*Loneliness*
Life is another loneliness between two solitudes. The first solitude is the birth of a child. The last solitude is the soul leaving the body and journeying onward with no one beside it. Life between these two is yet another loneliness. This story is about the impact of the decisions a person makes in that kind of loneliness.
“Countless people have spent the first minute of their lives, and even more have spent the last minute of their lives in this hospital,” Vivek thought to himself. “And now my father is spending his last days here.”
Vivek had been in the hospital for three days. While he was wondering how many more days he’d have to stay like this, a nurse came and said, “Your father is calling for you.”
Lost in thought, Vivek got up and walked toward the I.C.U. There were two beds in the I.C.U. room. On one bed was Vivek’s father, Narayana, and on the other was another patient. Narayana was sitting up on his bed, deep in thought. Seeing Vivek come in, he asked, “Hey, hasn’t Vijay come?”
“He’ll come tomorrow, Daddy,” Vivek replied.
“Your aunt?”
“It’s about time she gets here, Daddy,” he answered.
Narayana was a big contractor. Vivek was his son from his first wife, while Vijay was his son from his second wife.
The patient on the next bed regained consciousness and called for his children, and five of them came inside.
“Ragha,” the patient on the bed called out. “I’m right here, Daddy,” one of the five said.
“Uday, Ram,” the patient said. “We’re here, Daddy,” they replied.
“If all of you are here, then who’s running the business at the shop?!” the patient shouted.
Vivek, who was watching all this, laughed.
“Why are you laughing?” Narayana asked.
“The patient next to you is as crazy about money as you are,” Vivek said.
