IDHAR UDHAR KI BAAT 53 – LONELINESS

 

IDHAR UDHAR KI BAAT 53 – LONELINESS

Brig PS Gothra (Retd) 

"I know you through WhatsApp only. Whenever, I post a photo with my caption to you and all my family members. It is only you who appreciates and sometimes intimate corrections. But today you have not given any comments, I have been waiting for ten hours now," said Mr Singh who lives alone because all members of his family are abroad. 

"No sir I had placed a thumbs up sign on your post. I always see a tremendous effort and thoughtfulness in the pictures and captions you send," I said while thinking that the pictures are always a little blurred as they are clicked with a shaky hand or there is always an autocorrect error in the caption.

"I am eighty years old but when you post 'good' or 'great' on the pictures, I feel the thrill of a kindergartner getting a 'good' remark on his notebook from his/her teacher.'

"I am happy sir it means so much to you."

"That satiates my creativity. I click those photos when I move out for my morning walk. And do you know what motivates me to live?"

"No sir," I said. I could feel that the old man is lonely and desperately wants to talk. 

"I want to live to support the families of my servants through my pension. Twelve years ago, I was feeling very lonely one day. I had a few extra drinks. I had to be admitted in the ICU. I came out of semi coma after nine days. I was shifted to a normal ward where on the first night I got soiled. In that state of smell and filth, I was wondering whether my servants will clean me in the morning or just abandon me like my own children. But that day they took turns to clean me even when they were without wages for eight days because I fell sick on the thirtieth of the month. I decided to live as long as possible to support them. For that purpose, I engage in physical activity, creativity and enjoy a sound sleep. You know if you walk and exercise for ninety minutes every day, you cannot die?"

I didn't know what to say so I said, "that is a very important piece of information. Has it been medically verified?"

"I don’t know but it is my belief. Isn’t it ironic that as a young man I never thought of warding off death but now when the death is more imminent, I  make a lot of efforts to put it off.”

I didn’t want to discuss death anymore so I said, "Why do you think that you have been abandoned by your children?"

“Fourteen years ago I lost my wife. On her death my younger son came immediately but the elder one informed me that he is busy somewhere. So, I put the body of my wife in the mortuary. After waiting for four days the younger son said that we should carry on with the last rites as he and his elder brother have decided that on my death he will be there for the last rites. This hurt me. After the last rites I gave my piece of mind to both my sons laced with all the expletives. I told them that I don’t want to see their faces ever. So, our communication has stopped. But now I feel lonely. My ego prevents me from apologizing and I try to woo them and their family with the WhatsApp messages.”

“That is very sad sir.”

“Yes, me and my wife gave the whole of our life and savings to bring them up and they don’t have time for us. We never attended any function in our relations so that the children’s education does not suffer. And they remain focused to build a career. Because of that I cannot meet any of my relatives or friends today. I want to meet my grand daughters. Both are super specialist doctors.”

“Sir, probably like you, your children are busy and focused in making the career of their children and have no time available. So, it  is not a great deal if you send them an apology message and the things will improve,” I said. In the rest of the conversation I found him to be losing interest in talking to me.

In the middle of the night my phone rang. It was the old man,  "you said you have acknowledged my message but I don't see your message."

It took me some time to register the conversation. Then I said, "Sir, in the bottom of your message if you see very carefully you will see a small thumbs up👍. That is sent by me."

"Let me have a look,”  and he snapped the call.

After ten minutes when in my dream a beautiful Tamil heroine was leaning to kiss me on my lips the phone rang again. This time the old man with wet throat said, "my granddaughters and my daughters- in-law have been sending love 💓symbols to all my posts and I blinded by ego have never seen it. Should I call them?"

"Yes sir,"  I said and switched off the phone. I thought I may be able to catch up with the heroine.

 I thought the old man no longer needs my encouragement as I stopped getting his messages from the next day. 

A few days later I found that the old man had died that night only. Maybe his loneliness was unable to cope up with sudden love and affection.

Note:-This is a story of two people woven into one.