The Reluctant Patient

Ravi had only one consuming hobby, and that was eating; here the word ‘consuming’ is used in both its meanings! When he got up in the morning, his first thought was not about God, as it should have been for all god-fearing human beings, but Ravi would be happy that it was the beginning of another beautiful day when he could have at least four meals, with all the scrumptious food that his heart desired. Actually it would be incorrect to say, whatever his heart desired, no, to be precise, what his taste- buds demanded. So it was his favorite preoccupation early in the morning, to decide what he would eat during the day. But Ravi convinced himself that he was only building up his immunity, by having nutritious food, so that he had the resistance to fight Corona Virus. He told his parents the same, but they only smiled indulgently!

            Ravi had just passed his Madhyamik Examination. He was the only child of his parents, so it goes without saying that he was, pampered to the hilt. For breakfast, he had informed his mother that he wanted two thick slices of toast, with a generous spread of butter, and two fried eggs, sunny –side up. He sat with his glass of Drinking Chocolate, as his mother insisted that it was a must, for growing children. She had forgotten that her child had long since passed the growing stage. He sat expectantly with his mouth literally watering for the crunchy crisp toast on which he would apply the melting butter liberally. The eggs were placed on the table before him, and they did look so delectable with the yellow yolk in the center of the white having a special attraction. He sprinkled a dash of pepper and salt with gusto. That was the beginning and the end of his misfortune. The pepper invaded his nostrils, and helplessly he began sneezing, not once, or twice, but as bad luck would have it, six or seven times. Out came the anxious parents, solicitous for the welfare of their only child. Mother asked him whether he was feeling feverish, he said he was fine. But the mother did not want to take any chances and rushed to bring the thermometer. Then the obvious thing to do was to thrust the thermometer into his mouth. Before Ravi could protest, it had already gone into his mouth. The outcome of the reading on the thermometer had a disastrous effect. Ravi did not get the chance to eat his sunny –side up. He tried to tell his parents that because he had had his hot Drinking Chocolate just a minute back, the reading had indicated that he had a high fever. The flustered over-anxious parents were too worked up at the thought of their only child, coming in for an attack of the dreaded Corona Virus! The two main symptoms were there; sneezing and fever. Their world was collapsing! With a longing look and Ravi’s gastric juices working, he was literally dragged away from the breakfast table.

           An Ambulance was summoned; Ravi was taken to Bangur Hospital for a check-up. Ravi walked into the doctor’s chamber. After examining him with due seriousness, the doctor shook his head and spoke to his parents. “Sorry Sir, your son cannot be treated with malarial drugs. Corona Virus has afflicted him in such a way that it has entered more organs than one. Now the Ventilator will also be of no use. ”The parents looked on helplessly, praying to God silently, for in such cases there was nothing much to do.

              The Doctor paused for some time to let what he had said, percolate into their brain box. Then he went on to explain what he meant, “Corona Virus has no doubt taken a pandemic form. But there is no reason to become panic-stricken. One has only to take the prescribed precautions. People are dying out of fear, more than from the virus. It had taken hold of Ravi’s head, more correctly his mind, that now he has become so obsessed with the desire to develop immunity against the Virus, that his one thought is, which nutritious food will be right for him,” The parents looked at each other in mutual understanding, for they knew well enough, how much Ravi loved eating! The doctor then continued, “It has infested his mouth, as nowadays he only talks about Corona Virus. It has also entered through his ears, where the Virus is nesting, because the television and the radio, are only giving news about the Virus. He is also listening to only one topic from people around him, and that is the Corona Virus. You will recapitulate that I had told you previously that the Ventilator will be of no use. Ravi has been constantly ventilating his grievances about not being able to play with his friends, of not being able to go to school, or not being able to eat out at a restaurant. Ventilating is useless, as we are now in the clutches of the Virus. So you see there is nothing I can do. At present, I have too many serious patients on my hands, so I would prefer to treat them only. Your son is fine!”  

            Ravi was happy to be home after the ordeal. But the image of the two eggs, sunny-side –up, still lingered before his eyes, which he could not shake off!

It left him regretting, why he had not sprinkled pepper more gently!