Good morning, Bangalore
Last week, I was asked to take a ‘chill-pill’. Though I am immediately provoked by the phrase, (it was often used by my teenage children when I was usually right!), I decided to calm down a bit. That meant read a book, listen to my favourite music, and generally ignore a messy house, incessant cooking and the angst of my city and the world. It worked like a charm for some time, till my uncle and aunt both fell ill with the ‘dreaded virus’ and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it. The rigmarole that followed and the ‘not knowing’ that we all so dread, started. No beds, no ventilators, no doctor, no hospitals willing to admit them, no ambulances, no nothing…
Their only daughter and my best friend, Geramin, valiantly held forth from the US, connecting with old school friends who were doctors, to admit her senior citizen father into hospital. She even informed BBMP to seal off her parents’ home! Well, the inevitable did happen and we lost my uncle two days before his birthday in hospital. When one can see the despondency up close, it rattles your sense of being to the very core. He was an intelligent pioneer, an expert in his field, loved modern gizmos, and always asked my husband’s opinion on some new gadget or the other. Aunty thankfully is recovering but is going to have to face her life without her loving partner and friend.
I believe when she last saw him they were holding hands while she gently scolded him about getting better soon. His eyes behind the oxygen mask only dripped with love. He would have wanted us to celebrate his life, not mourn his passing, and all of us are trying to do it in our own ways. Au revoir, Uncle Leslie Sebastian, till we meet again.
The irony of the situation was that I only took to taking a ‘chill-pill’ after Uncle’s passing. Maybe because everyone came together like human beings should! BBMP was very helpful and courteous with Geramin when she was inquiring about the processes that needed to be followed. They were empathetic and understanding and immediately sealed and fumigated her parent’s home even with no one there. Geramin’s doctor friends made sure that Uncle was comfortable and well looked after, graciously taking suggestions for his care from her doctors in the US. Human beings came together under tragic circumstances to make things better for the grieving daughter who never even got to say goodbye.
So many friends who knew my association with him called up to condole. I was touched… and my faith in the human race has picked up a notch or two. I rely on my friends for a lot of things, especially emotional succour. Though Geramin and I are not related by blood she is my ‘sistah’ for sure! Both our families, friends and husbands know it. Even the eagle-eyed nuns in college tended to leave us alone because we were fierce when they tried to separate us… two young girls, living on secluded farms, taking refuge in friendship.
Our parents were friends, we went to the same college, chose to remain close even though life threw us a curve ball and many challenges. We remained steadfastly committed to our connection… it’s got to be love, right? Closer to home I coped very well thanks to my friends, of course! They all know that my sense of well-being and my stomach are directly connected! Phone calls followed by food are a winning combination. Rekha Ghosh, VP Operations of Farzi, sent me a fabulous chicken tikka masala, followed by Vishal Nagpal’s fiery crab curry from Royanna Military Canteen and let’s not forget, Seema Jaising’s cookies to prawn and black-bean relish from Anirudh and Neeti Kheny from 1Q1. My friends’ rock and are my rock!
RubiNATIONS
Rubi Chakravarti
writer, actor and funny girl