As the lady walked away, I noticed that her basket was full of red roses. What day of the year is it, I asked myself. With aging, my orientation to date, time and place has gradually disoriented. With the dead turtle laying next to me and waves washing my feet, my vision was going out of focus. The sound of the waves echoed in my head, and the turtle doesn't stink anymore. I tried to get up and I collapsed instantly. Am I having a Heart attack, Is it some kind of infection from the turtle, Is it a Heat Stroke, Am I Dead and thousand more questions were running in my mind. I could envision myself being surrounded by couples dressed in red clicking pictures and talking indistinctly.
Then came the old lady, pushing people aside with her empty flower basket. I know this man, she exclaimed. By sprinkling water on my face, she tried to wake me up. I wanted to open my eyes and say hi, but I was not able to. With the help of a local chap, she dragged me to a nearby hut similar to how we dragged the turtle out of water. She opened her shaggy cotton bag which was hanging from her hip and took a small bottle containing some water. She poured a few drops into my mouth and I regained conscious. As I opened my eyes, she was sitting by my side like Queen Lucy from Narnia with the bottle of holy water.
The first thing she asked after I regained conscious was, When was your last meal?
I told, I don't remember exactly.
Don't you have any friends, family or at least a girlfriend to take care of you? She asked.
Girlfriend, Yes, I Haveeeeeee. And I fainted again.
When I opened my eyes, I was lying on a hospital bed, connected to an IV Set and Oxygen mask. As I looked around, I saw the old lady lying on the floor next to my bed holding her cotton bag close to her chest. Who is this Lady, Why is she helping me, How am I going to return this favor to her?. Hours passed and a girl walked up to my bed, took the reports file which was tied to my bed and asked,
What is your name?
Raghu, I told.
Where are you from, She asked.
Up North, I told.
But you seem like a typical South Indian, She exclaimed awaking the old lady.
Is this your son, She asked the old lady.
No he is not, Replied the old lady.
Then why did you bring him to the hospital? Asked the Doctor.
Because I didn't want him to die on the shore like my husband did. Told the old lady with a drop of a tear rolling down her eye...
To Be Continued...
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