First and last of its kind.. At least I can hope so !!! :-)

That day one of my junior colleague called me. Actually one of his friend was about to come to my clinic that day regarding some ailments of his wife. I know them for years.

"Sir, there is a bad news.. Simanta (name changed) called me. He was about to meet you today.. But he got the news that his mother passed away !!"

"Oh !! Where is he now?"

"He is on the way to his hometown... With his wife and kids."

"Is he driving himself?"

"yes sir."

"Okay... I won't call him today. I'll talk to him later."

You know... I have witnessed so many deaths till date and even declared the same for so many times during my professional life, but yet I find it much difficult to console anybody who losses a near and dear one. That day I didn't call him thinking he might be busy with the rituals, moreover he is the eldest son in the family. Next day I just forgot. After 2 days I rang him up..

"Simanta, got the tragic news day before yesterday. I am so sorry. I can well assume what you are going through.. I pray to the almighty.. May her soul.."

I was about to conclude, but he hurriedly interrupted me..

"Sir.. Sir, listen !!"

"Yes Simanta.."

"Actually my mother is still alive.."

"Excuse me.. I mean.. Sorry, I am not getting your point.."

"Actually sir, that day for a while the whole family thought that she was no more.. Accordingly I asked Raktim (name changed) to inform you. But after she was brought to the hospital, the doctors informed us that she was unconscious.. She was admitted and after getting treatment for 3 days, she was discharged today. We reached home around 2 hours back. Now she is doing fine sir.. Please pray to god for her well being.."

I was in the midst of a tricky situation... I didn't know what to say !!! Finally I managed to say something,

"Oh, that's great Simanta.. I am feeling good that she is fine now.. But you know, that was a shocking surprise for me.."

"I can guess it well sir... Now please pray to the almighty for her health instead of her soul !!! Would you like to talk to her?"

He laughed loudly.. And as he laughed, I couldn't control myself anymore.. I laughed my lungs out..

"Leave it Simanta, convey her my wishes to get well soon.. I'll talk to her later.."

I disconnected the call.. But for a few minutes it forced me to wonder about the happenings that occurred just moments back!!!

That was for the first time that I called someone to console somebody's death, who is actually alive !!! The circumstances were indeed pleasant, but totally unpredicted and made me face an awkward situation..

I silently smiled once again at myself and hoped that such kind of incident would never ever happen to me.. Or else I can say, at least I can hope so !!!  :-) :-)

A beautiful day !!!

You know, some kids look younger than their chronological age. That day I was at my chamber when this child was brought to me by her mother. She was a cute little girl of 9 yrs and studied at 3rd standard. I came to know about her age from her registration slip, but she appeared much younger.. The way she talked, my heart did melt. I won't hesitate to say, but when she was talking, I just wished if she were my daughter... After I examined her, I was writing her prescription. Her mother was sitting opposite me across the table and she was standing near me watching curiously what I was writing.. For a moment I wondered if she was also going to say the same 'wonderful' words that one little boy said to me months back, "Uncle, your handwriting is not good !!" But thankfully she didn't say such.. :-)

After I finished my job, I casually asked the mother if other kids in her class are older to her..

Her mother smiled, but the answer came from the child,

"Actually uncle..."

She tried to say something, but hesitated for a moment, then looked towards her mother, then at me and then politely asked,

"May I say uncle?"

Oh, this little kid just asked for my permission to say something !!!

It was really great to witness that at this younger age she could easily understand that she somehow interrupted my conversation with her mother !! This is truly an example of good upbringing.. Anyway, charity begins at home!!!

I said with a smile which probably expressed my adoration that came straight from my heart,

"Please continue Majani.."

"Actually uncle, I only look younger, but I am old enough !!! You know uncle, I am already 9... "

Kids these days are smart.. But this kid could well retain her innocence while expressing it..

My smile broadened even more.

I playfully pinched her both cheeks and said,

"Oh, really? Yeah, I see Majani.. You are quite old.. But still you are a cute little girl to me !!"

She smiled.. For me, her pleasant smile was like the reward of the moment.. And by her innocence, she definitely made my day even more beautiful !!!

মূল্যবৃদ্ধিত এভুমুকি !!!

ডিউটিৰ পৰা ঘৰলৈ বুলি অহাৰ পথত অক্স্মাতে মনত পৰিল, শ্ৰীমতীয়ে বজাৰৰ পৰা কিবা নিব লগা হব পাৰে বুলি কৈছিল । পকেটৰ পৰা ম'বাইলটো উলিয়াই তেওঁৰ নম্বৰটো ডায়েল কৰিলো ।

"প্ৰণামী, কি নিব লগা আছিল অ' বজাৰৰ পৰা?"

"শুনিছা, বাকী সকলো আছেই । পোৱা যদি বিলাহী কেইটামানকে লৈ আনিবা ।"

পকেটৰ পৰা পাৰ্ছটো উলিয়াই চালো । অ'ত ত'ত বহুত ঠাইত পইচা দি দি পকেট একপ্ৰকাৰ খালী, খৰচ কৰিব পৰাকৈ এতিয়া বিশ টকাহে আছেগৈ পকেটত । হব আৰু , এলাহ লাগিছে, আকৌ ATM ত নোসোমাও আজি । বিলাহীহে নিব দিছে, একো নাই, ১০ টকামানৰ লৈ যাম , কেইবাটাও পাম ।

শাক পাছলিৰ দোকান এখন দেখি গাড়ী খন ৰখাই আৰামত নামিলো । বঢ়িয়া, বিলাহীকেইটা একেবাৰে ''মোক খা'' "মোক খা" কৈ জিলিকি আছে । আজি শ্ৰীমতীক খুশ কৰি দিম বাপ্পেকে ।

"বিলাহী কেনেকে দিছে ?"

"৬০ টকাকৈ ।"

"বহু বেছি কৈছে হে ।"

"এই দামেই চলি আছে দাদা । দিমনে?"

পকেটত থকা একমাত্র বিশ টকাটোলৈ মনত পৰিল । চাব্বাছ পাৰ্থ, বজাৰত জুই চাই দাম, আৰু তই বিশ টকাত এসোপা বিলাহী কিনি ঘৈণীয়েৰক খুশ কৰ ।

দুখ মনেৰে কলো,

"দিয়ক আৰু , পোন্ধৰ টকাৰ, মানে এপোৱা দিয়ক ।"

অৱশেষত সৰু ডাঙৰ মিলাই মাত্র তিনিটা বিলাহী হাতত লৈ পাম্প যোৱা বুকুখন সাৱটি ঘৰলৈ বুলি আগবাঢ়িলো ।

ভালকৈ বুজিলো , চাল্লা , বস্তুৰ দাম সচাকৈয়ে বৰকৈ বাঢ়িছে ।

(উপসংহাৰ : ঘৰৰ শাক পাছলিৰ বজাৰ সাধাৰণতে কৰিবলগীয়া নোহোৱাৰ বাবেই বোধকৰোঁ বহু বয় বস্তুৰ দাম দৰৰ বিষয়ে মই তেনেকৈ অৱগত নহওঁ । কিন্ত এটা বিলাহী যেতিয়া পাচ টকাৰে কিনিব লগা হয়, তেতিয়া সচাকৈয়ে গা বেজবেজাই যায় ।)

এটা শব্দৰ অনুপস্থিতি !!!

ব্লাড বেংকৰ ডিউটিত আছিলোঁ  ৰক্তদাতাসকলক এজন এজনকৈ পৰীক্ষা কৰি ৷

এজন 32 বছৰমান বয়সৰ  মানুহ  আহি মোৰ সন্মুখত বহিলহি  ৷

ফৰ্মখন লৈ  সুধিলো, " পেচেন্ট কি হয় আপোনাৰ?"

উত্তৰ আহিল, "মোৰ ল'ৰাৰ মিছেছ ৷"

এইবাৰ মোৰ আচৰিত হোৱাৰ পাল ৷ মানুহজনৰ বয়সটো আকৌ এবাৰ ফৰ্মখনত চকু ফুৰাই চালো ৷ হয়, 32 বছৰেই হয় ৷

"আপোনাৰ ল'ৰাৰ মিছেছ মানে?  আপোনাৰ ল'ৰাৰ বয়স কিমাননো?"

"অ'হ! !! ছৰি ছাৰ, মোৰ লগৰ ল'ৰাৰ মিছেছ !!! 'লগৰ' শব্দটো ক'ব নোৱাৰাকৈ 'মিছ' হৈ গ'ল ৷ "

জোৰ কৰি উঠা হাঁহিটো কোনোমতে দমাই ৰাখি মিচিকিয়া হাঁহি এটাৰে তেওঁক  ক'লো,

"দেখিলে, এটা শব্দ মিছ কৰিলে অৰ্থৰ কেনে পৰিবৰ্তন হৈ যায়  ৷ হব   দিয়ক,  আজি আমি দুয়োটাই সেই  প্ৰমাণ পালো ৷ নে কি কয়?"

সেমেনা সেমেনি কৰি লাজুক হাঁহি এটাৰে তেওঁ ক'লে,

"নকব আৰু ছাৰ, 'মোৰ ল'ৰা' হ'বলৈ মই বিয়াই পতা নাই এতিয়ালৈ ৷ "

ময়ো আন এটা মিঁচিকিয়া হাঁহিৰে কথাটো তাতেই সামৰিলোঁ ৷ মানুহজনক আৰু অপ্ৰস্তুত কৰিবলৈ সত নহ'ল ৷

কিন্তু পেটে পেটে নিজকে নিজে  এইবুলি কৈ  ভিতৰুৱাকৈ পৰম ৰস পালো,

"ভাগ্য ভাল, 'লগৰ' শব্দটো 'মিছ' কৰাৰ লেথীয়াকৈ 'ল'ৰাৰ' শব্দটোও 'মিছ' কৰি আপুনিযে মোক ভুলতে  পেচেন্ট গৰাকী 'মোৰ মিছেছ হয়' বুলি নকলে,  কাৰণ তেনেকে কোৱাহলে  আপোনাৰ  'লগৰ ল'ৰাজনে' বৰ দুখ পালেহেঁতেন ৷"

:-) :-)

Everyone's wish I suppose !!!

That day I was talking to one of my patients. He was a young guy of 25 years. After his examination was over, I casually asked him what his father does for a living...

He answered,

"He has done a lot for us Sir. Now we have asked him to take rest.. My mother expired long back when we were still too young... I don't even remember her face... Whatever we are today, it's just because of him... He has done his part, now it's our turn to do ours. Now we try to have our own source of income and I hope he will be able to enjoy a better life !!!"

You know, his reply was totally unexpected, but it created such a heart warming feeling that I feel short of words to express it properly..

Same day I had my clinic at my hometown Morigaon. After finishing my duty at my workplace at Guwahati, I reached there at around 4 pm. In the evening we had a marriage invitation at Nagaon, which is around 40 kms away from our house. Actually one of my relative was getting married... As I was likely to become late after finishing my patients at my chamber, my parents left early for the marriage. At around 7.30pm, I started my journey with some of my relatives. As I reached the marriage hall, I noticed maa and papa with the bridegroom. Papa was telling something and both the bridegroom and my mother were happily responding with smiles. Yes, they seemed to be much happy and it somehow reminded me of the same boy that I met in the morning. Yeah, these 2 are the persons for whom me, my younger sister and brother could see the light of this world. Whatever we have achieved till date, we mostly owe them. And whenever we do something good and our parents become happy, it invariably brings us immense pleasure...

At 25, that boy was around 8 years younger to me, but the irony is that personally I have not been able to do the same till now.. May be my parents won't like the idea to take rest leaving aside their activities, but I have never been able to ask them to relax leaving all the responsibilities upon me !!!

Whatever the boy is trying to do for his father, it might be an example for all of us. I am not going to discuss all other factors.. May be not everyone is lucky enough to have considerate parents.. May be not everyone is lucky enough to become self sufficient to support his/her parents.. Not all are lucky enough to still have their parents by their side when they are sufficient enough to support them.. Not everyone is lucky enough to have the mindset to do something for the parents.. And last but not the least, some people, it seems, are totally indifferent towards their parents or become totally self centered towards their "new family" or may be that they even get sadistic pleasure to witness their parents suffer!!! And for those last categories of people, I don't give a damn.

Well done boy, provided all of us can somehow think like you, no parents with a ''living child'' would ever have to suffer mental agony any more !!!