Sunday, September 29, 2013

Felix's woes.

Felix is my 'saarthi' these days. 65 years and short statured, he's an efficient man behind the wheel. Our interaction has been a revelation about his world that had recently turned topsy turvy because of his wife's ailment.

The narrative goes something like this. His wife, all of 55 years, had developed gastric discomfort with a perennial bloating of her stomach. He'd shown her to many of the doctors beginning with a specialist in gastroenterology. After many tests and analyses, the problem was pinned down to a malignant tumour in her ovary. Chemotherapy was begun and after three such administrations, the size of the offensive organ had shrunk sufficiently to facilitate its surgical removal.  She continues to be on treatment but seems to be on the definite road to improvement. But the entire episode seems to have shaken the poor gentleman and as he narrated his woes to me, his tears flowed unchecked.

There were attendant problems in the course of the treatment when the lady had lost her hair after the first session of chemotherapy. Their two daughters and their families, along with their son who's just completed his graduation in nursing and is awaiting a job, were of immense help to them to rally through the crisis.

Felix seems to have been hit hard and consequently, smokes like a chimney except when he's behind the wheel. I only hope that he doesn't end up with health complications! Keeping him continuously behind the wheel seems to be the only remedy, but thoroughly impractical!


Tailpiece.

(a) Yet another dialogue between the leaders of India and Pakistan had taken place today at New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session. A repeat pantomime as usual with nothing concrete in the form of results especially when Nawaz Sharif dragged the Kashmir bogey in his speech. Our PM had made a befitting counter to it! Nothing can change as long as the Pakistani army calls the shots in that country! Sad!!

(b) There's a sudden proliferation of Gandhiji everywhere. The 2nd of October, his birthday, is looming large and it's fashionable to remember him as a sort of a ritual! When will we change?   

No comments:

Post a Comment