A Choice Less Ordinary

                         

Drop by drop the blood trickles down the bottle into the veins of her son’s listless body. Megha stares blankly as she watches her son’s life ebbing away. Even before the doctor had told her she instinctively knew this was the end; Surjo would not make it this time. She had been preparing herself for this day ever since she brought him home from the orphanage. The thalassemic boy had strangely touched her heart the first time she saw him. Being thalassemic he never stood a chance of adoption. That is what pained Megha the most. And she took her call.

The orphanage authority was not at all surprised at Megha’s choice. They considered her an eccentric woman right from the time when a few years back she adopted a dark complexioned girl from their orphanage. Many baby girls were available at that time, fair & reasonably good looking. But Megha insisted on adopting the darkest & ugliest baby girl. Generally childless couples come to adopt babies. As a single woman coming to adopt a baby, she had already made heads turn & eyebrows raised. Now with her peculiar choice people were convinced that there was something genuinely wrong with her brain. Megha was not unaware of the whisperings behind her back but she chose to ignore. She knew that the choices she had made in life were difficult & her life would be full of obstacles. But she was game. She was a person who always preferred to follow the path less travelled.

Surjo required regular blood transfusions. Megha’s salary as an Assistant Teacher in a Government School though not bad, was not healthy enough to afford a corporate hospital. She had put both Brishti & Surjo to the best schools possible. And she never compromised on their food & nutrition. From story books to colours, from dresses to toys she provided them the best she could. But managing the medical expenses proved to be a little too difficult. Government hospitals were pathetic. Chaotic OPDs, grumpy doctors, careless nurses & a total lack of cleanliness. Every time she had to put Surjo through the ordeal of transfusion she felt she failed as a mother. She could not provide her son a decent medical facility. She started tuitions at home to augment her income but her time was limited. Raising two kids single-handedly left her with hardly any time.

“Ai didi bol na, toke ke ki bolechhe? Ami giye take mere asbo” (Tell me sis, who has hurt you? I will go & bash him up), Megha heard Surjo saying. His little hands wiping off tears from his sister’s flooding eyes. It was one evening some years back. Brishti’s school was staging Ramayana for some inter-school competition. She wanted to play Sita but her teachers did not even consider her worth auditioning for the role. To make matters worse they selected her as Surpanakha. Megha was initially blind with rage but she knew she had to handle the situation cleverly. She made an effort: “What a fool you are Brishti! Surpanakha has such a pivotal role. It was because of her that the epic battle was initiated. What role does Sita have other than shedding tears?” Some more sobbing followed. But gradually she was convinced. Soon the siblings got busy playing. Brishti had even played her part sportingly & won accolades for her performance, however brief. Episodes like this were more or less frequent. Snide remarks of relatives or biased attitude of teachers were part & parcel of her growing up years. With time & age Brishti learnt to tide over these things.

The High School years had their own share of heartbreaks. Most of her friends were dating regularly. Obviously Brishti had no boyfriend. After all, the ‘fair & lovely’ concept is too deeply ingrained in the Indian psyche. In one particular instance, Brishti had taken a fancy for a boy who in turn fell for her best friend. That was a major turning point in her life. Initial tears slowly metamorphosed into a steely resolve. She made it a point to stay away from boys & focus all her energy in academics & co-curricular. She excelled in both. But her real passion was dramatics. She bagged prizes in almost all inter-school & college drama competitions. So when she decided to apply for National School of Drama, Megha was not surprised. She had no regret that her daughter was not interested in becoming a doctor or engineer. Rather she was happy that Brishti was trying to curve out a different niche; she had been able to give her daughter a different mindset. Brishti’s selection at the National School of Drama gave a fillip to her ambition. She was ready to soar.

Surjo has retired to bed. He has just returned from the hospital. Megha was busy with some paperwork. There was a meeting scheduled for the next day. The Council was considering a total revamp of the syllabus & the examination system. Megha knew it was long overdue. A few years back Megha had appeared for the Headmaster’s Examination merely to raise her income. But subsequently, she was happy to shoulder the responsibilities of her school. As the head of a school her opinion on crucial educational matters carried a lot of weight. The phone rang. At this hour it must be Brishti calling from the US.

“Ma”, Brishti yelled as soon as Megha picked up the phone. “I have been selected for a leading role in a Broadway production”, Brishti was still screaming in excitement. Megha herself was no less excited. She woke up Surjo & handed him the phone. “Didi ami dekhbo re. Amay niye jabi? (Didi I want to watch it. Will you take me please?)” Surjo was almost jumping in joy. His ecstatic look suggested what Brishti had responded from the other end. He knew his doting ‘didi’ would anything in the world for him. When Brishti got a scholarship from New York School of Drama & left for the US Surjo was inconsolable. Megha had to take a leave from school to spend more time with him. It took a long time for him to adjust to life without ‘didi’.

Unlike his ‘didi’ Surjo was more or less a quiet boy. His health did not permit him much outdoor activities. He spent his leisure pouring over story books, a habit his mother had successfully cultivated in both her children. Besides, he had an amazing talent for painting. Prizes from inter-school & state level competitions adorned his little room. On his 10th birthday Megha had surprised him with an exhibition of his paintings at their community hall. The overwhelming response not only encouraged Surjo but his mother as well. She chalked out her future plan of action. She would take him to the Indian Museum & to painting exhibitions held at various art galleries to expose him to different styles of painting. The next Book Fair she would look out for books on painting. She would do everything possible to nurture her son’s talent.

“Madam I am afraid you need to come to school immediately. Surjo needs hospitalization”. The call came from Surjo’s school. Such calls were not infrequent. Being a thalassemia major, Surjo had a number of ailments & episodes of hospitalization were common. He misses school for long stretches. His school was co-operative. Teachers extended their helping hand. Tests were rescheduled. More time was given to him for completing his project work. Megha informed her Assistant Headmistress & made a dash for Surjo’s school. Luckily Brishti was in town for a holiday. She had already co-ordinated with the hospital & arranged for an ambulance. Episodes of hospitalization were getting more frequent in recent times. Megha knew what it signalled to. Her ‘sun’ is going to set.

“Ma, tumi ektu kando, halka lagbe (Ma, please cry a little, you will feel lighter)”, Brishti placed her hand on Megha’s shoulder. It has just been an hour they have returned from the crematorium. Megha sat clutching Surjo’s clothes. Sachin, Sourav, Schumi & Messi were smiling from the walls. The cartoons happily stared from the cupboard. Drawing books & colours lay scattered on the table. The room still smelled of its owner. Brishti hugged her mother, her eyes moist, remembering all the good times they have spent together. Wiping her tears she looked at her mother. There was a complacent look in Megha’s eyes. “No Brishti, I won’t cry. Why should I? I am content. I have been able to rescue a child from a life of neglect & give him all the love I could. It is unfortunate that his days were numbered but at least I have been able to fill them with happiness”. Turning to Brishti, she smiled: “You have also grown up to be a wonderful daughter. You are independent, successful & happy. What more do I want? I am a proud mother today. After all, the choices that I made in life did not go wrong”