Dr Dhrubajyoti Bora
(The writer can be reached at dhruba40.db@gmail.com)
Krishna was in deep sleep akin to a state of unconsciousness in his stifling tiny bedroom. His mouth was half-open, saliva dribbled from the corner of his mouth onto his stained pillow cover, nose snored loudly and above him was a lazy ceiling fan whirring noisily with a squeak at each full turn. He didn't get the sound of the buzzing mosquitoes nor felt their irritant bites over his bare body. He was so deep in his sleep! He had turned in early because this was a night to make up his previous night's lost sleep. Tomorrow awaited another wakeful night for him. When Krishna was enjoying his deep sleep someone knocked at his front door... a pause... then a round of frantic thumps. Krishna giddily roused from his sleep, slurped his mouthful of saliva, mopped his sweaty face and then tried to concentrate. Was he dreaming of something? No.... the act of thumping continued, and then he faintly heard someone calling him by name. He got up, switched off the fan and waited till another round of thumps at his door. He slid his clumsy feet into his flip flops in the dark and staggered to the door. As he opened his door, a gush of cool air greeted him and before he could feel its sweet freshness, Abida auntie begged him earnestly...
"Krishna, please come with me, uncle's condition is not good."
Krishna came back to his room hurriedly, put on a shirt, and followed auntie upstairs.There was Rafik uncle. He was shaking on his bed. His breathing was laboured. Uncle directed his right hand to his chest indicating to Krishna that his breathing was not right and he was under great physical agony. His eyes seemed to pop out of his eyeballs and a certain sense of fear made his whole face pale.
"Oh! He is in so much distress." Automatically words of sympathy came out of his mouth.
"Yes Krishna. But what can I do now? Please do something."
Krishna thought about it once. He knew that there was a medical specialist about a kilometre away. It would be better to bring him to save uncle's life. Though Abida auntie had possessed one old ALTO car, Krishna had seen it lying idly under a thatch-roofed garage for most of the time. Neither aunty nor Krishna knew how to drive a car. Moreover, to get a driver at this time of the night was impossible!
"I think it would be better to call Dr Pranab uncle.''
"Do as you like Krishna. I can't wait any longer to see him suffer like this. Do something urgent.''
Krishna almost ran downstairs, took his bicycle and pedalled at it to his full strength. The panic-stricken face of Rafik uncle infused a deep sense of fear into his mind. What would happen if he died? Abida auntie's helpless face flashed into his mind. It took hardly ten minutes for Krishna to reach the doctor's house. There was a huge padlock being hung at the inner side of the Iron Gate. The whole atmosphere was submerged in absolute stillness. The half-crescent moon was shining dimly over the sky spreading its silvery sheen over everywhere. Not a single light was seen from any of the houses. Krishna hadn't noticed him while he hurried out of his room. It must have been 1 or 2 am. Should he jump over the gate to press the calling bell? He had seen a German Shephard playfully loitering inside this campus during daytime while coming or going by the street. So he abandoned that idea. Instead, he banged over the gate several times, calling out "Doctor uncle, it's me, Krishna. Doctor Uncle!"
The dog howled and immediately it rushed to the gate and started barking at Krishna. But Krishna kept on banging over the gate. It was uncertain whether it was Krishna or the dog that aroused the doctor from his sleep, Krishna noticed an illumination through the thick curtain of the window on the first floor. After a few minutes, a voice came from downstairs,- "who's there outside?"
"Sir, it's me, Krishna."
"Who Krishna?" - demanded the voice.
"Krishna, I use to stay at Abida auntie's rented house. Rafik uncle's condition isn't good. He is breathing heavily. Moreover, he is having chest pain,''- the last one Krishna lied.
Doctor Pranab Barua came to the gate and looked at Krishna through the bars of the gate. Then he said with a tone of irritation, - "It is very pity of him. Poor fellow! Despite having two established sons he is suffering like this! I even phoned one of his sons to take him to a good hospital just a few days back, but...'' he omitted the last words intentionally, "OK I'm going, you can go now."
The doctor arrived within fifteen minutes. He gave two injections to uncle and after half an hour uncle got relief. After the doctor had left, Abida auntie told Krishna with tearful eyes, -"Thanks, Krishna. It's because of you that uncle got his new life tonight."
But the next morning, Krishna made up his mind to leave Abida auntie's house. He had been under this thought for the last two months and now he thought it was high time to execute it. He was fed up with the extra burden of Abida auntie's household chores. Sometimes, he had to do marketing for them, sometimes he had to bring medicines for uncle, sometimes had to bring gas cylinder from the gas agency, and whatnot? Sometimes he used to wonder deeply, as the doctor had said the previous night, that despite having two matured sons they had to endure a life of isolation. Krishna had never seen any of the two sons coming to their place. Sometimes, when Abida auntie had brought an old album and told him at length about her sons and described their childhood days, Krishna used to feel a pang of pain. At the same time, he used to feel a strong sense of hatred for her sons. But Krishna was helpless. One of his friends was living in a small rented house in the same town and he had persuaded Krishna to shift to his place. Krishna was working as a night watchman in the regional Airtel office located in this town. He had to do the night duty every alternate day as the company had hired two-night watchmen. But he had to attend the office when he was off from his night duty. The company utilised him to his full potential. So to live with his friend was beneficial to both of them.
In the evening, before getting ready for his night duty, Krishna decided to tell auntie and uncle about his decision. Holding the rent dues crumpled in his hand Krishna walked upstairs and while climbing up he gathered his words in his mind. He would tell them in a way that they would have no objection thereafter. The evening sun rays slanted through the branches of the large mango tree by the side of the boundary wall. Before stepping on the Abida auntie's floor, Krishna's heart pounded for some unknown reason. But this time he was determined. Otherwise, he would have to repent later.
At that moment, a gruff voice echoed from inside of auntie's house. Krishna wondered how quickly yesterday's frail voice now had gathered so much strength! He had to stop.
"No, you shouldn't phone them.''
"But why, they are our sons,'' auntie was weeping.
"No,''.... another no, "you don't have to inform them about my health. Let them enjoy their lives with their families. We are nobody for them now. If something happens to me, you inform them later. But before that, I don't want to see their faces."
'' But...'' auntie was stammering, she was sobbing. She lost her words.
Now uncle's voice softened, said, "You needn't worry. We have another son now. He is our Krishna. He is such a nice boy! I don't feel any tension when he is with us, believe me!''
On the other side of the closed door, here, Krishna stood speechless. Krishna felt his eyes welled up with tears. An unknown sentiment struck his mind. He stood there for some time. Then slowly walked downstairs having decided that he would inform his friend it was not the right time to leave Abida auntie's house.
That night, when he phoned his friend to tell him his decision, his friend said,- "Okay, no problem. One of my friends is also requesting me to move into my place, so I think he can join me. But you should think about yourself.''
A week later, Krishna heard a commotion of argument coming from the first floor. A sedan was parked in the front yard. He thought it would be unwise to overhear the heated conversation. He'd just reached from his night duty, and he'd to prepare the breakfast.
Sometime later, someone knocked at his door. Going out to the door he found a nice looking middle-aged man waiting for him. Seeing Krishna, he smiled, and he entered the room without asking Krishna's permission.
"So, you're Krishna. I'm very much grateful to you that you saved my father's life.'' The man sat down on a chair.
He smiled again. Continued, - "Now I've thought of taking my parents with me to Itanagar. They need care.'' He paused for a moment, then said, - "I've also discussed with my brother about my decision, and he's agreed to me.''
Krishna found it hard where this man's words were leading to. He just stood beside the man, aptly hearing his every single word.
"We, both of the sons, are very grateful to you," the man repeated the flattering words. This time Krishna stared at him. He said, "We're planning to sell this property. It's of no use to us. My parents can hardly take care of it alone.'' Now Krishna understood what the man wanted to say. A brief period of silence followed. He said ultimately, - "So, I request you to vacate this part by next month. Please don't misunderstand me.'' The car left in the afternoon. The whole day Krishna remained indoors thinking about his next move to find out a rented house. At night, before dinner, Krishna heard the loud resentful voice of Rofik uncle and the suppressed cry of Abida auntie.