Second Thought

After completing my training at Bhubaneswar, I rushed to catch a bus to Berhampur. The next day was my three year old son's birthday and I had promised I would be present to make arrangements for the party. I occupied my seat with my luggage and all the gifts I had bought for the apple of my eye. The bus was packed to capacity and left on time. 

               The passengers who were in deep sleep were suddenly awakened to a big jolt and a stunning sound. Upon opening our eyes we witnessed a horrific scene. Our bus collided with a lorry coming from the opposite direction. The passengers occupying the front seats and the driver met with bigger injuries, we in the rear were all badly bruised. Luckily, no one lost their lives. We were immediately accommodated into another bus and shifted to the nearest hospital. The ones who had met with minor injuries were left off after first aid. The services rendered by the doctors, the nurses and the local people were proof enough to show that humanity was still alive. 

            

     Many passengers were bleeding profusely and a few even had fractures. People interested in donating blood were taken away quickly. I got my first aid done and was enquiring the locals about the hiring of a taxi, when I heard people shouting, "Is there anyone with B+ blood group? Please come and save a five-year-old." My blood group was B+ but my mind so occupied with my son that I wanted to get away as soon as possible. Selfishness over-powered me. I hired a taxi and was off at great speed. Mentally, however, I was not at ease. On one hand, this little boy who needed blood, and on the other my son --- 

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I was at crossroads. There were so many people there, the boy will get blood anyhow I justified myself.

                  I may not have traveled even a kilometer, I told the driver to turn back the car and drive to the hospital. I would be disappointing my family but simultaneously, I would be saving someone's life. In the next fifteen minutes I was donating blood to a five-year-old boy. It was thrilling because it was the first time I was doing it. The parents of the child thanked me profusely because a delay of another 10 minutes could be fatal they were told.

                  I reached home, only to find my door locked. A neighbor told me that, my son had met with an accident and was in the Nursing Home. I rushed there and saw my wife holding a stranger's hands and thanking him for all that he had done. I was introduced to him and learnt that the man had picked up my injured son while he was returning home from school, put him into a Nursing Home and called up my wife. By the time she was there, he was donating blood to my son.

                   I was in such a confused and dazed state, I could not understand the coincidence. I just clasped the stranger's hands and my gushing tears spoke what my heartfelt. Had I not donated blood and saved the little boy, I would have never been able to forgive myself, not because my son was saved by somebody, but because he would always remind me of how selfish I had been. Since that day I have made it customary to donate blood once in four months. The satisfaction and happiness is of course indescribable.