Old Age Home
K V Dominic
“Hello friend, I am Ravi, an inmate of this old age home for nearly ten years now. Hope you are a new member who joined us recently. Kindly tell me your name.” Ravi, aged 80, introduced himself sitting on a chair opposite to the stranger in the parlour.
“Glad to meet you, dear Ravi. I am Jacob who joined this home three days ago.” Jacob replied.
Ravi: “I would like to know more about you. It would be proper if tell you my history first before seeking yours. I am a retired college professor from Kochi. I have none to look after me. My wife passed away ten years back and we have no children. Unfortunately I am the only offspring of my parents and no relatives to depend upon. In fact I wanted to adopt a child but my wife was against it. She too was a college professor in my same college. She died of cancer at the age of 68. Left all alone, I decided to seek refuge here. The pension I am drawing is given to the managing director of this home for my accommodation and care. To be frank, I am very happy here and fortunately I don’t have any serious health problems. Now kindly tell me your whereabouts.”
Jacob: “Very glad to hear that you are happy in this home. Though childless a man, you are fortunate in a way when compared to me, a father of three children. I am a farmer by profession. Though a graduate I couldn’t seek any government job since I was the eldest son of my parents and my father needed my help in managing the five acres of agricultural land we have. My three brothers and two sisters are all highly educated and they are all employed and settled with their families in the States. Since they didn’t want any share of the landed property I am bequeathed of all the five acres. My parents died some twenty years back. I have been fully satisfied with the farming occupation and my wife Mercy was my right hand, always helping me in the farmlands from morning till evening. All kinds of farming were there—paddy, coconut, nutmeg, cocoa, banana, mango and varieties of vegetables. I believe that agriculture is the happiest of all professions. To be in the lap of Mother Earth, savouring her bounties, communicating with her offspring—the plants, animals, birds, flies is a heavenly experience. Of course there were occasional moments of sorrow caused by drought and excess rain. After all, they are the ways of Nature.” Jacob paused for a moment.
Ravi: “How pleasure giving your talk is, dear Jacob! Kindly continue your history.”
Jacob: I have three sons and no daughters. We gave them good education and they were all brilliant in their studies. All got admission for medical studies and became doctors. They are all married and are settled with their families in the States. As they desired, our ancestral house was demolished and at that site they built a large palatial house. They visit us once in a year, staying with us just a month. Wedded to farming, I couldn’t sit idle even though the children insisted me to keep away from such agriculture. Along with my two labourers I went to my farm lands in the morning and worked till evening. My sons wanted to take me and Mercy to their houses in the States and stay with them. But for me leaving my land is like leaving my body and we told them that we would stay in our house till we die. As you can imagine, my sons can’t forgo their huge income and luxurious life there and work in our country earning very less. On the contrary, our grand children longed to stay with us for more days and play in the lap of Nature, to be in the company of the cows, dogs, cats, fowls, butterflies, birds etc. And we too enjoyed their sweet presence. No doubt, they yearned for more our presence than their parents’. It was with tears that we saw them off after their vacation here. We had to accept the reality that our children and their families couldn’t stay with us for ever since they are all American citizens and enjoy life there.” Jacob paused to wipe out tears from his eyes.
Ravi: “I can read your mind, Jacob. How painful it is for you to be away from your children! And where is your wife? Is she living with them in the States?”
Jacob: “No. She departed the world leaving me all alone last month. She hadn’t any serious health problem. She caught fever and was taking medicine for it, but suddenly collapsed in the kitchen in the evening. With the help of the maid she was taken to the hospital, but she died on the way.” Tears started flowing through his cheeks.
Ravi: “Don’t cry dear Jacob. After all she was old like you and one day or other we have to leave this world. Death is waiting with his chariot to take us all one after another. I feel that she had a happy death. And we shall pray for such painless, trouble free death.”
Jacob: “True, she had a happy death. But I can’t live any moment without sweet memories of hers. She had been my soul mate and right hand for long 60 sixty years. Only time can cure my bleeding heart.” He started weeping again.
Ravi: “Calm down dear Jacob. Don’t weep. Did all your children come for the burial of your wife?”
Jacob: (wiped his tears) Yes they all came for the burial and after fifteen days with me they went back leaving me here. They asked me to accompany them. But I said that I can’t leave my house and land. I told them that I would stay here alone and the maid would come every day to cook food for me. But they were not willing to leave me alone. Who is there to care if anything happens to me in night?—they asked. I told them that nothing would happen to me since I have no health issues. But they insisted that I have to be sheltered in a very good old age home. Thus I had to leave my house and land and they brought me here. They have given a large amount to the manager of this old age home for my care and stay. Before leaving me they said that they would talk to me over phone every day. Like me, they were also in tears when they departed me. Thus I have been living a hellish life here for the past three days. Of course I get whatever food I need here. The room I stay is very comfortable with AC, TV and all such requirements. But I have no enjoyment in anything. Very little food I take. My mind is full of memories of my wife. I long to go back to my house and land, but I am imprisoned here…My children can’t read the agonies their father…the pangs of loneliness…” Tears brimmed his eyes.
Ravi: “Calm down, Jacob. This is the fate of all parents whose children are abroad. There are thousands of parents like you in hundreds of old age homes grieving like you. This is the way of the present world. Kindly take life philosophically like me and enjoy life till it leaves our body. It is already late now. Let us go to our beds. Goodnight Jacob!”
Jacob: “Goodnight Ravi!”
It was 10.30 pm. They went to their beds.
Early next morning Ravi woke up to the knocking sound on the door. The room boy greeted him with the sad news that Jacob was found dead on his bed. Might be cardiac arrest!
