இது ஒரு நாவலின் முதல் அத்தியாயம்.......4 பக்கங்கள். இந்தக் கதையை 3 வருடம் முன்பே எழுதிவிட்டேன். சில பெரிசுகள் படித்துப்பார்த்து OK சொல்லாததால். இதை இன்னும் பிரசுரிக்க முடியவில்லை. நேரமிருந்து படித்துப் பார்த்து தொடரலாம் என்று நீங்கள் சொன்னால் இன்னொரு Lady Chetan Bhagat ஒங்க ஊர்ல இருந்து.............................Herald her coming FROM A PEASANT GIRL TO A PHENOMENON I was in a hurry; I had to catch my vet, who was a government veterinary doctor, before his leaving for the hospital in Sattur. I was monkey-pedaling my bicycle on the beaten path close to the railway tracks with all my energy; I had left my moped with the mechanic the previous evening. I had to catch him before 7 O’ clock. Only another 300 metres before I touch down at my vet’s place. I was about to abandon the railway track to reach the country road leading to the vet’s village; I noticed a gunny bag on the tracks between the rails. The bundle was moving slightly. I was wondering what it could be. I could hear the horn of Pearl City Express, the express train was coming fast. Either this bag was going to cause an accident or it was going to be torn to shreds by the time this train passed over it. I waited for a second. I thought whatever was inside the bag, was alive and was trying to come out of the bag. I went near the bag and tried to untie the knot. The train was coming very fast. I could see it coming. In less than a minute the train would cross that spot I was standing. I pushed the gunny bag away out of the track and I also jumped away from harm’s way. My heartbeat was faster than that of the locomotive itself. It took only less than a minute for the train to cross me. After the train gone I turned my attention to the bag. Now I could untie the knot in leisure. A moan was coming out from the bag. It was a male voice. Somebody was writhing in pain. I opened the bag and saw a young man of about 25 years. He was beaten to pulp. He had profusely bled from his wounds all over his body. I gave my hand and tried to raise and release him from the bag. He held my hand and tried to stand up, but was tottering. I held him tight with my right hand and supported him with my left hand and shoulder. He could not stand straight. The village I had to go was hardly 350 metres away from where we were. I tried to mount him on my bicycle and succeeded too. I started pushing my cycle with the man on the carrier. My vet’s neighbor is Dr Gautami, a lady doctor in charge of the Primary Health centre in that village. She knows me. I wanted to take him to her place. We moved very slowly, for the other party could not sit staright without support and he was hampering my movement too. It took nearly 20 minutes to reach the doctor’s place. I knocked the doc’s door. Her servant came and opened the door. “Madam is in bathroom and would be back shortly’. The doctor did not make us wait long. She came out and was stunned to see the condition of the man sitting on the floor. “Senba! This is a police case. I can’t take it up.” The doctor cried. I pleaded with her to show mercy on a man in pain. She was also a woman after all. “I know you won’t do any wrong. But see, I am a government servant and I have my duty to the state also. How can I take up a police case except without their knowledge and permission, if not permission at least without their concurrence?” Telling this she was gauging the damage to the parts of the young man’s body. She was checking for fractures. There was none. But his tormentors had mercilessly beaten him systematically with clinical precision, so much of swelling, so much of bleeding but no fracture. Now she obliged. She gave a pain killer shot in the first instance. Then she cleaned the wounds, dressed in a few places, applied an ointment, gave him an ATS and some antibiotic and asked me to leave the man in her care for the rest of the day. I agreed. “Doctor please make him sleep. I will come in the evening and meet you with your fees. Have I to pay anything right now?” She just wished me away. I went to the vet’s place. My cow was to deliver a calf in a day or two. He had promised to take care of my cow’s delivery. Had my mother not been ill, no need for the Vet. Now she is nearly bedridden and I need a vet even for small contingencies like this. The vet promised to come in the evening after his return from Sattur. I went home. Prepared lunch and asked mother to help herself and took lunch for my new found guest. I generally keep away from men; rather they keep away from me. My 170 centimeter height, my athletic physique and my father’s name were not congenial for making any advancement towards me. With this man it was different. I had donned a mother’s role. I returned to the doctor’s place. She gave me a list of medicines to be bought. Only after that she asked me “Who’s he?” I jocularly said “aththai mahan” meaning, the boy whom I was going to marry? She nodded in agreement and said “That’s why this much of interest?” Let her think it was true. I didn’t have time to explain what all happened and betweenwhiles I would invent a suitable story. I went out to check with my vet. He was already gone. Now I have to go all the way to Sattur cycling 5-6 kilo meters. There was no other way too, I had to buy medicines for this man-in-distress too. I went to my vet, took medicines for Xena, my warrior Princess ( a Great Dane and Rjapalayam Cross) and bought the prescribed medicines for that young man (Why not I christen him before his telling his name?), my favourite name : Venkat. I took my moped from the mechanic’s shop. I drew some money in the ATM from my account. I asked the mechanic’s assistant who comes from my village to bring the bicycle in the evening. He would do it for me. When I reached Doctor Gautami’s place, it was well past mid-day. I gave the medicines to my lady-with-the-lamp. I asked her “what should I do for Venkat’s lunch.” “No necessity for lunch. I will give him IV Fluids for food. From tomorrow morning you may bring him food.” Gautami said. “How is Venkat? What has happened to him? How long will it take for him to become normal?” “He is in very bad shape, beaten to pulp. Somebody has thrashed him professionally. It may take 4-5 days for the wounds to heal and swelling to subside. But he would become normal only after a fortnight or so. Till then he will have to live with pain from the beating sustained by his bones. Now tell me how this happened, family feud or love affair?” “Akka! (elder sister – didi) you should not shout at me if I tell you the truth. Promise……..I’ll tell you” “Promise.” “I don’t know who he is. Even the name Venkat was given by me only. I found him in a gunny bag on the railway track only this morning. As a fellow being I have saved his life with your help. Once he gets alright let him go. Till then please take care of him. I will pay for all his medicines and your professional services.” தொடரும் தொடரவா?
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 14:07:00 +0000
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