Moral Short Story – The woman and her baby
Photo credit: mvictor from morguefile.com
Naina, software personnel in Bangalore, works five days a week; loves hang out with friends on weekends, loves free space of working and living alone but miss her family often. Her parents are settled at the city suburbs of Chennai. She contributes towards the education of her younger brother Raja, an ambitious lad in the last year collage, wants to work in US and dreams to gift his family a holiday in Niagara Falls & Orlando with his first job. Raja feels his father has done enough teaching the school kids, soon to be retired and mother in making their lovely home a paradise.
Naina was excited to spend the long weekend at home for Easter holidays. Her mouth watered dreaming of those yummy Pongal and other delicious savories cooked by her mom. Her parents were looking for a match but Naina hasn’t find that ‘someone special’ from her mom’s collection of photos and profiles on various matrimony sites. She packed light and had dinner with a colleague, who offered to drop her at Station to board the train @ 10 pm.
She waved bye to her friend and settled down to sleep. She looked around; a senior citizen is snoring in the lower bed and a handsome guy in upper berth was busy gluing at his laptop. She thought to herself, these days everyone minds their own business. Gone are the days when strangers used to be friendly even on a short journey. She also noticed that a woman with a little baby was awaken and flashed a smile at Naina. The snoring uncle got up to drink water.
He noticed that the vacant seat is now occupied also looked up at the young guy and sighed but did not say a word. He again prepared for another catnap. Naina finally closed her eyes, trying to get some sleep after the long day. The woman was playing with her baby for some time. Later she slept aside with a cozy bedspread around them. Suddenly they heard some unusual noise arising from the woman. She thought the woman is snoring, but she rechecked, no something is wrong.
The woman was waving her hand, seeking help. She was sweating and clutched her tummy – feeling the abdominal discomfort. She also complained of chest tightness or pain. Naina was completely shaken. By this time, the snoring uncle is up and he left to look in for the first aid or a doctor in the train. The experienced uncle understood that the woman just got a heart attack. Naina was trying to talk to her but the woman was not responding. Naina checked with the guy if he’s aware of the station nearby.
He replied, ‘Yes. The train stops at Katpadi for just 2 minutes. And we’ll reach in another 15 minutes’.
The uncle returned disappointed as he couldn’t find any help in the train. He said, wish I get down and take her to the hospital. Naina noticed the guy was attending the woman, took out a tablet from his small pouch that he carried and dialed the Ambulance. He asked the Ambulance to rush to Katpadi Railway station and explained the condition of the woman. Uncle gave a confused look.
Sir, I’m Nek. I have been assigned six months at a hospital near Katpadi.
He also showed his card Nek Vaidya, MBBS, MS, confirming him as a Doctor. The uncle smiled with a bit of relief. Nek continued, the woman had heart attack and needs hospitalization. I already asked the Ambulance to pick us from the station. I did not sleep as I am new to this place since the station reaches at odd time, but thanks to the net that gives more. The uncle expressed his inability to get down with him for helping the woman.
‘Uncle, I’ll get down till someone from her family arrives’. Naina willingly announced.
For the first time she looked at Nek with utmost respect. Her thoughts about the non-friendly co-passengers drifted off. She sent a text message to her brother and got down with the sleeping baby, her bag-pack and the woman’s belongings. Nek stopped at the Taxi stand and asked Naina to follow the vehicle 108 to the hospital. Naina was scared to travel in that taxi with the baby and the driver’s chit chats made her uncomfortable. She did not respond well but expressed friendliness.
Doctor and the team were at full swing. Each followed the doctor’s directives for the line of treatment ECG, Noting down the BP at certain intervals, etc. Naina looked at the cute baby, smiling in her sleep. She had seen her cousin’s fussy baby, taking short naps. She also prayed from the bottom of her heart for the woman. She sat in the hospital lobby for about an hour till she heard the tender voice of Dr. Nek, standing with folded hands with a sigh of relief.
‘Thank you, Madam for being here. Now the woman is out of danger. By sunrise, her mother in law and husband will be here.’
Naina met the woman. She was awake. Naina sat beside her and gave a warm hug, making sure she is not tensed. The woman tilted her head to kiss the little one. The woman smiled and she slept on.
‘She needs rest ’. Nek said smilingly. ‘She has been given injections and the attendants here are highly supportive. My room is nearby, you may accommodate tonight’.
Nek led the way and Naina followed him silently carrying the baby. They reached the room, which was decorated in floral bedspread with matching pillows, cushions on the sofa and even the curtains. She comfortably made the baby sleep in the bed and asked Nek to sleep along the side of baby. She settled to rest in the sofa. She’s never been with someone unfamiliar. Nek tried to make her comfortable and he spoke about his childhood in Chennai, Medical education in Delhi and specialization from abroad. But soon he realized Naina already dozed off in the sofa.
The morning sun was shining bright when Naina opened her eyes. She felt happy seeing the baby playing with Nek. They exchanged good mornings; Nek offered her some hot coffee from the thermos. Naina apologized for sleeping over his talks.
‘I am leaving for the hospital in few minutes along with the baby. The woman is doing great and her relatives arrived in the wee hours’. Nek announced.
Without wasting time, Naina speed up and set for her trip. They visited the woman and spent about half an hour. Finally it was time to say goodbye. The family members thanked and invited Naina & Nek for baby’s birthday next week. Nek offered her to drop at the Station. Naina thanked him casually. ‘It’s a never before and a new experience for me’. She smiled and continued jokily. ‘Also I have never seen Doctors attending the patient without any prior appointment’.
He too expressed happiness over meeting a kind and polite person with a helping mentality. They stopped by the Cafeteria for a quick bite before heading off in their directions.
Nek – ‘so plan to drop in for the baby’s birthday’?
Naina – ‘Not likely’, there’s a ‘fundraising n awareness program on Breast Cancer’.
Nek shared the message about the same event; she was amazed to read the invitation with letters in bold Chief Guest –Dr. Nek Vaidya. The signal changed to green and Nek wished – happy journey. She thought, ‘it’s of course a beautiful beginning, journey with new perception towards life and people. Not to judge people and first impression cannot be the last impression. She called her mother, maa, I will reach home by lunch. I think I started liking someone, no. I do not have his photo.…. I will share about him later.
She looked thru the window and saw Nek was leaving and dialing someone…. Nek was talking to the Uncle who’s in the train. Sir, Hello. Have you reached home, Sir? Yes. The woman is doing great and so the baby. She’s likely to be discharged this evening. Naina just left for home…. yes. No no no I couldn’t sleep at all uncle…..baby got up and Naina was sleeping, yes, you can save this number uncle………..
He closed the door of the hired taxi with directives to take him to the orphanage nearby to celebrate Easter. Yes – ‘Reality is always kinder than the stories we tell about’.
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