piece of
land to a stranger and meet my medical requirements"
he shouted back and started walking back home.
(THANKS:"MEANTIME" MAGAZINE, KERALA,INDIA)
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