Mamta Kalia

“No sir, you require rest.”
His logic had no impact on her.
“ I assure you I will not talk much;
I will simply listen to you.”
“What can I say sir”— she felt amused.
“You can tell me about yourself, your
life, your dreams, to whom you were
talking and smiling in your dreams?”
He said.
She was just shocked. “How did you
come to know that I was in my dreams?”
She had asked. She became happy. She
immediately brought the wooden stool
and sat near his bed.
“O.K. now tell me, who was in your
dreams.” He had asked her almost
cheerfully.
“Sir, I have nothing to share with
you and even this is not part of my
duty.” —she had again turned tough.
He was just confused.
“But, I am looking at you in this
Intensive Care Unit right from morning,
what is your own share in your duties
of hospital?” — He had asked straightaway.
“How are you concerned with this?”
— she had a rough reply in store.
“I just wish to know; you are with
me for more than twelve hours, to which
place do you belong.”
“I belong to Chidambaram”
“With whom do you live in Chennai?”
“In nurses hostel”
“How much salary do you get?”
“Five thousand a month plus double
shift duty allowance.”
“Like you are doing today”
“Yes”
“How much you get for additional
shift”
“Are you Personal Assistant to P.
Chidambaram?” —she said and joked with
him. He was stunned, but he posed happy.
He had enjoyed the comment. “No, I
am working with media which has a section
on economic and financial matters too.”
He had pacified. She came a little closer
to him. He was surprised. Her attitude
was changed. He could feel it.
“Yes, tell me.”
“The hospital authorities are charging
rupees four hundred and fifty for the
additional shift from patients but they
are passing us just one hundred and
fifty rupees. So hospital earns even more
than us for each additional shift of a
nurse and you know the living conditions
in our hostel are worse than hell and
any doctor may enter any room any
time. Sir, can you communicate this
message to the larger society, you are
in media, I will pray for your early
recovery to Lord Jesus”— she had said.
Her eyes had moistened.
“It won’t be Lord Jesus but it will
be you who will give me a healing touch.”
— Pankaj said in an emotionally choked
voice.
She stood up and brought a glass
of water. The darkness was getting
April-June 2010 :: 95