A case from the doctor's diary

An asphyxiated new born was brought

Doctor's expert care was sought

All the efforts to explain the prognosis were futile

As the father did not attempt to listen and repeatedly flashed his mobile

He went on to try to show the doctor his contacts

As the doctor patiently tried to push it away and tried to talk to him about the facts

Finally the neonate was admitted

Without a penny being deposited

The staff tried to remind the father of the deposit he owed

With a mask like face to their requests a cold shoulder he showed

The staff warned the doctor to get the patient shifted

As they heard him converse with people they thought were tainted

Three days passed and both he and the doctor were tense

And finally he was made to come out of his pretense

As the doctor made him comfortable and tried to explain

He humbly said he had to go back and urgently catch a train

All these days the doctor had been telling him to shift the baby as the doctor felt petrified

And he continued to threaten the doctor with glances dissatisfied

And now when the doctor was telling him to stay

For an emergency call he wanted to get away

He was willing to take his baby with him to Mumbai

And get care for him in the neonatal unit of Lilavati

He slowly proceeded to show the doctor his groups on his phone without any inhibitions

The doctor noticed all the numbers were those of topnotch underworld Dons and politicians

Elaborately he described about all his links

With each mention of a name the doctor started feeling his intestines kink

One by one the names of all top dons and politicians were mentioned

He talked about all the murders he had performed though not intentioned

He was only twenty two and the doctor empathetically counselled him and helped him open up

The young man deposited his charges as he tried to understand and to makeup

He said he had 300 Crore budget in his hands through politicians and the underworld "

For helping the poor to survive in their underprivileged world

But all that money that was earned through illegal sources was haraam ki kamaai

So for

utilising such money for his son's treatment he

had apathy

He left thanking the doctor with all his heart

As the doctor empathised with him in spite of the tough start

People are not bad, situations make them so

Good and bad travel hand in hand as they go

Situations are responsible for the ambiguity that makes the world alive

As each one of us makes all the best possible efforts to thrive

Archana Tandon