Wednesday, September 10, 2008

A visit to an old age home.

It’s not much far from my residence and, Last Saturday we dropped in at this place. A serene location and the not an impressive building. The first impressive thing I found there is the founder trusty….Wow she was very accommodative. She spoke in fluent Hindi with my mother. She thanked me for my being there and accepted all my little offerings gratefully.
Then she walked me through the statistics: Total senior citizens: 93, sponsored: 65- non sponsored: 28, Staff (Medically trained): 32 (23- female & 9-males), there was one chief nurse. Staff is paid average 2000/- per month. If you wanna sponsor a uncle or aunty for one month it costs 3000/-. Once in 45 days all the old uncles and aunties are taken out to visit the city. Every month they celebrate B’days of 6 uncles/aunties.

Then….the chief nurse took us to the rooms …well maintained, big, lighted and clean. First Uncle whom I met was 103 yrs old and his children dropped him here when he did not die at the end of 99th years….Idiots :( he was continuously speaking ‘Narayan-Narayan’. My mischievous mind thought he must be having lot of stories ….well and another aunty she was fat and fair, as soon as she show the nurse, she swiftly got up from the chair and childishly veiled her to come near…and she opened the cupboard. We were surprised what is she up to?? Ohh…That Aunty wanted to give some eatable to her favorite care taker. We all laughed and said Hi to another Lady…Oh my god!!! She is so beautiful. Age old stunner in stiff white spotless sari. What a brutality to leave such charming mother at home?? All alone? She was from Chennai and she smiled at my mother…and they were talking in minute. I was observing her room. She had all the fancy amenities on her own apart from some one to talk to. She asked my mother, “Are you coming to home?” my mother said NO. Confidently. May be She thought if that so my mother can be her company. Another old woman was very old, weak and completely bed ridden. She was a sponsored resident and her son used to come to see her daily….and the list goes on.

I departed after 2 hours… I think all the children who don’t take care of parents should be punished by govt.

I think they all would have felt good. I think I am also feeling good :-) I think I will go there again…

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

And here I go again.

It was all fine and why am in groove?
I am feeling different, same boring routine life. Few old friends departed and a new bunch of young friends now. Weekends are with riding or swimming, Chatting with mother and some movies or books. Some music and little runs, Long days at work and cold nights. Everything seems uninteresting including shopping and outings too…. Umpteen numbers of seasons changed unremarkably, Monsoon goes and winter comes again, time remains still, speechless. May be every year, my birthday today makes me feel like this. Another year passed and a sense of futility….God knows!!!

I look up in the sky and wish what if something really striking happens which changes everything forever.Shall I go back to my native? Shall I go abroad and earn some more money? I did everything I wanted to and in my control….but yet there are many years to life and I feel I am running out of dreams. What do I do, which overwhelms me? This world wants to be deceived. I want to shed my skin. Abstract nature of my being.This shall pass too. Everything will be fine and I will be back in charge again….That is the law of the nature and it has to be. At least something changes…Diwali time, festive season, some days at home with my beloved niece, and the appraisal time at work. Everything is gonna be just alright. I will make it happen.

I paid for my new car today......... :-D All my own money...I am sooo much happy. My mother is with me, First time in 9 yrs I am not alone on my B'day...again I am happy. As I say, Happiness is a choice.

Close-up:“Behind me the bridges have crumbled, No question of return,No where to go but the horizon, Where then will I call my home?”
-Namesake