Our frontline heroes: A story by Lalita Vaitheeswaran

Sakharam was teary-eyed while he collected the hospital waste and carried it to the sanitation department. His pregnant wife was due for delivery in another week but he wasn't able to go as he wasn't given leave.

Dr. Rahul Sharma, the ICCU physician read his eyes and went to him clad in his PPE braving the deluge of COVID patients...

Sakharam..don't worry...We are all in the same boat. Tell me her whereabouts so that I tell my colleague there to tend to her.

Thank you, Sahab...Sakharam could not stop his tears...

Suddenly there was chaos...

Two policemen were wheeled into the emergency. Constable Mahipal was bleeding as he had been run over by curfew violators. Sub Inspector Rohit was wincing in pain as his hand had been crushed by rioters. They were taken into the Operation theater and were being clinically assessed for surgery by Dr. Rahul.

Doctor saheb...please save me..you are God...

Prayed the policemen...

Dr. Rahul smiled and patted them softly... 

You are our heroes...Nothing will happen to you..just stay calm...

Sister Angela came running with IV fluids and antibiotics and as she put in the IV line she prayed to God for their well being.

Sir...Madam is on the line...she said to Dr. Rahul...as she put the phone to his ears...
As he listened...he looked stone-faced and numb...

It wasn't the wife...it was the CMO of the district hospital...

Dr. Rahul! your wife Dr. Sudha has to be taken in isolation...as a patient in her ward has tested positive...

Sir...but my five-year-old daughter...can't stay alone...and I can't leave my hospital...he begged as he cried...

Don't worry doc...I am also your friend....she will be taken care of in our hospital nursery...

Sister Angela was praying...

Oh God !!!

First, Sakharam...then the policemen..and now our favorite Dr. Rahul's wife...Please keep them safe...

I was sipping my coffee as the delivery boy rang my doorbell to deliver my essentials.....I thanked him profusely as I pledged to do MY least...
To stay Home!



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A stranger: A poem by Preeti S Manaktala

Image
On a quest to search you—  many questions still remain unanswered. You, a stranger, an enigma and mystical.  I wonder who you really are? Not again, don’t step into my thoughts. Shall I let go of my quest, as you seem too far. You stir my being, question my journey. I long to touch you, you the stranger!  Shall I seek you through the Northern lights? Or see your light in the Fireflies?  Experience your wrath in the Volcanoes  Or your myriad colors through a Rainbow!  You are inaccessible like Moon the stars.  Folklore says I must tread Mount Kailash. Crying and yelling, I even searched for you on my dad's funeral. But now, I find you everywhere!! I feel you in the raindrops. I feel you in the breeze. I feel you through the sun rays. When I close my eyes in ecstasy, I, finally feel you within me...! 
Read more

The book of my life: A poem by Richa Srivastava

Image
It looks just like 'ordinary' as the word is... No shiny wraps to cover its face... Simple as it looks, But every page has a hook for taking another look. Be gentle when you flip its page You'll find some imperfect perfect moments at every stage.. Don't skip a few... for it bores you... You might miss  my  accomplishments, tucked away neatly in a line or two...   They say, ' Life  is not a bed of roses'  You'll see... Some lines are full of agony and bruises... Turn the corners delicately... For some fragile smiles may try to slip through, impatiently... Every line that you have read... ..Is the truth I have always dread... It's not me that you read... it's  my  soul that you've reached! That's not all!  You heard me right! The best is yet to arrive! Its the journey I have been through, Like a roller coaster ride,  This is, This is... "The  book  of  my   life ".     
Read more

The tree house: A story by Neha Gupta

Image
  It was the first day of school after a long summer vacation. Students were walking towards the main lobby from the entrance of the school. After the deadly silence of two months school was alive again with chatter and jubilant sounds from the students. Watching the students climbing stairs and reaching their respective classrooms, there I stood, the first-grade homeroom teacher. While most of the students were having a joyful time, there was a boy standing very quietly in one corner. After watching him for some time I approached him and asked his name and class but didn't get any reply. He held his face down looking at his shoes all the time. I then scanned his school ID to find that the boy's name is Anish, a new admission, and a student of my class itself. The boy was living in the school hostel. I observed that Anish did not speak with anyone in the class. One full week passed like this, I hoped every day that he would start mingling and making friends. He was lost i
Read more