13-08-2022, 02:21 PM
I could visualize the couple in their new place of stay. The conjugal life immediately after marriage is the formative years of a long married life. The couples plan their future and try to know each other’s likes, dislikes, preferences, habit etc., Responsibilities are distributed, some of the dislikes get adjusted, some are compromised and a basic blue print for future is charted. Physical intimacy plays an important role; it helps to reach each other at a level, not otherwise can be achieved in any other relationship except marriage. This new found mutual infatuation gradually tapers off with time when with the arrival of a new born in the family; the baby gets all the attention of this small world.
Now, after a short break, Kallol resumed his story.
“Sunanda and Mathew had a very healthy and satisfying conjugal life, but the almighty might have thought otherwise. There was a major mishap in the factory where Mathew worked and the newly married Mathew was the sole victim. He got hit in the hips and inflicted a major pelvic fracture. Rourkela Hospital authorities after immediate medication, advised Sunanda to shift Mathew to CMC. Mathew’s friends made arrangements for railway reservation and Sunanda brought Mathew to CMC, Vellore by train.
Sunanda’s father came to know that his son in law had met with a major accident. He felt sorry but his ego was hurt. He decided not to come forward to help his daughter and son in law in this time of their distress. Friendless, penniless Sunanda was left behind Vellore with the sole hope of Mathew’s recovery.
For setting the pelvic fracture, Mathew was taken to operation theatre and was administered anesthesia. But after the operation Mathew did not regain his sense. Doctors were initially perplexed but understood later that it was a case of stroke and informed Sunanda that Mathew had a massive stroke during operation and was in coma. They were not assuring anything. He could recover in hour or he could remain in comatose state forever!
While his newly married wife was waiting outside the operation theatre with patience and hope, Mathew lied in his bed in a state that was a nightmare for anyone who happened to be in that situation. There was only one consolation that Mathew was a Catholic Christian and so all his medical expenses were being borne by a special trustee fund of the institute.
Days passed but there was no change in the status of Mathew. Although there was no expense on account of medical treatment or diet, but what about Sunanda’s expenses on account of her lodging and boarding? For the last two months that Mathew continued to be lying in the ICU in a comatose state, whatever their savings had in cash or jewelry, all by this time got exhausted.
There was nobody to stand by penniless Sunanda at this time of distress and refused to receive her frantic telephone calls. Her father had ignored her plight; there was no connection or communication with the in laws. Friends initially did extend help, but once they realized that the ship was sinking, who would there on their side?
Now, Sunanda’s situation was hopeless and there was no way out. She met hospital administration for any job that was available, but there was no vacancy. Under duress, she started to explain her plights to the fellow ladies and requested for financial assistance. A few were sympathetic to her, but was none was eager to help a distressed young woman. But they started telling the story of her misfortune to others and thus her story spread in the ladies circle. Some of the ladies started avoiding her and reluctantly would return her wishes under unavoidable circumstances. Everybody had their own issues to address and nobody had time for others.
Those ladies went back to their hotel rooms and gossiped with their spouses about Sunanda. Now the men folks were also aware of Sunanda’s precarious condition. All felt sympathy but nobody felt any compulsion to do anything for her.
Some of the men folks now discreetly started to pry upon her. They were those, who were staying alone with their patients in the hospital and normally aspired for some variety to satiate their carnal desires without compromising their reputation. Being in an alien place they were eager to have some extra fun on the side in a place where they were temporarily staying.
As Sunanda’s situation kept on deteriorating, there was a gradual change in her attitude. She now started entertaining to discuss her condition with those adult and middle aged people. Once in a while she started to accompany them to the canteen and would accept snacks or a cup of tea or even lunch. Her transformation was complete on that day, when she accompanied a visitor to his hotel in the evening and stayed for the night there.
After spending the whole night in the hotel, when she came back to the hospital, she looked fresh and lively. That was the beginning of a new chapter in Sunanda’s life. Since that day if any prospective adult male who was liked by Sunanda, she would easily fall for his charms and in exchange, she would take gifts or even money. The money thus earned possibly was spent on lodge rent, food bill and other day to day necessities. And thus Sunanda’s never ending wait for comatose Mathew’s recovery continued”.
Kallol now took a break. In the mean time we had already taken two cups of tea, and we did not realize that it had become dark. When we came back to the waiting room, we found that Sunanda was in deep discussion with a middle aged gentleman. After some time both of them left the waiting room separately. When they moved out, Kallol gave me a knowing smile that possibly meant that I must now have understood what they were going to do. I made no comment.
At 9 PM we were informed by an attendant that our patient had now been taken to his bed from post-operative care. Immediately we got busy with him. Father in law had got back his sense post operation and was responding to our queries by shaking his head.
In a span of two days he made remarkable recovery. During that time I used to frequent the visitor room. Sometime I would see Sunanda sitting in the visitor room talking to some unknown visitor; sometimes she would sit alone with a melancholic mood. I did never bother her.
My professional commitment compelled me to leave behind my in laws and I came back to my work place. In the mean time in fifteen days Kallol also returned with his parents after being discharged from CMC. Nothing could be gathered about Sunanda.
After about six months, suddenly father in law fell sick and died. My grieving immediately rushed to attend her father’s last rites. I reached on the eve of “Sradhdha”, a post death religious function performed by the Hindus.
After the function, one evening I sat with Kallol over a couple of drinks and I asked him if he had any further updates on Sunanda. Kallol had made some friends during his stay at Vellore. The gist of information that he gave was this:
Sunanda was spending her time in the same manner as we had seen there. Then a gentleman called Mr.Das brought his wife with about ninety percent burn occurred in a freak kitchen fire accident. They had a boy. During that period, Sunanda took care of the kid. The woman however did not make recovery and died after a week in the hospital bed. After the demise of his wife, the widower took his kid and Sunanda to the hotel where he was lodging. They stayed there while Mr. Das performed the last rites of his wife. Sunanda continued to stay in the hotel with the kid. When the gentleman left Vellore, Sunanda was seen to be accompanying the gentleman holding the kid in her arms. Since that day Sunanda was no more seen at the CMC waiting room.
Fast forwarding time to 2012, I received a private message in the portal where I had published this story in Bengali. It simply asked,”Do you want to know what happened to Sunanda”?
I immediately replied and gave my cell phone number, requesting to contact me. And promptly I got a call from Sunanda. She told me that she could recollect me and told me I was slim, fair, bald and middle aged. She knew me indeed!
I asked how she could remember me. She told, “You are one of the few persons who never tried to be intimate with me while I was struggling with Mathew at the CMC. And from your description in the story, I could recollect your brother in law too. I had seen him many a times in the hospital”.
-OK, now tell me what happened.
- Nobody knew, but I was actually offered a position of governess for the kid by Mr.Das and I left Vellore with him keeping a note for Mathew with the head nurse, so that in case he recovers, he could know about my where about. Mr. Das had already a girlfriend, whom he intended to marry immediately. As they did not need a governess after the marriage to look after the kid, I was again back to square one. And then the miracle happened.
-What was that miracle?
- By God’s grace, Mathew came out of his coma after about three months. Being a well built person, he had recovered splendidly. He was able to walk with a stick and was offered a job of attendant by the hospital authorities. He got the note from the head nurse, got the contact number and contacted me. And the rest is history.
- Where are you now?
- We are at Vellore, silly. I am also likely to get a clerical job in the hospital on a compassionate ground after sometime.
- I am very happy the way your life has turned. Please keep in touch. Any other thing you would like to share?
- Mathew will become a father very soon.
Now, after a short break, Kallol resumed his story.
“Sunanda and Mathew had a very healthy and satisfying conjugal life, but the almighty might have thought otherwise. There was a major mishap in the factory where Mathew worked and the newly married Mathew was the sole victim. He got hit in the hips and inflicted a major pelvic fracture. Rourkela Hospital authorities after immediate medication, advised Sunanda to shift Mathew to CMC. Mathew’s friends made arrangements for railway reservation and Sunanda brought Mathew to CMC, Vellore by train.
Sunanda’s father came to know that his son in law had met with a major accident. He felt sorry but his ego was hurt. He decided not to come forward to help his daughter and son in law in this time of their distress. Friendless, penniless Sunanda was left behind Vellore with the sole hope of Mathew’s recovery.
For setting the pelvic fracture, Mathew was taken to operation theatre and was administered anesthesia. But after the operation Mathew did not regain his sense. Doctors were initially perplexed but understood later that it was a case of stroke and informed Sunanda that Mathew had a massive stroke during operation and was in coma. They were not assuring anything. He could recover in hour or he could remain in comatose state forever!
While his newly married wife was waiting outside the operation theatre with patience and hope, Mathew lied in his bed in a state that was a nightmare for anyone who happened to be in that situation. There was only one consolation that Mathew was a Catholic Christian and so all his medical expenses were being borne by a special trustee fund of the institute.
Days passed but there was no change in the status of Mathew. Although there was no expense on account of medical treatment or diet, but what about Sunanda’s expenses on account of her lodging and boarding? For the last two months that Mathew continued to be lying in the ICU in a comatose state, whatever their savings had in cash or jewelry, all by this time got exhausted.
There was nobody to stand by penniless Sunanda at this time of distress and refused to receive her frantic telephone calls. Her father had ignored her plight; there was no connection or communication with the in laws. Friends initially did extend help, but once they realized that the ship was sinking, who would there on their side?
Now, Sunanda’s situation was hopeless and there was no way out. She met hospital administration for any job that was available, but there was no vacancy. Under duress, she started to explain her plights to the fellow ladies and requested for financial assistance. A few were sympathetic to her, but was none was eager to help a distressed young woman. But they started telling the story of her misfortune to others and thus her story spread in the ladies circle. Some of the ladies started avoiding her and reluctantly would return her wishes under unavoidable circumstances. Everybody had their own issues to address and nobody had time for others.
Those ladies went back to their hotel rooms and gossiped with their spouses about Sunanda. Now the men folks were also aware of Sunanda’s precarious condition. All felt sympathy but nobody felt any compulsion to do anything for her.
Some of the men folks now discreetly started to pry upon her. They were those, who were staying alone with their patients in the hospital and normally aspired for some variety to satiate their carnal desires without compromising their reputation. Being in an alien place they were eager to have some extra fun on the side in a place where they were temporarily staying.
As Sunanda’s situation kept on deteriorating, there was a gradual change in her attitude. She now started entertaining to discuss her condition with those adult and middle aged people. Once in a while she started to accompany them to the canteen and would accept snacks or a cup of tea or even lunch. Her transformation was complete on that day, when she accompanied a visitor to his hotel in the evening and stayed for the night there.
After spending the whole night in the hotel, when she came back to the hospital, she looked fresh and lively. That was the beginning of a new chapter in Sunanda’s life. Since that day if any prospective adult male who was liked by Sunanda, she would easily fall for his charms and in exchange, she would take gifts or even money. The money thus earned possibly was spent on lodge rent, food bill and other day to day necessities. And thus Sunanda’s never ending wait for comatose Mathew’s recovery continued”.
Kallol now took a break. In the mean time we had already taken two cups of tea, and we did not realize that it had become dark. When we came back to the waiting room, we found that Sunanda was in deep discussion with a middle aged gentleman. After some time both of them left the waiting room separately. When they moved out, Kallol gave me a knowing smile that possibly meant that I must now have understood what they were going to do. I made no comment.
At 9 PM we were informed by an attendant that our patient had now been taken to his bed from post-operative care. Immediately we got busy with him. Father in law had got back his sense post operation and was responding to our queries by shaking his head.
In a span of two days he made remarkable recovery. During that time I used to frequent the visitor room. Sometime I would see Sunanda sitting in the visitor room talking to some unknown visitor; sometimes she would sit alone with a melancholic mood. I did never bother her.
My professional commitment compelled me to leave behind my in laws and I came back to my work place. In the mean time in fifteen days Kallol also returned with his parents after being discharged from CMC. Nothing could be gathered about Sunanda.
After about six months, suddenly father in law fell sick and died. My grieving immediately rushed to attend her father’s last rites. I reached on the eve of “Sradhdha”, a post death religious function performed by the Hindus.
After the function, one evening I sat with Kallol over a couple of drinks and I asked him if he had any further updates on Sunanda. Kallol had made some friends during his stay at Vellore. The gist of information that he gave was this:
Sunanda was spending her time in the same manner as we had seen there. Then a gentleman called Mr.Das brought his wife with about ninety percent burn occurred in a freak kitchen fire accident. They had a boy. During that period, Sunanda took care of the kid. The woman however did not make recovery and died after a week in the hospital bed. After the demise of his wife, the widower took his kid and Sunanda to the hotel where he was lodging. They stayed there while Mr. Das performed the last rites of his wife. Sunanda continued to stay in the hotel with the kid. When the gentleman left Vellore, Sunanda was seen to be accompanying the gentleman holding the kid in her arms. Since that day Sunanda was no more seen at the CMC waiting room.
Fast forwarding time to 2012, I received a private message in the portal where I had published this story in Bengali. It simply asked,”Do you want to know what happened to Sunanda”?
I immediately replied and gave my cell phone number, requesting to contact me. And promptly I got a call from Sunanda. She told me that she could recollect me and told me I was slim, fair, bald and middle aged. She knew me indeed!
I asked how she could remember me. She told, “You are one of the few persons who never tried to be intimate with me while I was struggling with Mathew at the CMC. And from your description in the story, I could recollect your brother in law too. I had seen him many a times in the hospital”.
-OK, now tell me what happened.
- Nobody knew, but I was actually offered a position of governess for the kid by Mr.Das and I left Vellore with him keeping a note for Mathew with the head nurse, so that in case he recovers, he could know about my where about. Mr. Das had already a girlfriend, whom he intended to marry immediately. As they did not need a governess after the marriage to look after the kid, I was again back to square one. And then the miracle happened.
-What was that miracle?
- By God’s grace, Mathew came out of his coma after about three months. Being a well built person, he had recovered splendidly. He was able to walk with a stick and was offered a job of attendant by the hospital authorities. He got the note from the head nurse, got the contact number and contacted me. And the rest is history.
- Where are you now?
- We are at Vellore, silly. I am also likely to get a clerical job in the hospital on a compassionate ground after sometime.
- I am very happy the way your life has turned. Please keep in touch. Any other thing you would like to share?
- Mathew will become a father very soon.
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