Someone's Waiting
“Linda! Did Titu call?” asked Ms. Latika looking at the woolen Beanie hat in the picture on the iPad. It was this hat coming from Titu for her birthday.
Linda, her nurse slipped her hand under Ms. Latika’s waist to lift her heavy body, to change her bed sheet. “No!” she answered. Her breath heavy after the effort.
“It’s 9:00 am, and Titu must be ready to leave for office now.”
“He’ll call you soon,” Linda assured her, smiling affectionately.
For the past ten years, ninety-year-old Ms. Latika, has lain in this bed. Her pelvic prolapse had rendered her obese frame confined, shutting on her all outside world. Linda bathed, dressed and cooked for her.
Sons and daughters called, opening to her a window for a short while, showing her into their world. By and by time became precious to them. Now Latika, must wait for the time to arrive, when someone from her family would miss her, and give her a call.
“Take me out Linda. I want to move out of here. Into the garden” Latika was uneasy.
Linda drew apart the deep red silk curtains and slid open the frosty French windows.
A whiff of fresh scent in the air gushed in. “Ahh! Lovely!” The old woman tingled with ecstasy. "Take me out, my dear friend. The sun is fresh and bright.”
Linda pulled down the roller wheels folded at the four sides of Latika’s improvised and embellished Mahogany bed. Clutching the horizontal rod by the headrest, gently rolled it out into the garden. The lush grass was refreshing to eyes. She parked the bed in the shade of a Gulmohar tree and rolled up the side lever that lifted Latika’s body in a sit-up posture.
Meanwhile Latika was fervid. A dew drop fell over her nose. She lifted her neck, to run it down onto her lips and tasted it……uummm. Pure nectar. In the orange Gulmohar umbrella above, nestled many a Parakeets. Their young chicks peeped down to look at her, and she amiably waived back. The blushing mother parrot grew greener at the young chicks’ bravery.
A blue butterfly flew away, just in time before Latika could catch it. The flower beds assembled around her in a magical band of colors, as she watched Linda pluck some fresh mulberries for both of them.
As Latika watched, Linda’s face suddenly grew white. She tried to shake off findings of terror on her face, but there it was! and very much intense indeed. At the same time, a big snake dropped down on Latika. Overwhelmed with fear she shrieked out loud, and almost fell out of her bed. Linda rushed.
"What’s the matter with you?” Linda was asking. Latika opened her eyes. She looked up at the clock. It was 10:00 a.m., and she realized she’d been napping.
“Linda! Did Titu call?” she asked again.
___
For more of such content follow us on Social Media: