Out of time

‘Time is money’ an old cliché; in spite of that we take time absolutely casually.

I’ve never ever seen my mother waste or while away her time. She used to always do something or the other. At times, looking at her made me feel tired. Especially, at her age. Though she was only 51 years old while I was 24, her energy levels were always high. On the contrary, I was forever tired; probably lazy though I’d never admit it to my soul even.

It was a one of those annoying rainy days when my mother suddenly complained of a stomach pain, but I had to rush to office. So, I asked her to pop up some painkillers assuring her that she’d be fine within minutes. Monsoons in Mumbai was always a pain as the streets are always flooded, and the transport system is a mayhem.

I returned home tired and drenched in the rain, my mother immediately came to my rescue with some hot soup. I savoured the soup and crashed, soon to be woken up by my mother. I detested to go to office during rains. I was so immersed in my own problems that I completely forgot to ask my mother’s wellbeing. She had a perpetual smile on her face. A smile that could fill the room with happiness.

I drowned myself in the office meetings when one of my colleagues came rushing to the conference room. She was panting hard and her eyes were popping out. She gestured me to come out of the room. I was mortified and with an awkwardness I walked out. She had received a phone call from a hospital saying that my mother had fainted. I stood in complete silence to comprehend every word she was saying.

When I reached the hospital, I was first called by the doctor to his cabin. He made me sit comfortably and offered me a glass of water. I frowned at him for wasting my time. I was sure my mother’s blood pressure must have fallen that was the only reason she was taken to the hospital. My overly- enthusiastic neighbours could sometimes go overboard. Finally, the doctor asked me, “Since when is your mother complaining of stomach pain?” I looked at him baffled. I said that only once for which I had given her a painkiller. She seemed fine after that. The doctor told me that my mother was detected with last stage of cancer; unfortunately, there was no way to give her a lease of life.

My heart ached immensely, it felt like someone had kept a huge rock on my chest. I was working so hard for a good life for us that I I totally ignored her. Now, there was no way she could give me her time. She was out of time…

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

  Encounter A large French window was overlooking toward a towering monument which still was under construction. What an irony, the glistening beams of the sunlight, no more kiss my cheeks. The tranquility of my home had vanished. The cacophony created mayhem in my ear drums every single day. Luckily, the view of other rooms overlooks a beautiful lake and a park, where one could witness people of all ages. A gazebo stands in the middle of the park, a young man in his early twenties with his folded knees; sat inside the gazebo chanting Ommm……The sight intoxicated me; compelling me to change my attire and move out of the grim atmosphere to embrace the beauty of the outside world. The lush green grass tickling my feet; made me giggle like a little girl. Birds chirping in harmony; singing the good morning song. I moved towards the broad swing, knowing it would withstand my weight, but alas! Thud, I felt a numbness on my bottom. What was I thinking, I went red in my face. An ...
Read more

Healing

As a little girl, I’ve never been inclined to any sport; however, the only thing that excited me was the march past. Those days we had try-outs to participate in the march past. Fortunately, now these days children are encouraged to participate which is a good thing a way. Yet I feel the kids of today’s generation don’t take it seriously, and do not follow the decorum. I had observed on my daughter’s school sports day event where the children’s pants were falling on their buttocks showing off their colourful inner wear, and they were not in sync with the others. It was indeed an entertaining show. This was in Mumbai the year was 1985, the month of January, it was the peak of winter. I know, for people up north might wonder, winter in Mumbai. Yes, winter mornings were always a delight with dew drops creating a pattern on the leaves, ask any Mumbaikar, they would agree with me for sure. I was super thrilled today, finally, after the try-out and those insane practices I was selected to ...
Read more

Departed

    The whole world has been engulfed in this pandemic. At first, I thought it was of one those science fictions frim a Hollywood flick, but to my utter dismay I became a part of it. My life completely changed; there was a one hundred and eighty degrees turn. This shouldn’t have happened with me, why me, not me…This is all I have in my mind since then. ‘Once the weather changes, the virus will be a thing of the past.” Said many knowledgeable men. I would constantly pray for a warm weather though I detested summers. But now I wanted them badly. However, all this turned to be a hoax.   No one knew that this virus would capture and imprison us in our own houses. The days seemed long and nights were dreadful. Slowly and steadily, we started getting used to this life. Every month, when the government made an announcement, our hearts would pound. The cacophonic noise of the ambulance siren perturbed me. I stopped watching television as it only troubled me further; at the...
Read more