Strange connections

A mini story

I walked down the lane and all the fond memories came rushing back. I went into the café and sat at the corner table – my favourite. As I sipped on the awesome Mocha my thoughts immediately shifted to the last time I was at this café- it was a warm sunny day and I had just got the appointment letter. I was on top of the world. Everything seemed perfect even the pain which had been bothering me since a couple of weeks had miraculously disappeared. Life was good again after a long long time. The jolt from behind brought me back to reality. As I turned to look a guy apologised explaining that he had tripped on his shoelace and lost his balance. I smiled with a 'No worries' gesture and went back to my pleasant thoughts.

I somehow could not get myself into that mood again. Strange life isn’t it I mused, things change when you least expect it. I, now had to go to the hospital and collect ‘the report’. This ( visits to doctors and hospitals) had become my life of late. The pain had escalated and I was pushed into seeing a doctor by my friends. How I wish I had not…or maybe it's good that I did.....well only time would tell. But what if the report was to say…..’Excuse me ……’ my thoughts interrupted again. But, this time I was glad! As I looked up at the lady with a blank expression she raised her voice and very articulately repeated herself, ‘Umm, can I have a look at the paper please.’ I hesitated as I still had to read the article on page six infact I bought the newspaper only for that article. Seeing my hesitation the lady got irate and said she just wanted to read an article on page six….I stood up to swap the seat in front of my table as the sun was troubling me. While I did that, I was trying to assure her that that I would give it to her in 5 minutes and just then the numbing pain struck again and I could feel my body go limp and collapsing on her table. I could even hear her say, ‘ Please if you don’t want to part with your dear paper don’t but do not dramatise and …….’ That was all I heard before I plunged into darkness.

I was still lying down when I opened my eyes but everything around me was very hazy. As my eyes adjusted to the light, I saw many people crowded over me and the weird thing was that I did not recognise any of them. My eyes traveled from one face to the other. Another thing that caught my attention was their calm faces. I thought to myself, to find some unconscious bloke on the street and be calm is amazing .….now now wait a minute where am I? I open my mouth to speak and all I could hear was garbled sound. The crowd parts and I see this lady who looks as radiant as ever with a big smile on her face. She holds my hand and tells me it’s going to take a while but I’ll get used to it. She taps my forehead and says, ‘Rest a while now and then you have your whole life to ask questions.’ As she spoke, I could feel myself very weak and tired but just as she went away I almost screamed, ‘ What does ‘used to it’ mean?? Where am I? Who are you?? Where is my family? What the hell....’ I shout with all my strength in the same garbled voice and I fall back on the bed .....

My eyes feel heavy as I struggle to open them. It takes me a while to get accustomed to the light. Just then I hear someone say, ' he's awake now.' I turn my head and see my mum with tears in her eyes. I manage a faint smile and turn my head to see a doctor whisper to the nurse. Ah! I think, it was her who ushered my mum in. Just then I see 'that' lady again - the radiant one. She was approaching my bed and then I hear my name and open my eyes to see the doctor calling my name and suddenly it feels everyone in the room is calling my name. My mums voice is the loudest as she says, 'Samrat please look at me, answer me....' I squeeze me eyes and turn my head from side to side. All of a sudden there is silence and I see the doctor ask me if I can see the numbers, he asks me to count from 1 to 10 and then count them backwards. The radiant lady is now sitting on my bed and she touches my forehead and says, ' Samrat ....' My mum is weeping and as I touch her hand she looks at me and tears fall on my hand. I see the doctor again and he smiles and says, ' You'll be fine.'

The lady says I'll get used to it while the doctor says I'll be fine. Who is saying what? What is going on? Where is the lady? I scan the room for her as more people fill in the room. My friends, extended family and even my manager from work. I tried to get up as I saw him near the bed but he smiled and asked me not to bother. I am not sure if his eyes were moist....

Today as I write this I feel a shiver in my spine. At the hospital, I'm told I was going in and out of coma and the last one was the most critical and the doctors were about to give up. The thing that fazes me till today is that lady, who was she? Where did she dissappear suddenly?? I wonder if you guys have a clue.

The questions still unanswered I continue writing....Oh and by the by there is no pain now, I feel fine, I still have the job and ( pause) this mocha is still just awesome. Strange life isn’t it I muse, things change when you least expect it.

© Trina Sarkar-Mohapatra, All rights reserved