The Surrender

On a sunday evening, I felt suddenly tired and bathed with perpiration during a set of tennis. Walked out without playing any more. Went home, supped and slept. Woke up in the middle of the night, perspiring despite the winter. No sleep thereafter.
Saturday story was repeated on Sunday except that I was playing cricket with my kids and their cronies when it happened. Sunday night competed with Saturday night in keeping me awake. The result was a close tie. Something like the Brisbane Test Match.
Monday morning blues ! Without living up the weekend ! Never in my three year old friendship with Insomnia, did I feel so down and out. Rang up the doctor. Doctor was annoyed on hearing about pain in the chest and left arm. Actually more annoyed as I did not report earlier in the weekend. Ordered my admission to the hospital. I thought, maybe the doctor was himself suffering from Monday morning blues. Looked at my wife, hoping for a rescue operation. No expression. Looked again . Still no expression. Covering the phone mouthpiece, I provoked her. " Do you mind, if I go, get admitted to the hospital ? "
" You are unwell and the doctor says so. Therefore, you must. Your health comes first " said my Pativrata Nari.
" O.K. Doc ! I shall report to the hospital in an hour. " I gave in with what I thought was grace. The news electrified the house. Boys excited. Their hockey field was next to the hospital. Daughter and ma-in-law in tears. Yes, ma-in-law too ! And genuine, not crocodile ones, mind you ! Wife busy packing my earthly belongings between restrained sobs. Not having been a bride, I did not till then, understand why her family cries at the time of her departure. Now I did. I would make a bad bride though. I did not feel like crying. The bride ought to. At least good ones.
I wanted to go to hospital in style i.e. in an ambulance. Our driver foiled me however. He was ready with the ancient jeep at the gate. I hoped, as usual, it might not start. It did. I hoped as usual, it might fail on the way. It did not. And I was thus jeeped all the way to the hospital. In a most unpatient like manner. Like a bride being carried piggyback instead of in a palki. But then bad ones ought to be.
At the hospital door, I tried to act brave. After a few steps, the atmosohere got me. I started wobbling and leant on the wall for support. I was taken to my bed. Tucked in.
The hospital staff started trickling in. One brought a chair for my wife to sit on. Another wheeled in a roller coastered cabinet cum dining table. A third took my temperature and pulse. Wife left after a while. I explored around the bed. Found a bell switch. Just for the heck of it, pressed it. The bell rang. Not very musical. A tall and stately maid in a nurse's uniform appeared. I asked for water. She complied. Pressed the bell again. a sister of sweet innocence appeared. Mischief died on my lips. I asked for my lunch to be laid out. Ate, dozed off, thanks to the sleeping fraught adminstered earlier.
Woke up. Pressed the bell again. wanted to have another look at the tall and stately one. Instead, a loose limbed, languid one appeared. Asked for something. Got it. Pressed the bell again. A schoolgirlish one appeared. Hey ! Isn't there an end to this procession ? I call them Wish-Kanyas. Wish for something. Press the bell. Presto ! There she comes, even if she is not the one you wished for. All very conscientious in their duty, smiling, cheerful and making light of an obviously hard job. Kudos to them.
The matron once made an entry. She did not look matronly. Too young for that. Tried to sound like one, though. Said, I could not smoke while in the hospital. Pleaded for four cigarettes a day. She did not have the heart to say no. Weak spot there. Named her " Bokuni Di " meaning the adminishing elder sister in Bengali. She has not stopped admonishing since. Which little girl does like becoming a Didi and ordering younger siblings around ?
Night dawned. As they do for insomniacs. Switched on the light. Started reading. Night sister entered. Spoke. A tenor. Said, I ought not to read. I said, I knew. Went on reading. She brought a doze. Chloral. Knock out drops. Gave me. Expected me to be knocked out by it. I was. After two hours.
The night sister is like a speaking doll. Her brand new husband, a handsome, young, Army Jawan had come to see her on vacation from his field posting. The sister had her eyes glowing, the like of which can be seen only when women are in love. Bless her, dear God ! If and wherever you are !
E.C.G. done, blood sucked and tested, urine and stool tested, worms expelled - four of them, about 6" long (average). Aneama given, X - Ray taken. All hospital rituals over. Just when I was about to be comfortable in the hospital, wife asked me when I was getting discharged. What for ? I countered. I looked better, she said. Doctor agreed. Boss too said so. He went further - wanted me to get my head examined. By a proper head shrinker. Funny people these ! Dragged me to hospital when I didn't want to go. Want to drag me home when I am about to get set in the hospital. But then ...
That's how life is. You are but a pawn in the hands of the powers that be. Best not to struggle too hard. Fall in line.Go when you are dragged. Come when you are pushed out. Struggle a little though, otherwise even non-powers might push you around.