What’s the fuss about Veg Vs Non-Veg?

“Would you prefer Vegetarian or Non-vegetarian for dinner today?” - “I am a vegetarian & cannot tolerate the smell of Non-Veg!” – These are some of the Dinner table conversations that we come across! Sometimes it becomes bit of an extreme event that: Vegetarian eaters refuse to dine with the rest. While approaching lunch time, the traveler keeps an eye on “Pure Vegetarian” sign!

There are many opinions we have heard that killing lives for food is sin and should be avoided! Even foods devoid of garlic & onion are consumed at times, by certain communities: so as to deter stimulation of the mind to flicker, as indicated in recent researches. Now coming to the fact of the matter, all vegetables are obtained from trees having life, now that science has established. Moreover, all vegetables contain bacteria which are life of course. Generally milk is considered as vegetarian, but it’s an animal product. Milk also contains bacteria and when converted to yoghurt (or Dahi in Hindi), has probiotics, which is considered to be good for health. Our bodies including intestines host bacteria and good bacteria are those which help in digestion are found in yogurt in particular. So what’s the difference in Veg & Non-veg for that matter? You know, human senses have got limitations, therefore, we say we haven’t seen GOD, actually, even if GOD exists, our eyes and senses are incapable of perceiving the power that most of us tend to restrict to utter belief.

Now, Vegetarian foods are those products obtained from lives by not imposing pain perceivable through human senses. Like all vegetable when they are picked from the trees, we do not see any pain being suffered by the producer. Same in case of milk, when produced by the animal, no pain is suffered. In fact Cow gives milk with pleasure, sensing it to be for its own calf; also as naturally it needs to preferably eject the daily quota produced on a daily basis, otherwise pain may occur.

On the other side; Non-vegetarian foods are those which if you need to obtain them, require human senses to experience pain. Suppose, for the meat of the goat; you need to kill it and while being killed it suffers extreme pain, whatever may be the mode of killing. If the pork meat is to be obtained – the method of killing the animal is very painful as many of us would have experienced. If eggs are taken away from the bird, it suffers pain to part with, like giving away its own offspring. In case of halal meat the death is delayed & pain does not come as a shock but comes gradually.

Foods that are obtained after inflicting apparent pain are also detrimental for consumption, because when lives are pained to death, the bodies produce toxic chemicals as a natural defense. Toxin is produced irrespective of death under shock or gradual duress. In case of shock the toxin quantity produced is more as compared to delayed death. And these toxins are not good for human consumption as they are difficult to digest. Therefore, one would experience that digestion of Non-vegetarian food takes longer time, may also produce discomforts in addition. Nevertheless, all kinds of available foods need to be consumed to maintain ecological balance, to abide by the nature’s law. Nature has also created frugivorous (consumers of fruits and seeds) in animals as well and with a very well developed Canine teeth in carnivores (meat-eaters and predators) animals to conspiciously differ mammals of two separate natural species. Hence it’s a matter of perception by the human senses that we categorise foods. When we opt for the lesser evil, we tax our digestive system less and vice versa. So choose to suit as you like! Any disagreement, Queries welcome! at shantanu_chakravarty@yahoo.com

Selection 2014

Thank GOD that the bustling cacophony and the election fever are over for now: but if one closely looks @ the contemporary Indian Democracy, it involves rather a mere selection progression deviating from a basic democratic election process. Of course it was never been the case since our independence & hence we Indians should least expect it. But then, it is interesting to know that till last year BJP was not in the reckoning and people were looking for alternatives elsewhere, but now how MODI wins voters mind & influence India has been a matter of research considering that he got only part of the year & not even a complete term. He was indeed fighting against time & innumerable contradictions that our diverse & heterogeneous India has to offer as a potential challenge. Amazingly, MODI appear to establish an intense connect with all generations especially the younger ones to the belief of many demonstrated by the response of the populace in the various media forums nevertheless. The middle class & the first time voters have been stirred up, if the increased voter turnout is of any indication. The lesson we learn from him is that by working hard with commitment & obtaining results may be a straight forward answer to this question but his run rate needs to be credited!!!. In 7 months & 10 days he has covered 300,000 kms + of travel, 8000 + of rallies and 3D rallies in over 1300 locations with 3 to 3.5 hours of sleep per day: this is beyond the comprehension of a normal Indian like me, a super human effort indeed!!! In all probability no one Indian of equal stature has got energy & intent to match his at the moment. No comparison can be drawn since the rest has so far shied away from giving statistics. Use of technology to the maximum, extensive media coverage & occupation of TV & social media space occupying almost 50% of TV media prime time, 14.1 million Facebook likes, 3.9 Million Twitter followers remarkable for any public figure in Modern India. BJP is may be the only party having an iPhone & an Android application! Results are a few days away & vindication of his stands will be established or not, is for the time to tell & hopefully it will make or break future strategies of all the major political parties in India, to decide what is best to go either for caste / communal based polity or on selecting the method of communication with the electorate or whether Indians have changed from being emotional mongers of the politicians or have become matured enough to come in terms with reality and to be more realistic in demanding pro-development, corruption free, controlled inflation, providers of work & income - as prime means of Governance. The other factor hindering the progress of the Indian Demographics is the existence of extreme sense of negativity all around especially in TV media. Surprised to find that TimesNow: the most yelling & mudslinging matches taking place day in & out there, high pitch, high decibel, minimum all round news content channel, only to amazingly find it to be mostly watched in India for prime time news. On the contrary the experience being the rest of the channels have more News Content and are much less noisy. Journalist of today tend to pick up one negative vibe from a speech of may be of one hour duration & keep harping on it. May be 95% of the content was positive but gathers no coverage on the burning issues of development, inflation, job creation but attracts attention of the negatives instead. The most convenient path of the political parties has been found to drag the campaign towards the negative issues like religion, caste & personal attacks, washing dirty linens in public. All parties seem to shy away and avoid discussion on Inflation, corruption & good governance. This has been my experience even 10 years back where I had attended a Seminar on Infrastructure development @ Park Hotel Kolkata presided by none other than Late Subhash Chakraborty, then Minister of the West Bengal Government, whose speech was wonderful for about an hour or so, full of positives concerning the infrastructure development of the state of West Bengal but he said one negative thing in his entire speech. “ West Bengal have no intention of doing things in right earnest in spite of harping on the slogan of DO IT NOW". I was amazed how the media could neglect the entire excellent speech & only project this negative statement in the next morning print. Hence, probably the tradition continues. Nevertheless, Indian Democracy has come off age from a stage where at one point of time during the proclamation of the state of internal emergency in India in the mid seventies, invoking article 352 Clause (1) of the Indian Constitution, Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed the then President of India on the advise of Mrs Indira Gandhi the then prime Minister of India authorized to rule India by decree. Resulting in elections being suspended, the fundamental rights of Citizens in terms of Civil Liberties curbed, censorship of the media imposed, political oppositions were arrested including Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee & Mr LK Advani among others. Several other atrocities were reported from the time to time, including a forced mass-sterilisation campaign spearheaded by Late Sanjay Gandhi, the prime minister's son. One interesting episode that happened in my life remains unforgettable till date is one afternoon when we were in the class room of our higher secondary school in Shillong, all of a sudden saw all the mothers & many fathers as well of my class mates except mine arrived at our school. It was a huge commotion at the school gate. On inquiring our Head Sir, why all the mothers are crying, I came to understand that as a part of the population control drive, a team of doctors are arriving at our school to perform sterilisation. All the mothers were therefore demanding with utter urgency and impatience that their son be returned to them immediately. Every mother was asking for their own son and I ultimately accompanied someone else’s mother. We all went home immediately following the alternative guerilla routes to our respective houses only to find that no one came till late evening and the school went on normal mode from the next week onwards, so we had enjoyed 3 to 4 hays holiday. Today’s circumstances are quite good compared to those early years of my life, we have free press, free TV media, globally free social media, even if Government intends to control cannot do the same. I could not be writing this blog had there been state of emergency like situation. Now why selection & not election is because for instance the PM candidate of the BJP is selected prior to the congressional assembly of the elected MPs & the same applies for other major political party in race as well. Congress is indirectly projecting an heir apparent for the post if returned to power, discerning loss at the first place. We Indians are clouded with high intensity negative vibes & GOD only can save us & draw us out of this. Pray to ALMIGHTY that a good result of this election should convert the future of India into a atmosphere of prosperity & development so that the quality of our lives takes an upward trend.

Pink Monkey

Melissa lives in Houston, Texas for the last couple of years and on the 37th floor Apartment she recently got into after the last excruciating breakup - is reasonably, a decent one with one bedroom and a subtle modern modular kitchen of double row tables and word cabinets, bath with an oversized tub laid, and two car parks! There is an indoor play hall at the basement. It has also got a pool and a fully equipped fitness centre down below on the ground level for the occupants to windup. Last two of these amenities popularly being in use after the office hours and at times leading late into the night after a longish hang out in the apartments. Though the fascinating part of the house to Melissa was that, where the trash chute was fitted, to her it used to be a great reliever as whatever she did not like, used to get dumped into the chute. (The awful gifts from her past relationships including.) She would then often see from her bay window that the automated garbage truck would take her odd staff away and chill her a bit in the process.
However, for Melisa it became dreadful every night she retired for the bed and many thoughts hover in her mind before she could indeed fall asleep. The lonely moments were a bit awful and unbearable at times.
The last thought that usually drifted in her mind every night while initially rolling all alone in her gorgeous bed, cast in bright white linen and the situation often led saying to her.
“What is happening to me?
Has this gotten me any more love?
Any more ‘joyous moment’ to look forward to and any more moments remain to be cherished?
In this new apartment in this city, this new country, this new planet, this new universe, can it ever make me happy?
When I sit on a park bench by myself, when I feel the sun, the breeze, will it make you happy?
Make my bed after taking a shower, will it make you happy?
And then when I dance right in front of you, May be it can make you happy. If I can give you a big fat kiss, will it make you happy?

When I just look at you, and stare at your eyes, get engrossed in your thoughts,
May be, it will make you happy.
And then in ultimate realisation, conceded with certain serious conviction said to herself,
‘You know what? None of it will make you happy!
Unless, you do one simple thing:
Change “me” for “you”
Change “you” for “me”

And you know what? When you’re happy, I’m happy.
That’s the formula:
First you and then me.
That’s the happiness is all about?
Yes or No, or it’s just the heart of being free and allowing the God gifted mind to swirl anywhere it likes without interruption and to be able to produce a positive energy for all of us to consume and become nothing less than happy, happy and happy!!!!
Happiness is not an illusion, I suppose” She thought over & over again.
The very next day, after the work, Melissa headed for the Pink Monkey club at the Franklin Street; there was high decibel music with no right guys in sight. She was however, tired of love and imagined giving herself a last chance for bliss en route affection and considering to ensure her intellectual and emotional well being.
That’s when a bright eloquent guy entered the pub and looked nowhere but at Melissa! More he came nearer; the more words flew with charming fluency. She took off her eyes away in the first place and then got back to see the man in mulberry culoured shirt with no dearth of energy and in jubilant mood ever. Melissa got hit by the ripples of Steve’s vibrant conduct. Before anything could happen their eyes met and resonance stroked.
“Hi, there, what’s up” beamed Steve and that made Melissa blissful and fly off the handle coupled with a synchronous bit in her palpable tender heart.
This time around they sat side by side on the raised bar stools facing the counter and Steve now had a fair amount of gaze at the exuberant lovely lady, presumably in her late twenties. Melissa, with pretty long black hair, with natural curls at the ends of each bunch, her face entirely gets covered up at times with the shiny filamentous bio material and thus every time she has to give the sexy head jerk to take the silky stuff away from her face, that does nothing but adjoins brightness to her smile. Her hourglass shaped body was of immense attraction to all and natural to Steve. The brilliant brown roving eyes of Melissa distracted Steve but only compounded emotional stimulation raising attraction level in the end.
Melissa broke the ice and went on praising the bar, the ambiance and the yummy cocktail that she have already had. She offered Steve one and he obliged. ‘Hi I am Steve Jonathan, what’s your name?’ ‘Oh! Yeah, I am Melissa Brown’. ‘Are you an Asian?’ Steve wanted to know. ‘Yes, I am from Philippines’ replied Melissa. ‘Where are you from? You do not look like an American either? - Rallied Mellissa, in a tennis court style. ‘Yes, you got it so right, Melissa; I am from that spiritual, pluralistic country called India.’ ‘Nice to meet you and find you at this colossal vibe of Pink Monkey, Cheers!!!’ and they both shook hands and separated only when the loud music broke for a moment.
Soon they found that they share a common religious faith. ‘What are you doing in Texas? Steve queried in an emphatic manner for Melissa to get hit like a tennis ball punch. ‘Oh! Yeah, actually I am working as an Estate agent in Texas as I have done Post Graduation in Real Estate Management from the Metropolitan State University of Minnesota”, Melissa replied so defensively, as if she has done a blunder by coming to the States. ‘What you are upto? Steve? - Volleyed back Melissa. ‘Well, I landed in this country seven years ago. First with a F1 student visa, finally got my doctorate degree from an Institute under the Virginia State University. Now I am working for a Multinational organisation and eventually got my H1B work visa last year’, concluded Steve with huge apprehension of its acceptability to Melissa. She however, listened to Steve with great attention and involvement.
Right in the middle of discussion Melissa’s mobile phone rang. ‘Excuse me Steve’ she said and headed out of the bar. Melissa was talking for pretty long time and Steve was not sure enough whether she’s gone or going to come back. Steve was a sort of in waiting mood and in huge dilemma, unconsciously though. ‘God knows what she could be discussing!’ Steve said to himself.
There was an unusual snowfall outside and Melissa returned back to her stool shivering!!! Like a shaker in a grinder jar and said, ‘You know, I really adored the snow fall outside, which is very bizarre for Houston is not it? Nevertheless, Steve, it is so enchanting to believe that I can see real snow and feel the aura attached to it.’ Melissa said. To Steve, however, it brought the memories of his first winter in the States. ‘You know, Melissa, when I experienced my first winter in America, felt like me all the time in the fridge and but was hardly sick due to snow fall and never caught cold or flu or anything for that matter. Sometimes, thus I wondered, that is why things stay so fresh in the fridges in our country!’ uttered Steve biting his tongue and smiling mischievously. Melissa laughed as loudly as she could at this gig. Melissa was deprived of laugh for a pretty long time and today, believe me, this has indeed elated her mood and she appears to be a little bit happy now.
“Tell you what, Steve, in my country there is hardly any snow in sight” said Melissa. ‘And yeah, you know I first discovered Stick & Puck game out here’ said Steve with utter amazement. ‘Oh! What is that Stick & Puck? Looks like a sexy game’ said Melissa. ‘Oh yeah in fact I grew up with that game in this country’, informed Steve. This made the sports freak Melissa more inquisitive and asked, ‘Tell me Steve what is that game is all about, can I play that one?
‘Why not’ said Steve and continued, ‘You know, this used to be a very popular game in our campus, it is played on the ice table field, sort of an ice hockey but the difference is the stick is much wider & flatter at the bottom unlike a hockey stick and the ball is a puck.’ ‘What Puck? - Asked Melissa, this time around with outmost enthusiasm. ‘Yeah, the puck is the ball which is made of rubber, black in colour, about 3 inches in diameter and about one inch thick flat like a carom striker and of course there are goals as well and more number of times you put the puck in the oppositions net, you win.’
Melissa was deeply engrossed in Steve’s conversation and imagined to herself like playing with Steve, some game which will burn her out. She asked Steve, ‘Any games in your apartment?’ ‘Nothing, in mine, what about yours?’ replied Steve. ‘You know Steve there is only badminton & table tennis’, informed Melissa. ‘Well we can try at Table tennis’, Steve expressed his preference.
Immediately, both of them got up from the bar on impulse, Melissa settled the bill and headed for her apartment. It was about 1:00 am in the morning, but then Steve & Melissa had to stand second in the queue to get their hand on the table tennis rackets.
After a bit of awful waiting, the duo relished their hands at the table and Steve spun the ball extremely well, one after another. Melissa also gave good volleys and back hand returns. In the warm up & practice sessions, no one knew for certain who can be the winner. But when the game started it appeared that both Steve & Melissa are fixing the match and each wanted the other to win!!! Steve wanted to give in and Melissa also started to play too softly and finally they could not resist but hug each other & Steve had to say, ‘Let’s be competitive’. Now Melissa literally pulled up her socks, put full effort and blasted smashes after smashes and thrashed Steve, who lost games almost like a meek spectator to her swift smashes and elegant placements. Steve tried hard and harder but in the end gave away. Steve was fully drenched in sweat and finally could not resist but asked ‘Melissa, can I come to your place and use the wash room?’ - Under a compelling situation may be, Melissa assumed.
The night was not to pass off without any emotional rousing and whenever Melissa placed her head round about the central region of Steve during the course of their intimate amalgamation, he had to desperately try to incessantly caress her hair and remove them from the way of getting a gleaming view of Melissa’s face fully immersed in emotions of deep love.
After a while they both sat on the balcony and saw the night sky of Houston staring at them with some unsaid words.
‘Do you have a girlfriend?’ asked Melissa with great deal of inquisitiveness. ‘At the moment I am single’, replied Steve, to the utter relief of Melissa.
‘I had a few remorseful relationships in the past and have not yet given up, do resiliently believe, things can still work out and I am looking forward to a happy one in the end. Have strong faith in God, and I believe God is not so unkind to me and shall shower me with all the blessings for me to survive in this wonderful earth with peace and happiness - one day’ said Melissa emotively.
‘You had physical relationship as well with all of them in the past?’ queried again Steve. To which Melissa nodded head instantly and said, ‘Yes, I did’ and then continued without any interruption, ‘what about you Steve?’
‘The last meaningful relationship I had was with an Indian girl - about a year ago and she gave up citing that I am too impatient and restless for her to put up’ said Steve.
‘Steve, I believe you would mind to accept someone who is extra sentimental because I am the one of that sort but of simplistic nature at the same time’ said Melissa. ‘Oh! No, not at all, I indeed enjoy simplicity and adore and respect the sentiments, but whatever you are and what you are, if I can accept you, they way you are without any expectation of changing the other, then I believe things can work out’ reaffirmed Steve. This exactly designated Melissa’s own personal realisation, lessons from her life’s experiences and firm point of view of the moment. And Melissa said, ‘Yes, let’s take it forward and see how it goes.’ ‘Yeah, yep, vowed’ Steve.
Today, Steve and Melissa are more than just friends. It has been seven months that they are staying together and sharing an apartment at the high end Galveston area, bought year before the last by Melissa. Steve bumped in at the Apartment just after two weeks of having met Melissa at the ‘Pink Monkey Pub’ - the night club in the up market Franklin Street, which in turn have become one of their favourite destinations, more so to cherish the nostalgia of having first met there.
It took few more weeks for them to settle down into the Apartment though and routines started to get off in a harmonious style fairly quickly. Steve would often be late from work and seek to help Melissa less at the Kitchen. The fun loving couple was enjoying their moments every day and there were huge drink sessions with Club Soda (carbonated water) occupying the centre stage of the bouts. Steve liked Whisky as a regular drink, as it was far too easy to afford and invariably it used to be infused with full soda for dilution and no water but huge chunk of ice used to go in. Melissa on the other hand had tried her brand of preferred things, neatly controlled, like Red Wines and the platter included all kind of meat stuff like, Sausages of beef, pork and lots of boiled vegetables. Steve was a connoisseur of non vegetable items especially meat and used to get easily delighted by the dishes like Partridges, Rissoles, Capons, lampreys with cold sage etc., and never ending.
Melissa would offer to kiss Steve once they are through with the round one of the indulgence and Steve would imagine and feel the lips of Melissa as extra soft and so adorably sweet, sour, salty and imagined to be of all the exquisite tastes available in this divine earth.
One day, Melissa found Steve’s car ahead of her in the very street that brings to their home. She followed his car only to be guided back to home again. ‘Good evening, Honey’ said Melissa and Steve gave her an intimate hug with involvement of abundant emotion.
How the year passed by, in the midst of eventual busy days of work and home, they could not realize and the Christmas is just about round the corner. They both stopped though at the notice board of the Apartment Manager (on their way to the elevator) and it thus notified,

‘Dear Residents,
As you all are aware that we have a pet policy with breed & weight restrictions. We would allow each apartment owner to have a maximum of one male pet with weight not exceeding 100 lbs. No breeding is allowed in case you opt to have a female pet.
We, however, welcome qualified service animals of dog family like Cocker Spanial, Alcatian, Staghound, Antebellum Bulldog, American shepherd etc., etc., or any other suitable breed, subject to these pets being left at our disposition during the hours of your absence from the apartment. The continuous hours of absence can be of maximum 24 hours, beyond which we shall not assume any responsibility.
Further, we have pleasure in informing you that today we have installed the pre-wired with PostSmart internet technology and switches can be available at your convenient location on request.
Best wishes,
Manager
Both Melissa and Steve liked pets and loved to have owned one and Melissa uttered in haste, ‘Steve, should we have a pet of our own, I love dogs but’, Steve was a bit too tired to respond and they headed for the room. As usual like any other day they had drinks and dinner and slept and not in reverse order as it happens occasionally.
Steve for one for the last few weeks was feeling a pain in his lower abdomen and this morning after defecation found something frightening. First thing he confided in Melissa, ‘Take a look, this strange colour on my toilet paper’ Melissa aghast, ‘Oh! My God! That’s blood Steve, how did it happen? Where did you go?’ ‘Nowhere’ said Steve. ‘You must go to the Doctor, come we shall visit someone in the evening’, Melissa insisted. Steve however, neglected the situation for one full week, till the situation became exponentially alarming to both.
On a Saturday the next, Melissa fixed up an appointment with Dr SD Ross a General and Public health preventive medicine doctor at the San Jacinto Methodist Hospital Corporation, Houston. They turned up at the doctor’s chamber at 10 AM in the morning. ‘The general plan is that, after we are finished with the Dr. Ross, we will have our lunch at the China Town’ said Steve with anticipation. ‘I am delighted’ replied Melissa.
The call came from the doctor in five minutes and he patiently heard about Steve’s complaints and asked about his lifestyle and then hurriedly scribbled illegibly on the prescription after measuring his weight and blood pressure in the meanwhile,

Rx
Mr. Steve Jonathan, Age 27, Asian
- Incessant Pain in the lower abdomen
- Bleeding per rectum for last 8 days
- Hyper acidity & flatulence
- Non diabetic & normotensive
- BP 110 / 70 mm of Hg
- Pulse 80 bpm
- Weight 154 lbs
- Height 5 feet 8 inches BMI 23.38
- Heart – no gallop, no murmur
- Abdomen soft, colon tender
- Chest NAD
- Clinically NAD

Advice: HOSPITALISATION
Investigation: Colonoscopy, Renal profile, complete haemogram, Stool for RE & OBT,
Refer to Dr Sandy Roger - Colon & Rectal Surgeon
And signed it off! SD Ross
Steve & Melissa came out of the room. Steve was escorted by a nurse and made to arrive at the Admission counter.
‘What is this, Steve, admitted straightway? What kind of a Doctor is he? Did not even ask me whether we have any other option, I am becoming dumb, my legs are not working’, said Melissa. But what she could not say was she smelled something serious in the whole episode and became gravely concerned about Steve’s welfare. ‘Don’t you worry honey; let’s see what is there in store for us’, assured Steve. ‘God bless you’, said Mellissa after taking a deep breath.
The Customer service agent at the Admission counter noted down Steve’s mobile no and said ‘Sir, you are in queue and have to wait for admission.’ ‘Yeah, that’s fine that suits me, can I come tomorrow for admission, I am not prepared for it, got a few urgent issues to sort out’ replied Steve, ‘We have to take the permission of Dr. Ross before you leave, so please hold on Mr. Jonathan’ said the customer service agent and picked up the phone at the same time. Spoke something with the Dr. Ross and God knows what transpired, Customer service agent hang up the phone and informed Steve that he can go home for now and come back tomorrow in the morning.
Steve said, ‘look gentleman I have got this AIG medical insurance, here is my cashless card’. The gentleman at the other end replied, ‘no issue we shall scan this card now and tomorrow present these documents at the insurance help desk.’
The entire night of Steve and Melissa passed in agony and distress.
The next day at about 9 am in the morning, they arrived at the Admission counter yet again, only to be informed by the staff that ‘there is no bed vacant at the moment and Steve need to wait further’. Melissa got agitated by this and wanted to know what needs to be done and rushed off to Dr. Ross. But the Doctor was not in and he is due to arrive from the morning hospital’s patient round at about 10 am. So ‘wait, wait Melissa, cool off, chill babe chill’ Melissa said to herself.
Before Dr. Ross could take an entry and try to settle down in his Outpatient Chamber, Melissa gate crushed and intervened by capturing the full attention of Doctor and asked, ‘Dr Ross, your patient is waiting for Admission and the people out here seems not much concerned about it and refusing to admit Steve on the pre-text non availability of bed. May we seek your intervention in the matter please’ Dr. Ross equally agitated as Melissa called up the Operations Manager of the Hospital and within minutes Mr. Davidson arrived.
‘Yes, Ladies & Gentleman, may I help you’ – I am Davidson here – the operations manager of the hospital. Melissa took extra initiative to explain the situation and Mr. Davidson appeared to be helpful and offered Steve & Melissa to seat in his chamber in the next corridor and said, ‘let me review the situation at the moment and let me see what can I do for you’
Melissa impatient to the core said, ‘Steve, you be here and let me take a re-look at the admissions counter’. In the meanwhile a lady supposedly in charge of admissions also arrived alongside Melissa at the same place. And God forbid, she started to talk in high pitch tune with the customer service executives, ‘How can you ask a patient to be in the morning without checking bed availability, don’t you know, how difficult it is for a patient to be only waiting at the hall for long hours. You could have told the patient to wait at home instead. The patient could have come after getting a call from you. You people are just useless and no good. I have no idea of how long you all are going to take, to learn these small and simple things.’ Moment she saw Melissa; she increased her volume and repeated the same thing. Melissa heard the story but realized in the end that it was more of an intentional dramatics rather than demonstration of a sincere intention.
Steve patiently waited right in front of Mr. Davidson, who made many calls at various departments like the patient discharge, insurance desk etc., hang up his phone and told in gentle disposition, ‘Dear Patient, there is a huge shortage of bed and a bit of crisis on this very day, we are apologetic and advise you first get into the day care centre and then we shall make arrangements to shift you over to a General bed first and then to your desired private ward. The reason being, the private male ward in not getting vacant first, vacancy is arising in female ward though. Your treatment will start the moment you are on the day care centre bed. Please do not worry; we are here to take care of you.’
‘What a fu**ing luck’, reacted Melissa when she heard the circumstances from Steve.
Steve & Melissa waited for another half an hour and could not see any light at the end of the tunnel. ‘Let us go to the shopping Mall instead, in the next building, and wait for their call’ Steve suggested. Melissa reluctantly agreed and they went around there window shopping for a while and had lunch at the food court.
At around 2 pm – an announcement was made at the waiting hall of the outpatient department; “Mr. Steve patient of Dr Ross, please report to the Admission counter.” At the same time Melissa got a call from Admissions counter informing her, the same.
Steve & Melissa went and they were asked to sign a host of undertakings and paid the initial deposit of $1000 and got the admission card etc. They were inducted with notes of caution that, ‘Gentleman while being admitted at this hospital you cannot have any valuable with you like especially Gold ornaments etc, we shall provide you the dress and leave all your garments including under garments with your near & dear one and there should not be any kind of even thread on your body. We shall provide you with sterilized towels and tooth brushes, there will be a telephone by your bed side, but then all external calls are chargeable.’
A Nurse came and took them to the next building on the fourth floor where the day care centre was located.
Steve was allotted a bed, his identification tag was tied to his hand and it read, ‘Steve Jonathan’ written in indelible ink and the band was made of a material which is water & heat proof. ‘Am I a prisoner, Melissa’, said Steve. Melissa said, ‘No no you are not, hold your patience, how funny this band is not it?’ The patient file was handed over to the day care staff in the meanwhile.
The day care ward was out of the ordinary; the bed was fully automatic with a remote control. Steve noticed that the bed can be configured in many ways like half of the bed in head side can be adjusted to raise to maximum 80 degrees from horizontal , the whole bed can be raised or lowered in its elevation, and side railings can be raised or collapsed as per requirement. The bed was fitted with four 360 degree swivel wheels with brakes for easy & safe patient transfer. The bed has got a bumpy mattress and pillows and covered with white linen of extraordinary quality. The room is fitted with oxygen taps with measuring devices. There is a unit to monitor heart beat & pulse, a side table with lockable drawers to keep patient’s belongings. There is a Television in the room with free channels to watch for. And the overall the ambience gave an impression of nothing less than a five star hotel. That itself made Steve a bit more comfortable.
Nurse came to Steve and measured his blood pressure & temperature and wrote in the medical note “patient stable”, thereafter the one lady Doctor followed and she asked, ‘Yes Mr. Steve J, how are you doing? I have come here for initial screening, now please tell me,
- What kind of bleeding have you experienced, fresh blood or slightly blackish?
- Steve answered, ‘looks like fresh blood only with the stool,
- ‘What is the kind of food you like most?’, said the doctor
- ‘I like spicy food’, answered Steve
- Doctor said, ‘Do you experience any kind of difficulty in passing stool in the morning?’
- Steve nodded his head and said, ‘at times’
- Doctor sought reaffirmation, ‘Do you have any interaction or allergy with any particular drug?
- Steve this time sounded negative.
Doctor went away and wrote a whole lot of notes on the file.
Melissa went out after this episode leaving Steve all alone and headed for home to pass off yet another dreadful night. While going out she saw the San Jacinto Methodist Hospital which is a 500,000 sq ft hospital in central Houston with around 200 beds, 20 departments, 100 Doctors and 15 operation theatres. The daily intake and discharge turnover is about 50 patients. This information of course Melissa received after she went to see Mr. Davidson – the Operations Manager, to thank him for all the help he rendered.
It was 9 pm but there was no sign of shifting Steve to the ward and he himself got up to find out ‘what’s happening to my transfer to the ward?’ There was chaos as the shift changed. The Nurse of the ward on duty reported that she cannot find the patient’s file.
The chaos persisted, many phone calls made to the emergency, ward secretary’s office and ultimately one ambulance came and Steve was asked to sit on a wheel chair. Steve found it very weird as he found that only the other day I was OK and was able to walk on my own, why do I need a wheel chair now? Though, the Nurse on duty insisted that Steve sits on the wheel chair and then he was transferred to the ambulance & made to lie down. This time Steve became literally sick in his mind and thought, ‘Yes I am sick and might need an urgent medical intervention.’
Steve was then transferred to the General ward & allotted a bed, he saw a host of patients, many of them serious in nature, everyone in the ward, gloomy and silent. Many patients groaning, some are reeling in pain, calling for the help from the staff on duty, mainly Sisters, every now and then. Some are being looked after by an extra attendant.
Steve became sick further on observing the situation.
One older patient who was not behaving as his self had a drug interaction was being visited by his son and grand children. The poor man was not able to control any of his nature’s call and the attendant had a tough time managing his bio-secretionary waste. By the side of Steve’s bed, there was another young teenage patient, who had high fever probably attacked with dengue and is in the hospital for the past four days and was under high dose of antibiotics. His mother constantly stood by his bed during the visiting hours. The kid was getting restless to get out of the hospital.
Dinner was served and Steve ate it away fairly quickly and then was asked to change his dress. The hospital attire was nothing but a payjama and a gown of greenish coloured checks, that’s all. He was not allowed to wear anything else!
Dr. Ross arrived and he felt the pulse and put stethoscope all over Steve and dictated to his assistant house doctor.
- IV Ciphran – 2g / 1000 ml in 8 hours.
- IV Pause – 200 ml – in 1 hour
- Advise – Bleeding time, HIV, Hepatitis B and went away to attend the next patient in the ward.
The Nurse on duty came & asked Steve, ‘Gentleman please give me your hand’, Steve questioned, ‘Why’ with a sign of irritation in his face.
‘I have to make a channel in your hand for administration of IV (Intra Venous) fluids’ said the nurse. Steve shut his eyes and four way channel was installed in his left hand vein opposite to his palm. The fluids were connected and drip started to move in into his body from a hanger rod attached to the bed.
Steve could not sleep due to the anxiety of the channel being dislocated, but slept unconsciously though in the early morning.
Melissa arrived to see Steve, to primarily find out how is he doing?
Steve smiled uncontrollably and said, ‘Hi Honey, nice to see you here again, how was your last night?’
‘Oh! Horrible can’t explain you in words’ replied Melissa.
The situation appeared more horrible to Melissa as she saw those IV fluid transfer arrangements made for Steve, but tried to control herself and asked,
‘How do you find the place Steve?
’Hey, Melissa, you see my gown, one waist lace is missing.’
‘OK, ok do not worry about it’, Melissa reassured Steve.
‘You know Melissa, my spectacle is just not right’
‘Why, what happened’ said Melissa and took the glass way from Steve. ‘I don’t find anything wrong with this one, what’s your take, Steve?’
‘Take a closer look at this one, you will find the issue’, argued Steve. ‘I still cannot find anything wrong with this, Steve, what happened to you, chill babe’
Steve this time showed a tiny little gap between the glass frame and the glass for both the right & left eye in the lower outer corners to Melissa.
‘Great, Steve, amazing, you give so much attention to detail, that is why I call you are a perfectionist, and otherwise it is impossible that these details will miss your sight.’
‘Well, I am not a perfectionist’ Steve vehemently denied.’
And continued, ‘just because I am a perfectionist I need not suffer, and I fully understand I should not look for much perfection in everything that I see and desire, as more perfection I look for, more pain I will inflict upon myself, I am ready to compromise and accept as the things are.”
Deep inside though Melissa realised that, ‘Steve is perfectionist to the core in practice but look at him, the guy is intelligent enough to realise his shortcomings but then consciously or unconsciously though he cannot come out of his perfectionist shell.’
‘Steve, perfectionist attitude is good, not bad and I must admit is a great quality to possess, but make it work to your advantage and not otherwise’, sighed Melissa to which Steve nodded his head.
Steve was referred to Dr. Sandy Rogers – Rectal & Colon surgeon by Dr. Ross previously and there was a call from the Surgeon and Steve was taken to the doctor’s chamber for internal examination. Dr. Rogers performed a proctoscopy, which is nothing but a simple expandable machine inserted into the rectum to facilitate a better view of the rectal walls by enlarging the anus diameter. In the end Dr. Rogers said, ‘We shall wait for the colonoscopy results and then take a decision.’
Dr. Ross is one of the most brilliant Doctors Melissa have ever seen. ‘You know Steve, he has got an extraordinary memory and remembers almost everything, moment I entered his chamber, he does not ask me who am I, instantly recognizes me, the last night when I called him up, I did not had to give any intro of myself and he went on talking about you straightway. He has referred you to Dr. Rogers, in case any surgical intervention is required and you know what, Steve, he does not refer to anyone other than Dr. Rogers, in spite of there being dozens of other surgeons available’ Melissa continued.
‘I was chatting with the hospital staff, while waiting for Dr. Ross the last time I came here; understand that Dr. Ross is a colossal philanthropist and he treats all the hospital staff during the Christmas and gives each a festival gift. What a gesture! God bless him. He is so devoted to his medical profession that he spends 14 to 16 continuous hours at the hospital and offers to attend any kind of emergency all 24 hours. The dedication of this kind is rare in sight these days, isn’t Steve? – Melissa not stopping her praise & expressed tremendous confidence on Dr. Ross. Melissa wondered though how is that Dr. Ross, do not fall sick, and believed that nobody else other that the God himself resides in Dr. Ross, otherwise this is not practically possible for most human beings to endure. He genuinely loves his profession and must be he enjoys every time he sees a patient.’ Melissa tacitly confided to Steve. This in fact made Steve overwhelmed and a lot relaxed and he said, ’Yes Melissa, right you are, I am amazed too, you have brought me to the right place and I feel safe at this right hand.’
In the meanwhile, Nurse arrived and gave three glasses of liquids and advised Steve to have them gradually over a period of an hour or so. ‘You would then get the pressure of going to the pot’ she informed. A junior doctor from the Gastroenterology department arrived near the bed of Steve and took his written concurrence to perform a Colonoscopy procedure as advised by Dr. Ross.
Melissa stood by the bed of Steve in agony of what’s going to happen to Steve and what procedures are to be performed? What could be the findings, she became restless by the every minute that passed by.
Soon Steve started to feel pressure and was going to the pot back & forth, several times. Nurse advised Melissa that, ‘please let us know when the patient will not feel motion anymore.’ After about two hours or so the things settled, and Steve who is without any food since morning tends to sleep over.
Melissa saw a trolley arriving with a white cloth cover and that the Nurse carrying the trolley sounded the name of Steve.
Steve was detached of the IV fluid supply & as transferred to the trolley. Melissa asked, ‘what next’, to which Nurse replied that the patient is being taken to the Gastroenterology department to perform colonoscopy.
Steve though enjoyed the moment and felt, ‘all these days I used to ran after the patients and Doctors for others and look at me today - I am the King, I am the patient, there is Melissa to take care of me all the time.’ Steve comfortably lay on the trolley covered with a white bed sheet and the trolley was moving fast from the ward to the corridor and then to the elevator and to Steve, only the changing ceilings were in sight.
Steve was taken to the 1st floor of the hospital and it was a chiller, very cold. One Male nurse appeared and asked his name. Steve was then shifted to another room, housed with various apparatus & instruments. It had a centralised computerised monitor. Many long pipes etc. and a cute compressor machine for air supply, which was making hissing sound intermittently. Steve, while being laid on the trolley was observant and saw quite a few of the staff & nurses making him ready for the procedure. One such nurse put anesthesia pipes into his nose. To his utter surprise he found many of the staff are Indian and appeared belonging to Kerala (Down extreme southern part of India) and were speaking Malayali. (Local language of Kerala) Before they could apply the anesthesia & before calling the Doctor, another staff on duty now asked, ‘What’s your name?’
Steve was a bit surprised and could not comprehend as to why the same ‘name’ question is being asked at various points.
‘Kaanan Nallya Bhagiyendu’ (the guy looks handsome) uttered one nurse. ‘Yeah, yah, Nallya vellayanu, (looks very fair), uttered the other. The nurses had no idea; whatsoever that Steve can faintly understand Malayalam. Steve was actually looking fair due to low hemoglobin count in his blood and due to anemia, according to the Dr. Ross’s earlier disclosure to Melissa.
The two nurses were talking in sequential order one after the other,
- Nee avane kalyanam kazhikkumo? (Would you like to marry him)
- Nallya Kaasukarananennu thonunnu (Very rich man it appears)
- Orupadu kashtappedum, ayalkku adhu ariyilla (He does not know how much painful it will be - the procedure)
- Anesthasia ulladhu kondu rakshappettu, allenkil ayal nilevilichu kaanum (God bless, we have anesthesia – otherwise we would see him shout, what pain, what pain etc.)
Now, the anesthetist and the doctor arrived and strikes conversation with Steve. Now please tell me what’s your name? ‘My name is Steve.’
‘Actually, Steve, we are asking your name just to re-confirm that we are treating the right person, this is the system check. We do not treat patient by the bed number due to obvious reasons you know’, concluded the anesthetist and injected some violet coloured fluid through his channel. Steve said ‘I am not getting unconscious and raised his hand’, ‘You will, my dear’ replied the doctor and the very next moment Steve woke up and found himself on the corridor.
Steve this time was shouting at the top of his voice and saw Melissa peeping through the door leafs from the passage at the end of the corridor. Suddenly, Steve saw the Nurse who was talking about him during the procedure and called her, ‘Sugamthannalle?’ – (are you OK) – the nurse almost fell on the floor and uncontrollably laughed by covering her face with both palms. She was called again by Steve but then this time she blushed and her ears became pinkish.
‘How come, you know Malayalam? Kshamikkuka (Sorry), I did not know’ - Nurse apologetically stared at Steve’s face.
Steve replied, ‘Relax, you have not done anything wrong’ and the conversation continued and pleasantries exchanged. Steve though was now in a great mood and remembered that he has been given sedatives for the full anesthesia. Steve became extra enthusiastic and was talking a bit more than required to everyone whoever passed by. Melissa greeted Steve on the way of getting back to the ward.
In the meanwhile, Melissa organised and changed Steve’s bed to private ward. Steve was rolled back to his bed, this time there are only two patients in one room. Steve now sat down on his bed and said to his co-patient, ‘Hello, dear I am Steve, what’s your name? The guy at the other end co-incidentally was not a very serious patient and he laughed at Steve and answered, ‘Yeah Good evening Gentleman, I am Robert Hesseny’. But Robert found Steve irrationally exuberant and was smiling & laughing a bit more than required. This also did not evade the notice of Melissa and she understood that the full anesthesia has done the trick on Steve and realised why people take on to drugs and sedatives.
‘Steve, could you feel anything that a five metre long pipe with a camera in the front was inserted through your rectum for colonoscopy?’ said Melissa. ‘No, nothing of that sort ever happened to me’, replied Steve.
Steve was advised by the Matron of the ward to have his dinner early and after that he will not be allowed to eat anything till he is planned to be operated in the late afternoon tomorrow under spinal anesthesia.
In the evening Dr. Rogers came to inform Steve that the medical board has decided to perform an operation as growths at the two places have been detected in the intestine and there is an ulcer in the ileo-cecal valve, which is partly deformed also. Dr. Rogers also very impressive, with lanky figure but extremely bright eye and looked a confirmed extra brilliant persona. Dr. Rogers assured Steve that nothing to worry and things shall be OK, only it is a matter of time and advised Steve to hold on to the patience.
Melissa also equally impressed by Dr. Rogers by just listening to the ever assuring body language. By sheer looking at him Melissa gained confidence and thought, ‘Well, Steve, we are at the right hands.’ Reconfirmed Melissa and immediately tried to find out on Goggle what is that eleo-cecal valve and saw that it is the valve that joins the large & small intestine in the stomach.
On disclosure of the colonoscopy report, a junior lady Gastroenterologist visited Steve. Melissa too eager to know what lies next and asked, ‘Doctor, what happens if this odd valve in the stomach gets deformed etc., as shown in the report? The lady doctor told, ‘Yeah, it can happen due to various reasons, may be due to an infection, as the place is bacteria prone and bacteria galore and due to this problem hemoglobin count may go down. In any case the doctor has ordered for biopsy and if there is no malignancy (Cancerous growth), then with the colonoscopy tool the deformed valve can be repaired. We shall have to wait for the histopathology report of the sample extract taken during colonoscopy.’
It was evening about 6 pm and the Dietician showed up at the bed side of the other patient Robert Hesseny. Dietician seemed to be a smart lady, with a white skirt and jacket and pink top; she held a thick folder on her lap. Always in smiling disposition she was asking about the patient’s preference of the diet. Dietician was taking extra little care in detailing the food menu for Robert.
Steve was getting envious, as to ‘why is she not asking me, as well? ‘Are they not going to serve me any food and keep me on IV fluid instead?’ Steve murmured within himself.
‘Hello, gentleman’ the dietician now turned towards Steve, ‘the doctor has advised that you can have dinner tonight, that’s it. Thereafter, no intakes for you till you are out of the operation theatre tomorrow. Now please tell me what your choice is?’
Steve requested, ‘Can I have rice, a portion of fish curry, some salads, yogurt may be’
‘Hang on, Sir, going by your reports, I feel, it is not right for you to have yogurt in dinner; you have also been advised to have non spicy, soft diet. I shall give you lentil instead and may be chicken stew.’ – sounded the dietician.
‘Ok’, said Steve.
‘Now, what about your breakfast menu, what is your habit?’ said the Dietician. Steve got frightened by the word ‘habit’ and said, ‘Oh, yeah, I like fruit juice, fruits, bread, hot eggs, porridge, oats or like’, Steve wanted to play safe.
‘Well today, I will get you Orange juice, whole grain bread toast with butter or cheese or mayonnaise – any one of the three at a time or oven fresh Croissants, baked egg with leek / hot egg and banana. Don’t take milk and milk products for now and thus cereals are out of your menu for the moment, no tea or coffee for few days. But you can have any other fruit of your choice.’ - Dietician said.
Steve though wondered why no tea & coffee, and could not suppress his inquisitiveness and asked, ‘what about tea or coffee, why is that out of my menu?’
‘Sir, you have low hemoglobin count and thus you require iron input in your diet. But tea & coffee if taken within one hour of food intake either way, before or after, bind the iron with itself and do not help proper absorption in your body. The reason being, Coffee contains polyphenols and tea contains tannins, both of which render any iron found in food unusable and thus hinder absorption.’ Explained the Dietician, gleefully and Steve was impressed. Melissa captivated by the knowledge of the Pro, nodded her head smilingly & felt being enriched in dietary.
‘Anything else may I assist you with’ asked the Dietician, ‘no thank you so much’, said Melissa on behalf of Steve, well before Steve could actually come in terms with the reality by being out of his imaginative world.
‘Bye, Good Night’ said the Dietician and speed way down the corridor.
Melissa constantly by the side of Steve passed quiet moments though.
Dr. Ross arrived with Dr. Rogers and said, ‘Well, Steve, do you intend to wait for the histopathology report on the sample taken out of the ulcer in the eleo-cecal valve? This may take about 3 more days and so will also delay the today’s programme of performing surgical intervention on you. We have found that the growth in the intestine and can be operated now and the same samples will go for Histopathology as well. Please think about it and take a call within the next couple of hours and inform Dr. Rogers. Accordingly, we shall confirm the Operation theatre (OT)’ and the doctors went away.
Steve & Melissa set in for consultations ‘as what to do’ and were in quandary, more so, as neither of them had informed any one in their family so far about their relationship. This deprived them of instant family support.
Melissa went down stairs and prayed at the prayer room for some time & then wished to head for the nearest church and found on Goggle Maps in her BlackBerry smart phone that Almeda Plaza Baptist Church is the nearest one, to which she walked down (about 3 miles). Melissa lit candles there and prayed for some time and then asked herself, ‘What to do?’
Melissa day dreamed of Steve being hale & hearty and getting married to Steve in a grand imaginative Catholic church in Philippines. All the while, she went on asking herself repeatedly but, ‘What needs to be done now?’ Her head said ‘wait for the cancer test report (Malignant cell report of the histopathology lab)’ – this being logical as the line of treatment would differ in case of cancerous & non cancerous growth.
While her heart said, ‘Go ahead and get the operation done if the Doctor has no objection’. In way she felt that doctors are professionals and it is more desirable that they decide instead of ‘leaving the decision on laymen like me & Steve.’
Melissa came back to the bed side of Steve and confided, ‘Tell you what, my mind speaking, get the operation done, don’t wait for the histopathology report and if something is found later on, then we shall handle it.’
Mood of frustration had set in Steve, but looking at what Melissa said, Steve agreed instinctively to Melissa’s mind.
This time Steve himself picked up the phone and dialed Dr. Rogers. The other end of the phone replied, ‘Hello, Dr Rogers’. Steve said, ‘Doctor, Steve here, your patient, we consent to get the surgery done today afternoon, without having to wait for the malignancy report of the eleo-cecal valve, provided you also agree.’
‘That’s not an issue’, said the Doctor, ‘Get yourself ready for the surgery.’
Steve was on IV fluids since the dinner yesterday and he was informed by the nurses that IV fluid administration will continue and about 4:20 pm he will be taken to the Operation theatre. Steve, however, lost his complete appetite by now for being on the antibiotics for the last 2 days and slept over.
Melissa, went to her office for a while, had lunch in the cafeteria down below her office floor, did some work, attended few e-mails and reached back by the side of Steve’s bed around 4pm, only to find Steve in continued deep sleep. Melissa silently waited and she saw there is various hospital staff and all are moving about in different uniforms. Melissa wondered why so many categories of staff existing in the same hospital.
Melissa sitting and thinking about something and there only a person in another type of uniform arrived with a stretcher trolley. Steve was still sleeping by then and the person went near Steve, disconnected his IV fluid attachments and said, ‘Sir, please wake up, we have to take you to the OT.’
Melissa was asked to check that there are no ornaments on Steve’s body and take over everything. He was given a single cloth gown to wear and specifically advised not to use any underwear.
Steve opened his eyes; his dress was changed and he was rolled out to the trolley from his bed, IV attachments re-fixed and the trolley started its journey to the Operation Theatre (OT). A nurse from the ward was accompanying Steve to hand over the patient along with the treatment file. This is one such file which keeps on accompanying the patient wherever the patient goes; it contains the records of all the medications, doctor’s observations, test reports and prescriptions etc. Melissa also ran along with the trolley and she was stopped at the OT entrance this time in the 2nd floor of the hospital. The nurse said to Melissa, ‘Madam, you please wait here and let me hand over the patient to them.’
Steve once entered the hallway leading to the various operation theatres. Steve asked nurse, ‘how many such OT is there in this hospital.’
‘There are fifteen operation theatres, Five - General OT, Two - Pediatric OT, Four - Cardiac OT , Two – Maternity OT and Two - Neuro OT’s.’ – replied the nurse. ‘Wow that’s great, where will I be taken into?’ – exclaimed Steve.
‘General OT’, said the nurse. Steve saw several OT personnel moving about and all of them wearing green coloured dress, with head mask, gloves etc., there is a huge board on one particular room, written as ‘STERILISATION SUITE’, where the few staff on arrival are heading to and then they all are coming out wearing green uniforms. Yet another question came to Steve’s mind as to why all of them wearing green dress. Steve exuberantly stared at the lady looked to be the senior most in the department well surrounded by scrub nurses, Steve asked, ‘why all of you are wearing green dress?’
‘You want to know that as well, dear! OK. You know, green is a natural colour and the colour allows you to concentrate and not get emotional. Then on green colour the blood stains look blackish and that is easy to identify and lot less frightening. Green is thus preferable over white as the blood strains on white looks very bright because of reflection in excess by the white light and thus captures attention of the OT staff and scare them more’, answered the Lady so convincingly. She continued, ‘to help you relax, I shall address you Steve, OK. Now tell me, do you do jogging or do you do any form of exercise?
‘No’, said Steve.
‘Do you feel shortness of breath while climbing up the stairs’ – she asked yet again.
‘No’, said Steve and continued, ‘I can climb up and sped and generally climb two steps at a time’
Well, Steve was ordered to be taken to the operation table, a scrub nurse was pulling the trolley backwards and then just before reaching the spot she applied brakes on her own and Steve slid a bit on the trolley and Steve’s right feet accidentally touched her left boob. Steve felt that apart from green apron she was not wearing anything else. This may be due to Sterilisation issue Steve assumed.
Steve was now transferred to the Operation table. All the monitoring devices like, Heartbeat, Blood pressure etc., were fixed, IV fluid was continuing. There are provisions for Oxygen mask with metering device and for blood transfusion as well. Steve noticed here that the blood pressure instrument is an auto & it measures at an interval of about 2 minutes. There is a huge light on the top and there are many localized lamps which are maneuverable. There was more than ten staff dedicated to him.
OT was a grand place looked to be for Steve, with wooden floors and wood panel walls; aluminum paneled false ceiling, stainless steel strips and accessories with glass in every place wherever it could be. All places spic & span and was giving a grand neat outlook.
The lady who answered Steve’s question on ‘green colour’ was actually the Chief Anesthetist and her questions to Steve on exercise; stair climbing etc. was to ascertain Steve’s physical agility and therefore will help her to decide the dose of anesthesia to be administered on Steve.
Steve was now made to sit instead of lying down and held by scrub nurses. A chilling liquid was applied all over his spine. Steve felt there are three people behind his back. One elderly woman dictating a young woman and one middle age man was helping the situation.
The elderly woman said, ‘Push this injection now and inform to patient prior to doing that.’
‘Yeah, pushing a local anesthesia injection, OK’ the younger women said and then she started trembling and pushed the injection but Steve felt lot of pain and sensed the person is not an expert and may be a trainee.
Steve this time around started screaming at the top of his voice and said, ‘Do not make me a guinea pig, please doctor and ask the chief anesthetist to do the job. I am getting lot of pain, I cannot bear, please forgive me.’
At the same time the elderly woman took control of the situation and then she said, ‘Steve, relax, we wait for two minutes’ and continued to scratch the area around Steve’s lower spine. Then after a while said, ‘Now I am pushing the spinal anesthesia’ and Steve kept on waiting for yet another painful piercing push but that appeared did not come through. Steve thought these people are unnecessarily delaying things but the very next moment, the Chief Anesthetist asked, ‘Steve, do you feel any numbness in your legs?
‘Yes, I do’, said Steve
‘That’s fantastic’, said the staff in the OT. The Chief anesthetist confided to the trainee and said in a very low husky voice, ‘You know Madeline that means the local anesthesia has worked well and the patient could not feel the administration of spinal anesthesia and since the patient has started feeling numbness in his lower part, this also means the spinal anesthesia has already set in to work, got it?’
Steve lost his feeling from waist and below but sensed was able to talk and wanted to make sure that Dr. Rogers is around.
Steve was now made to lie down and this time Steve gleefully uttered, ‘Yes Sister, can I see my favourite doctor?’ and went on & on insisting on it. Dr Rogers just in the room next to it was waiting for the green signal from the head nurse, came rushing in and reassured, ‘Dear Steve, I am right here, don’t you worry’
‘Thank you Dr. and very nice to see you’ said Steve, ‘I am at your disposal today and have reposed all my faith & trust on you, Doctor’ carried on Steve, with expression of deep sense of gratitude.
Dr. Rogers said, OK, OK dear now relax, I will perform on you the surgery, known as darada..**tomy. Steve could not comprehend the initial letters of the surgical procedure.
Steve this time around ticked conversation with a nurse and said, ‘my girlfriend - her name is Melissa, is waiting outside, how can I inform her that I am OK, is there any way, sister? You know what, she is a very caring girl and she is beautiful as well. Most importantly, has an equally beautiful mind if not better. You look very close to Melissa, are from Philippines?’
The nurse however did not pay any heed to what Steve had to say and harped instead, ‘Look Gentleman, can you see the LED right in front of you, you can opt to see the surgical procedures live or if you are too scared then we shall place a curtain over your waist and hang it up. This way you will not be able to see anything for now, but never mind we shall give a recorded CD of the procedure and you can see at leisure of your home later.’
Steve said, ‘Oh Yeah, I got a CD for the colonoscopy as well!’
The procedure took may be around 20 minutes, Melissa who was anxiously waiting outside the OT was shown the two operated piece of the growth filled in a transparent container enveloped in scary blood.
Dr. Rogers said, ‘Hi, young lady, the procedure is complete, the patient is stable & OK. We are going to send these samples to histopathology lab for checking malignancy. The patient at the moment is in the recovery room and shortly shall be transferred to the bed, All the best.’
‘Thank you Doctor’, said Melissa.
Steve was brought in to the recovery room, and connected to all auto emergency devices like oxygen supply, heartbeat, pulse & blood pressure monitors. Steve was conscious & oriented though and looked up all over the place. Steve saw that, there were about six to eight patients in the recovery lounge. To his left there was a girl fully unconscious on oxygen & blood transfusion and to his right there was a middle aged gentleman who was in his senses but on life support system.


To know the rest, please read my book.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Whatever is written out here is not that I know everything; I must admit and express my gratitude to Mr Jimmy Wales the founder of Wikipedia and Mr.Larry Page & Sergey Bin of Google without whose creation of information libraries in the web I could not have assimilated these works.
Thank you the great creators DISCLAIMER While I dislike to start off with a disclaimer, however, you know it is sometimes a great experience to have a bitter dish as a starter, thus the protagonist of the book prefers to remain as anonymous and all opinions & characters depicted in this work are not necessarily true and may be unintentional & co-incidental in the instances they might resemble with any one either dead or alive. That's precisely the reason while this appears in the end of the blog & in the begining of my content - Forward from the Author

Ad Mission

Nisith was last seen getting hurriedly into a taxi and saying, ‘Bye Mom, see you’ and the lady running after the car for a while was all in tears and then wiping off her temples with her very own attire known as ‘Sari’.

The all important paper Nisith is carrying in his bag which, in a way sort of unforgettable episode in his life.

He boarded a train from Guwahati, put his luggage on the upper berth. The steam engine train rolled on, after a few moment the natural scenic beauty with lush green plain land was visible, this was quite in contrast with the hilly terrain Nisith is habitual of living.

‘Yes Gentleman, where are you off to?’ a co passenger asked. ‘Well, I am going to Rourkela to study Engineering there’ replied Nisith. ‘Oh Good, Good, that’s very good, by the way how will you go to Rourkela from Howrah? Have you got a reservation already?’ queried the co–passenger again. ‘No I am planning to get down at Howrah where I will have a friend of mine waiting for me at the station. She will have an onward ticket for me. Can you tell me how to go to Fancy Market?’ rallied Nisith. The man on the other end gave a vivid description of the route by tram to fancy Market at Calcutta, known for the ‘smuggled goods collection.’ On the next day Nisith arrived at the Fancy Market with his friend Tania and they went in straight to the garments market and bought him a pair of HARA Jeans.....

Next morning Nisith arrived at the Rourkela Jn. and got into an Auto Rikshaw and asked the driver, ‘Take me to REC’ in a voice of command. It was about 6:30 AM in the morning, the auto driver asked Nisith ‘Are you coming here for the first time? Nisith said, ‘No no, I stay in Bunda Munda’, replied apprehensively. ‘I mean, are going to take admission in REC?’ Enquired the auto driver once again, inquisitively, fully understanding that Bunda Munda is the nearest junction from Rourkela. ‘No, No I have almost finished my studies’, said Nisith defensively. The Driver dropped thus him at Hostel no 2 and went away!

Nisith walking like a intoxicated and in weird fashion for not having wholesome sleep overnight and not knowing what to do next, laden at the same time with a Funky T Shirt & HARA Jeans, was quickly welcomed by a final year student; who just woke up with a tooth brush in his hand, ‘Ha Ha Guinea Pig arrived!’ screaming in a sarcastic style. ‘Hey, who are you? What you want?’ Beaming in anticipation, questioned the Hostel 2 occupant. ‘Sir, I have come here to take admission in REC’ replied Nisith. ‘Oh! Then Guess I am from which state?’ said the senior. ‘You have Solid, Liquid and Gas as well in your body but I am not so sure that you have plasma’ replied Nisith almost shivering in fear. ‘You Idiot, I have asked you, which Indian State do I belong to? rallied the senior. ‘Oh! Sorry Sir, I could not follow you earlier, I believe you are from Orissa, Sir’ replied Nisith finally, as everybody past Guwahati appeared to him as some alien, he has never seen in life and every moment he got threatened in, (thus this safest possible answer!). Quickly enough, Nisith’s state was then determined and he was left behind with the senior of his own state, who did not much care about him but allowed him to use his bath room to get freshened up and despatched Nisith to Hostel 1. In the whole process Nisith thoroughly learnt the lesson though, the dreadful result of his mistaken apprehension of overcharging by the auto driver.

Nisith showed the letter so carefully brought along with him to the Hostel warden’s staff, who quickly allotted a room for him on the fourth floor. Nisith dressed up, went to the dining hall to have some kind of bite which he was reluctant to have, primarily due to the premonition of the impending dangers he pre-conceived in his mind.

Once out of the Hostel 1 premises, he saw a few guys on their bicycle shouting, ‘Hey guys raise your hands up’ - ‘Turn One hundred and eighty degrees’ and Run, Run fast’, Nisith utterly got messed up and for a moment he forgot what this degree is all about. ‘I have come here to get an Engineering degree, I suppose, but look at the guys, they are asking me to turn 180 degrees’. Before he could comprehend the ‘degree matter’, he saw his friends have already running backwards, with books in one hand & an umbrella on the other!

Nisith attended the classes, the notable class of the day was Engineering Mechanics, he returned after having finished all classes. On return Nisith saw the hostel warden and few other teaching staff roving around, those made him feel a bit relaxed and secure. He met a few batch mates and finished his dinner. Hostel warden locked the front grill at around 10 PM and went away, to make Nisith & co all safe as no one can enter the hostel now. The firm conviction of the Warden as well the teachers was this, but that was not to be and the intelligent guys (Undoubtedly - Rengcolians) are here to find some solution to the issue.

At around 2 AM in the middle of the night when Nisith was in his deep sleep, he got wakened by the big banging sound on his door. His friend Balaram opened the door, suddenly a few guys appeared. ‘Dude, Guess I am from which state?’ Nisith not completely out of his sleep said, ‘Bunda Munda’ in a hurried fashion. Nisith was ordered to come out of the room, and then asked to sit on the edge wall of the corridor. ‘Look at this pipe, hold on to it and slide down’ ordered the senior. Nisith looked down and started to feel pain on the chest as felling of giddiness and vertigo aroused. Nisith was silent and not moving at all. On observing Nisith’s sluggishness the guy said, ‘Dude don’t worry, you will not die, take a look, there are host of guys ready to catch you down below’. Nisith took a glance and saw guys are there waiting with safety net in case of an accidental fall. Nisith however, has never seen rain water pipes in his life, although there are hell a lot of rain in Shillong, but nowhere spun cast iron water pipes are used. Nisith saw a bulging type thing on the rain water pipes at the interval of around two meters may be. The Guy on the other end frowned and ordered Nisith to slide without having to be reminded, the next time. Nisith this time remembered the God and submitting to the Almighty fully he started the slide from 4th Floor. (Taking his own soul in the pocket!) Nisith closed his eyes, allowed himself to go down and then suddenly he got stuck. ‘This is the last day of my life’, he imagined and murmured to himself. ‘Oh! God, why did I come here for the degree?’ Nisith realised that he was in heavy perspiration and slid yet again and came back to life to realise his foot getting stuck against the spun spigot, this time around left feet instead of right. The guys down below now started shouting in greater decibel asking Nisith to come down fast. Nisith closed his eyes again and in seven attempts of slide he went down till embraced by his Senior Friends, who said, ‘Welcome to the REC Rourkela’. Nisith, shell shocked! Was taken away to the other Hostel blind folded. On arrival the guys asked him, Hey? What’s your name? ‘Nisith, Sir’. ‘Do you know how to sing? ‘No Sir, I can try but’. ‘Sing anything from country to rock to pop whatever thing that suits you’ requests came from all. Nisith sang, ’Welcome to the Hotel California’ - and then once more, once more roar was heard by the sleeping occupants of the Hostel and the gathering achieved a vibrant proportion of entertainment. Nisith was given a Hotel like retreat duly welcoming him with a hot tea on a stainless steel glass, (meant for drinking water!) boiled eggs and a pastry. That of course did not come free as many thought..... But came as a reward for the wholesome entertainment provided.

Nisith thus survived with fanfare instead of nightmare as all of his classmates conceived, however, his roommate friend Rajiv one fine morning packed his bag and then disappeared. Nisith said to himself, ‘Oh! I lost a friend to whom I could at least speak a bit of my mind; ultimately he was from my state.’ Rajiv who joined in the same class as that of Nisith could not survive the ordeal of the initial crunches of the hostel life. Nisith however, reluctantly stayed on due to compulsion of being the only son of his parents to start with, but in the end Nisith started to enjoy the hostel life on its own in an entirely new environment, and reaped rich dividends on the contrary.

More than several months passed by, Nisith at times felt lonely totally deprived of his very own society and the food. And then came a respite in the form of a dinner invitation from one of the habitants of Rourkela. Nisith well dressed reached the place and to his surprise found Ankita also joined in. ‘Helow Nisith & Ankita how do you do’ uttered the hostess. ‘You know we are living in Rourkela for the last seventeen years and hardly we come across people from our state, until Rahul told me that two of the new students have arrived from Shillong to study here.’ What a pleasant surprise!

Manisha the hostess set the ball rolling and all of them got involved in intense conversation. One topic flew past another and there was an inevitable break as Manisha had to make all arrangements for the Dinner complete in all respect.

Nisith & Ankita felt awkward to start with having left behind all alone in the living room. ‘Where do you stay in Shillong?’ Ankita broke the ice and Nisith replied ‘Laitumukhrah’ with his face lighted up in anticipation. Nisith by saying that got up from the couch and went out to the balcony and to his sheer surprise Ankita also followed with grace and with softer steps. ‘How do you feel here, do you like the place?’ questioned Ankita. ‘I feel awesome and a lot lonely here, miss my mom and miss everyone of my family for that matter. Feel utterly home sick, fervently long for the dishes that Mom prepares!!! To be honest with you!’ replied Nisith. ‘Yeah, Yep, the same for me as well, excuse me’ said Ankita and headed towards the living room again but hovered around to place the toilet. Ankita started to occupy the mind of Nisith and he said to himself, ‘Oh God, give me some moonlight at least on this breathtaking evening; let someone light up my life yet again.’ Ankita returned back in the midst of Nisith deeply engrossed in thought & being unmindful.

‘Hey Guys we are just waiting a bit for Rahul to come back from Plant, hope not he is coming back only after finishing all the rolling in the Cold Rolling Mill’ – Manisha the host uttered articulately. ‘No issue’ roared both Nisith & Ankita together and at the same time. Incidentally, Rahul also hails from Shillong but fifteen years senior to both these new entrants and a NITR Alumni too, working at the Steel Mill.

Ankita came out of her shell and added, ‘I am too, fond of the kind of homely environment that prevails out here and feel more than lucky for being invited and so let us enjoy our brand of food for today, right Nisith?

This time around Ankita sat right next to Nisith and this made him externally uncomfortable but internally soothing with a feeling of concord as Nisith started to get intoxicated by the fragrance of Ankita’s hair and the sweet perfume she wore. Ankita’s neck, however, was empty and in Nisith aroused an extreme desire to fill it up with some grand ornament one day!

Nisith’s eyes met Ankita’s for a moment there was ‘turbulence in certainty’ felt Manisha the hostess and she asked, ‘Hey what about your friend Rajiv? Poor guy, he had to leave without being able to continue his first year, else we could have loved to see him over here as well.’

Two and half decades passed by without Nisith & Ankita much realising that now their only daughter studies abroad and doing FRCS in the UK. The couple arrived back at the Rourkela Jn. the very first time after graduating out of the college and boarded a Limousine sent by the organising secretary of the Golden Jubilee Home Coming. The car had a Blaupunkt system and in the FM Radio a number was being played from the popular Hindi movie of their time ‘Ek Duje Ke Liye’ and believe me that made both Nisith & Ankita become awfully nostalgic, cherishing their unforgettable delicate teenage years and thus compel them to make this candid admission of how they first met out of the campus.

Of Mohito, Lasagne and Drunken Dolphin

It was one off regular weekends that we used to wait for! Got up late in the morning as usual and gave a huge twist before being out of the bed. Aditya gave a scream, ‘Ibrahim Lao!!’ (bring fast!).
Well, we all thought, is this a time for the things to start?

Then he says – ‘Ibrahim bring my shorts’ – then he calls Biswanath in quick succession and says – ‘well, we are going to beach today, bring the car immediately’ – the loyal driver parks the car right in front of our mess in no time. We all jumped in, four of us – all in beach dress except Gundiah - the only guy dressed in full sleeves and a trouser. On being asked why are you in such an incompatible dress? He promptly said with wit, - ‘Hey, this is no chum setting worth my salt; tell me who’s going to date me tonight?’ Breaking silence he speaks again. -‘None I suppose! The dress code thus rightly suits the state of my poignant mind’.

We all felt he is going to be a big dampener but then he turned out to be one of the greatest entertainers of the tour in the end.

The car picked up the speed once it was there on the highway, here we go – there were lovely scenic beauties with both the side of the asphaltic road lined up with bright green trees merging together in the form of an arch intermittently at places with the real refreshing gush of winds added to the real flavour of an express long drive.

But then the guys were morose and the mood was not just peaking up in spite of the fact that we were all heading to one of our favourite destination! At that moment, we spotted a wine shop out of the many in series in Goa. We stopped the car and all of us took a Bacardi Breezer each - in one gulp or two. And can’t believe that swung the mood of the crowd to such an elation that we were bursting into large laughs for silly humours as well.

‘Biswanath’ a proficient pilot of his favourite Scorpio owned by his master, he steered from the highway on to the gullies of the Goa’n village and till the time he stopped the car, we were all engrossed in lively conversations mostly involving ‘Rose Mary Simpson’ whom we met at the same spot the last time around. Quite amazingly, she had a Platinum pin pierced on to her lower lips! She was simply a dazzling British girl in her early twenties, lofty with height close to six feet, athletic built, longish hair with natural silky streaks, masterly crafted slashed black eyes, sharp nose with complementary temple, unblemished glowing skins and an astoundingly thriving beeline! Her million pound smile was almost unforgettable.

Well, mind you, she got very friendly with my mate Sandy Belch – an Aussie - more than once and what conversations!! She is actually a student of Marine Biology at the University of Plymouth about 200 miles west of London. She studies by making her earning by being a stewardess in the evening pubs of Plymouth and depends largely on the tips from the generous clientele for her luxurious living.

Oh! We all arrived at the Palolem beach, the sight was really exotic with sandy semi white gentle shore curves with ‘out of the ordinary’ picturesque Palm trees and a mixture of hills and seashore at the both ends of the beach. The beach is an encircled type with the two ends closing in the form of a semi circle, water front is bulgy with a very easily lost horizon in sight. If you constantly gaze at the waves, the feeling of earth roundness evolves. Most of all, it was the season time, so it was eye candies in plenty. Once you close your eyes and reopen you might as well mistakenly think for a moment that you are right there at the Barbados Crane beach.

This south Goa chill out destination being a less frequented and relatively much cleaner seaside, it is thus immensely popular among the foreign tourists and some are even found to spend almost half of the year here. The beach is awesome and was of very fine white sand of the quartzite attribute found in a land of lateritic origin! Some areas of the beach were awfully flat sometimes even for a distance close to 400 metres, you can't drown yourself there! The water was crystal clear and it was a real retreat to have drenched yourself with that tasteful salty water and the lovely moderate waves of around one and a half man measure for most of the time, here you can choose to jump when the wave arrives and get excitement galore.

Gundiah forgot to carry his swimsuit as a rule and was on a Jockey brief and went on repeating the Jockey ad sentence all the time and made nothing but fun of himself at the eyes of the swim suit clad gals, who could not but resist laughing in delight while swimming in the incredible sea of colossal experience. Gundiah did not seem to pay heed to all that and was immensely enjoying himself forgetting about the rest of the World.

After a first round of bizarre experience with the sea, we all were rather pretty hungry and thus got into the convenient restaurant called ‘Dropadi’ – an impressive shack but an sensitively exotic place where you can wine and dine with any cocktails and dishes out of Italian, Caribbean, Taiwanese, Japanese, English, American and Indian recipes etc.

Aditya sat in one corner of the table like a commanding officer and out of his usual habit yelled ‘Ibrahim Lao’ only to realise in a split second that we are not in our sweet senior bachelor mess calling a rare breed of most efficient but enormously sensitive to individual moods at the same time - ‘Cook Ibrahim’ but sitting in a eatery of transnational cuisine. ‘Shantanu, please order – you know the best, you are saying somethin’ like Fellafel’ murmured Aditya. I said ‘Surender come here, take our order, the Steward lazily walked past many tables occupied by his distinguished guests and while coming kept on giving twisted stares all over the place and finally arrived with a ever smiling face. ‘Yes Sir, What can I serve you today?’ I said, ‘Yeah Get us a portion of a Lasange, Chicken-Prawn Spraghetti on white sauce, mozzarella cheese and tomato top up, and and and get all of us Mohito each. The guys got stunned when I called names and tacitly believed that I am of course a regular here.

Gundiah got very upset at the name of the cocktail and he had so many ‘out of bound ideas’ to replace the name of Mohito to po..marito etc., I pleaded with Gundiah, 'please don’t say anything, there are lot many Italians here, they will feel shy!!!'

You know the drink I seem to be relishing to the blissful extent and the cocktail is made of Light White Rum, Oh! No! Let me share with you the recipe sequentially. Take a traditional cocktail glass, pack it with full of ice, pour 30 ml of Peter Morgan Rum, dash it with Angostura Bitters, put a few half crushed mint leaves, top it up with lime juice and club soda and add one tea spoon of sugar and mount a lemon slice with an olive by the Umbrella as Garnish, add stirrer and a straw - to conclude it for the romantic value it deserves.

I mostly savour the drink with Lasagne an Italian dish of mozzarella cheese, cream, spinach, beef or chicken with olive oil as the base and a lot of tomatoes. After a few drinks we started to order music of our choice and Aditya said ‘Vijay play Nirvana.’ While we were engrossed in music parleys two Israeli girls whacked into our conversations and added’ Yeah Yeah, the beats are great and guys did you all notice the interlude with the saxophone ….so sweet for the ears… candid voice……. The work on the piano!!! How come you guys like favourite songs of mine as well?? Then the gals all of sudden offered to clap Aditya and he reciprocated by clapping each other in high arm action. It seemed like West Indians are celebrating the fall of Tendulkar’s wicket! We all started to sway to the music till we decided again to go for the experience of our next bout with the sea.

As you know, the beach was more or less of a half round shape with two small wavy hills encompassing the both ends. The terrain is just more than artistic to be described in words; the height of the tropical trees matched the hill shape which adds to the exuberant ambience of the location, nevertheless the entire shore line gets filled up with shacks during the season September to March. The shanty shacks are made out of bamboo columns and thatch roof & walls and has got a balcony & a bed room! The bed is made out of bamboo sticks and has invariably got a coconut tree by the side of the window cut out to give it an extraordinary natural ambience. Mostly, they are occupied by the foreign tourists and for an unbelievably low tariff of Rupees two hundred a night. The shops open with great splendour and offers services from anything to Kerala Ayurvedic Messages, Beauty parlour, Drum shop, Ornaments, traditional Goa’n Clothes, Cybercafés etc., etc., and above all restaurants for cuisines from all five continents for an amazingly low price. And most of all you get all the cocktails, wines and all sort of alcoholic beverages original as well as local reproduction available under the sun.

Aditya, an incalculably adventurous guy started looking elsewhere now and said 'guys, anybody coming with me?' And then jumped out of the table and headed quietly for the sea. While the rest of the crowd was hesitating for a moment, I volunteered to accompany him. He guided me near a motor boat – the guy presumably a fisherman was shouting ‘Dolphin ride’, ‘Dolphin ride’ – I don’t know what transpired amongst them, Aditya asked me to follow him. Both of us sat down on the fibre boat, mounted life jackets on us and the boat started. The fisherman shouted ‘Ladies & Gentleman, please look all around yourselves while we go deep into the sea, it’s your luck, you might as well see some dolphins today!’ I thought wow and Aditya said ‘ Ha Ha Kemon dilam'; for a few minutes it was OK, but then gradually the waves stared to become bigger & bigger and the boat had to negotiate steeper to get over the each wave. The ride became bumpier by every second. At one point we thought gone case ‘this is the last day of our life’. I started to pray to the Almighty clamping on to the boat railings as firmly as I can. At that very moment the boat jumped a few metres trying to steer past a huge wave and we all bounced on to the boat deck with a bang!!! It all looked darkness for a few seconds & then regained consciousness to see I am right there in the middle of sea and in the same boat yet again!

Everyone started shouting at the top of their voice and sought for return of the boat to the shore right away.

- ‘We do not want to see any Dolphin, please forget about it! Take us back, take us back’.

The fisherman said, “Oh! Ho! don’t you all unnecessarily worry; we do this ‘day in & day out’ and face the same request every day”. Caroline suggested, ‘take us back through an alternate route we do not want to face waves anymore’!!!

We all returned back with eyes closed for most of the time, murmuring as many God names as we can through the normal route!!, empty handed though and sighed a relief!!, Oh! God you only could have saved us our day but then started to relish the excitement which was nothing short of remaining in oblivion about the rest of the World for a while.

Nevertheless, we all got nothing less than well captivated by the magnificent scenery, as we all got soaked in the beauty and grandeur of the seaside and returned with the grand memoirs of the lingering taste of the dishes that we tried.

Days with My Grandchildren

In one of the days when Sunay calls up on video phone every day to impress that he is fine with his wife & children or otherwise just enquires about us, to my utter surprise he subtly suggested me to join them at their “Anubeaufort Mansion”. His face was displaying an emotion of worry.

At that moment I just woke up from bed in my shabbily organised urban Kolkata home, quite scared to show up to Anurita, provoking a rebuke from her… ‘Uncle please take care of yourself’ & da a da da. ‘This is not the way you should live on.’

Ordinarily, I expect only their welfare and nothing else, however, when I washed my face, I gradually started to come in terms with the reality, I have never been to the States and the very thought of mine going to a country that I have never laid my legs on, my mind was getting gradually filled with suspense, excitement, heart getting filled up and then over flowing & then all of sudden there was a feeling of emptiness.

I was a bit worried to start with, and then thought may be things are fine with a bit of one or two going hey where necessitating the call.

Ever since I have been getting video & voice calls from Anurita more frequently than ever before and sometimes I could see her in a trouser and a untidy T shirt with dishevelled hair showing a vivid signs of impatience with her face zooming out in sheer desperation and thus kept me guessing all the time.

At times I failed to comprehend that in spite Anurita being from a middle class Bengali family, all the time she tends to speak to me in English and to my thorough contentment with every passing day her vocabulary became more & more cogent & enhancing than ever before.

Well I decided to board a flight to Los Angeles, went to the web to SmartTravels.com to book a ticket online. Expectedly found that hopping flights offer the most attractive price and bought a ticket for myself in Emirates Bangalore – Dubai – Paris – Newark – Los Angeles, oops too many hops isn’t it? Have to bear it because my pocket is not that great and not supporting me enough. Great however was my joy to imagine that I would better then get to pan many world cities in one go.

Anurita took special interest and had mailed me the form I – 134 an affidavit of support, signed and endorsed digitally via US Foreign office in Phoenix. I was being sponsored on Anurita’s account. Then I paid Visa issuance fee through HDFC Bank Net-banking. I prefer net banking to video banking, may be as I am old fashioned and like to operate the instrument I learnt during my boyhood. In the late evening the previous day I had got an encrypted sms from an ID called VT – America VID, the brief text communicated that I have an appointment tomorrow at 9 in the morning. I eagerly got up, dressed up well and with all the soft copies on a BlueRay Disc and a hard copy I arrived in front of the Consulate office only to be stopped by the security at the gate, had to show my soft copies which he scanned on the hand held machine got an online approval and then the zoomer gate opened with a bip. I was not allowed to go in and asked to sit on a most unimpressive stool instead. A while later the counter in front of us started flashing my name & passport number, while I reached in front of the ATM like machine it blinked press your thumb here - a plastic thing a lookalike credit card emerged. Waited for a while, and a guy landed – Yeah….

‘Those of who got the card in hand please go & swipe it on the door.’

I was amongst the last one to swipe - the door opened automatically, but allowed only my height fewer 6 inches and literally I had to bent down to get into the space where there was dignified seating arrangements. Someone called my passport number and ordered ‘please follow me’. This guy an American looked smart, overwhelmingly enigmatic and asked me ‘Yes, Mr. Chattopadhyay would you like give your interview in English or in your mother tongue.’ I said ‘English’, Oh well …. He asked me a lot of private questions and asked what your daughter in law does? Her bank account no?’ I was dumbfounded, how can someone be so personal in order to grant a just non-immigrant B2 Visa. Any way compulsions were mine – I had to call Anurita & get the detail smsed and the moment I did show him the sms – he rang up the Bank helpline.

– Hallow – Consulate officer – US Embassy from Kolkata India calling, I need some statutory information to be asked concurrently online with the visitor & the sponsor.

The bank put the call on hold for verification; in the meanwhile biometry of the ten fingers of mine was done. I think once the source was confirmed through video image matching, the call was made open. A conference video call then was made to Anurita and the bank and the details were confirmed and finally he signed off the paper and said latest within 48 hours all your travel documents will reach at your mailing address.

I stayed home the whole day waiting for the documents to come back to me; I was more worried about the biometric passport which was on the way. The moment I got hold of the documents in my hand I felt as if I am flying and got some vibrations and Jetlag feelings as well.

On the D Day I left home and then Boarded AC Double Decker bus from the complex and then arrived at the Airport, smoothly flown to Bengaloru International Airport. Got myself transferred to the lounge – ground staff arrived

– Sir, You are travelling by Emirates
– how do you know
– actually Sir your pictures arrive at our phones early,
- Sir may I will help you through the immigration,

I gladly obliged and she briefed me all the procedures which I eventually followed. Immigration was not a big issue till I arrived at the Charles De Gaulle International Airport, well there was a 4 hour stop and we were taken to the transit passenger lounge at CDG 2 – Terminal C- Oh fabulous it was having an exotic bar with furnishings & menu catalogue largely similar to Jules Vernes of the Eiffel – second level. And there was a picture of the City of Paris in there in one corner, showing how incredible the City looks at night!!!

Now the Frenchmen at the reverse transit immigration started troubling me, I was x-rayed and scanned completely to see if any remains of any terrorism are left in me. Oh Gush horrible it was, they did not leave any part of my body to reassure that. Any way I boarded back to the Aircraft this time it is A480, having a digital theatre room, and an onboard lounge, options were given by the Cabin Crew to have dinner at the seat or at the lounge, I opted for the later. I Wined & Dined in style – took good sips of Martini with steaks of Duck-Lamb-Pork with strains & beads of carrot, spinach, lettuce & all– the idea sounded to me like a coalition.

I went back to sleep & woke up to find our Aircraft hovering above a city of not such a joy it seemed, cool clusters of huge high rises – well I was told by the co-passenger that we are about to land at the Newark Liberty International Airport – and the announcement followed. Oops! That’s my port of entry at the US. With a hangover of half sleep, we got down at the arrival lounge. The American with his usual accent asked me to lay my hands on a place I felt like a glass for my biometric impression, asked to sign on a glass like thing where I could barely follow the trailing lines of my signature – however the guy asked – gentlemen; finish your signature in one go - that made me more nervous. The documents were checked in great detail, confirmations were made online only to clear me up to board a flight now finally heading for Los Angeles.

The flight were a bit gruelling & I was not enjoying it any more, started to have the feeling of Jet leg by now, but great was my hope and agony to meet Oisiki & Aharsri, who would come to the Airport to receive me. Oisiki only suggested ‘Grandpa you would arrive at the LAX and then we would drive you down to Phoenix, via North Arizona, we would then show you the picturesque landscape of the Arizona Plateau and a rare side view of the Grand Canyon as well. To my utter surprise I could spot a few pine trees on the way which produced instant jubilations as I could draw some resemblance to my past visions.

While we were on board on the Daimler Benz car and on the way Aharsri showed me the joint which offers a mind-blowing 8000 Calorie burger to die for! It is either a triple or a Quadruple bypass burger at the Heart Attack Grille in Chundler, Arizona. Wheel chair ride – part of the service which the eatery provides on hospital theme are the main attractions of the restaurant. Together they said Grandpa ‘you only say when you prey to die; now take a look what a co-incidence, you arrive near a joint which resonates your theme.’

We arrived at the West Brooke village, Arizona, with Aharsri steering and intelligently manoeuvring the 2700CC Sedan with 6 cylinder 16 valve dual VVT engine with automatic Climate control, driver's manually-adjustable lumbar support, electroluminescent instrument cluster, tortoise shell styling leather upholstery, steering wheel and of course left hand drive besides many other features which I can’t remember now. I sat on the front while Oisiki kept on murmuring all that from behind. I even saw the gadget called GPS which was giving direction of where to head for and it once gave Aharsri a warning beep that the car has turned left instead of right. Oh God! must be it a few hundred thousand dollar car!! I imagined.

We arrived at the “Anubeaufort Mansion”. The very sight of the mansion more than amazed me and it made a huge statement of its own. Oh “Anubeaufort” – the common names of grandmother & wife adjoined with American flavour. I only thanked God for this entire dream come true situation.

I was too tired to get into the details at that moment and after having a refreshing bath went back to fast sleep, had more than a good afternoon nap. Got up in the late evening and literally was looking forward to meet Anurita & Sunay.

They arrived quite late and Anurita said Uncle ‘it’s getting darker and we will have our Dinner right now, but before that here is some surprise for you.’ She picked three balloon glasses and took out a red stuff from the freezer. She showed me and said ‘look this is Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé – Aah a French wine.’ She poured on the glasses a little less than half full and then asked Uncle ‘Give this glass a swirl’ - ‘and feel the aroma you know what it is called – it’s arome de bouche’. I smelt like a first timer and got a great feeling of the smell only to be told by Anurita that "it’s Truffles aroma and this is one of my favourite wine and you know this is brewed out of grapes from the Bordeaux region of northern France with vintage for a period of anything between 15 to 25 years.”

‘Oh great taste’ I said but then she forwarded me some cheese and said “here is Reblochon cheese feel the tang.” I was flabbergasted looking at the gourmet Anurita and her grand style of serving the dinner. I was wondering how she still could manage the mustard seed fish curry and sidal sutkir chatni in here as well, cause in the end she has to carry on her duty as the Endowed Chair in the Arizona State University.

In the morning I entered the bath & toilet area and was in a great mood to take a closer look. It had a Jacquzi, Sauna & Shower cabinet besides an elegant bathtub. I sat on the commode and as usual and got up in between, the moment I raised my butt there was a sound of water flow only to realise that it was Auto flash of Kohler commode giving me a bold look stare, immediately I sat back to gain control of the situation. Next to the bath area it had a private Gymnasium where I did nothing but took my weight with mixed anticipation.

Oisiki bunked school in the morning, more so because she was too excited to show me a few things which she felt have borne fruit out of her relentless efforts. What she tells me is that she is a flora lover and it is her aim is to be an environment protection activist.

She took me to the gardens all around the mansion and started showing me her passionately nurtured produce of nature one by one. ‘Grandpa take a look here is one I grew last year – that’s ‘Magnificum Gerenium’ – a fading violet flower like poppy with 4 petals, before I could completely see it she jumped on to the next one – ‘this is Banksia’ – it looked like bird’s nest having threaded beads of petals in brick red colour, immediately it struck in my mind that this makes a good stuff for a bouquet. ‘Come here that’s Dianthus’ – pink petals with reddish centre zone.

‘Grandpa you see this tree the flower called Caribea Heliconia shall blossom in a few weeks, you know it will have petals like leafs twisted helically in cone shape somewhat like – murir thongar mato pechano.’ ‘Come come feel this flower this is our own Viburnum – it looks like a known flower, tell me where have you seen this before? Instantly it hit my senses and I said Oh! That’s ‘forget me not’ found in Shillong but you know dear Oisiki you see them in Ooty as well.

Oh! Fabulous I felt so soothing with my eyes getting a sweet treat and wondered how the nature manages to grow such vibrant colours from the same mother earth but through various stems of plants, what could be the chemical processes that yields such combination of colour, flavour and looks at the same time; I realised the nature is incredibly astounding.


In the afternoon Aharsri got back from college on his bicycle and said Grandpa – ‘what have you done the whole day?’ I said nothing except good quality time spent with Oisiki and have probably enhanced my knowledge on botany.

He said - 'come I will take you around' – I was more than ready and obliged. He then started to show me the Mansion on the lap of 15 acres of nature. ‘Grandpa – take a look the sleeping stone face you see that’s the sculpture of the courtyard garden.’

The mansion had a splendid architectural look, having eleganstone textured exterior, the top corners of the entire outer line was covered for a height of one feet of weathered cane stick bunches greyish in colour.

There was a main wing and a children’s wing the later also housed my guest room. Both these wings were connected with a concrete canopy, the top roofing was of bluescope colour coated corrugated high tensile steel sheeting. Windows were all Aluminium framed with glazing of somewhat superior quality which I have never seen elsewhere.

We then got into the lobby and the uniform stairs all over the house were of marble with a two seats in every flight may be three treads apart. The flooring was of American Oak, there were no carpets in sight. The rooms were separated with TRESPA VIRTUON compressed teak wood panels. The doors were all of Burmese teak with ultra modern hardware; the main door was hydraulically operated. Every room had one wall of Krystal Maribor insulating double glass panels from the UK, it had 1cm of vacuum gap in between to ensure insulation and enough undistorted lights in each room – Aharsri described. Wall like windows were all fitted with remotely operated auto Venetian blinds.

Paintings collected from the World over were arranged in such an outstanding fashion that spoke of great sense of order, reflecting power, grace and beauty in splendid proportions. And the overall interior look was nothing less than Royal.

I asked who designed all these here. Aharsri mentioned that the main Architect was Mr Simmone Overrand supported well by Ms Lary Jose Garner his Junior. Well done creators! I said to myself.

Aharsri then took me to the USGA Camel back Golf Club - a 18 hole Golf Course, all of a sudden he takes out a Jack Nicklaus Golf stick from the kit kept in the car and asked me to follow him to the teeing ground, he then lays a few Yokohama Golf ball on to the ground, swings his stick and said Grandpa ‘go, go see where it lands’ I literally crawled to find the ball and found none, but then Aharsri followed and holed the ball after striking the flag stick once in 9 attempts. Then he says ‘now you give it a try’, I swung with a huge back lift after practising a few empty swings, could not hole the ball till 27 attempts and pleaded for equity to Aharsri. The game went on for a while with nothing notable happening.

On our way back Aharsri picked up a few groceries from the Wall MART, of course that was not on his own choice but after a call from Anurita – his sweet gaudy mom.

Sunay said in the night – ‘Dad – this weekend Anurita & I shall take you to an unexplored destination and would probably leave Oisiki & Aharsri behind.’

It was a strange and a tense waiting for the weekend with premonition of impending dilemma as I am supposed to be here presumably to broker some serious issues for which I may have been dragged in so far. To know more please read my Book!!!!!! :)Face Book: http://www.facebook.com/Shantanu.C.1985