Can I be so selfish?

This morning my niece had called up to say that her grandfather was no more. He'd breathed his last in the wee hours of the morning after three. I was stunned on hearing that bit of information, as she and her mother(my younger sister, Minni) were staying with my parents to facilitate her studies.

I think my initial reaction was measured as I did not want her to be further distressed and therefore, let her do the talking so that I could get the details(Dad was perfectly okay when I'd spoken to him last Sunday and how did it happen? The suddenness was all the more disturbing). Mentally, I was also working out our travel plans.

And then she narrated as to how they'd got a call past midnight that her paternal grandfather had desired to see the both of them at the earliest. My mother, sister and niece immediately set off for Ayur, about 24 kms away, and was in hand to see his life ebbing away. Mr. P Gangadharan Pillai - my brother-in-law Sanil's father aged 77yrs - passed into eternity a trifle after three.

I was suddenly relieved as it surmised that my dad was safe. I feel sheepish saying this, but I was momentarily happy. Can I be so selfish? Just goes to show that I'm too less a mortal and need to evolve more as a human being!

Epitaph.

Ayur achan, as I used to address Sanil's father, was an affable man who was a retired Headmaster of the local high school and a loyal communist. And he could talk on any subject under the sun! I used to make it a point to visit him, at least once during my leave, just to listen to him and he'd once said that he always looked forward to those interactions(Wonder whether it was to please me?) I shall miss him from now on. Ayur acha, apologies for my selfishness and RIP.