The value of being a father

January 11, 1987 - Sunday - 6.00

The sun rises to the boy as like for any other citizens of the town. He woke up in a state of delirium as he is going to open the batting for his team for the first time that too against a formidable opponent in a local cricket tournament. Nothing is required but a glass of coffee and there he off to the ground in his bicycle with his friends cover both the front and rear spaces their bats, pads, perched in between. The first thing the boys do after reaching the ground is to hit the old balls to the remote corners where people sat for their shit and make them move for a safety position or finish their morning chores at the earliest possible time before the cricket balls attack the other balls. By 7.30 both the teams were assembled and one of the two captains tossed the 25 paise coin. The boy was tensed and raring to go and his legs started shaking in anticipation of facing the first delivery. To his utter delight the captain gave him a thumps up sign and he ran towards the best pair of pads available ( the one with both tags and buckles intact ) and his favourite bat.

The game begins on an awesome note as the first ball he faced was a short pitched one and being a strong off side player he despatched it to the cover for a four. Being a slogger all through his local career ( by the way he never played regional, national and international cricket ) hitting comes so natural to him as he never had a worry of getting out and his team was in trouble. His enthusiasm was contagious and his batting partner took the cue and started hitting freely and 50 was touched in no time. In a 25 overs match 75 runs in the first 15 overs without losing a wicket with a touching distance of a coveted 50 ( he was batting at 48 ) and facing the last ball of the 15th over there was call from the team distracted him. He made a wait sign faced the ball, hit it straight for a four and raised both hands. A friend of his from the team rushed towards him and informed he was urgently wanted at home and his uncle was waiting outside the ground for picking him up.

The instant panic gripped him as he was unaware of what has happened at home leave the ground with broken heart but with a satisfaction of giving his team a good total to build and defend.

January 10, 1987 - Saturday - afternoon 3'0 clock.

He still remembers this conversation with his father who was supposed to leave to his mother native to bring back his mother who is staying there for the past week. The fathers invitation to him was promptly rejected citing the important match ahead for him the next day. His appa said, be careful while playing, you have already been hit in your balls last month just the wound was healing any further injuries will make his life more miserable. I will be back tomorrow evening and we will go to a new movie released on that day. Eat well, read adequate, play well, and return soon for your lunch-were the final words of his father before his departure. But the boy doesnt know they are the final words he has heard from his father in his life.

January 11, 1987 - Sunday - 6.00 am - in a different place

His father woken up with a start as the natures' call is very urgent and the indigestion caused him to rush to the loo in a jiffy. Whole of his 90 kg structure find it difficult to fit into the toilet as it was very cramped. He enjoyed his morning first cigarette and relieving of his morning burden the call from his mother " coffee is ready " hit his ears. After washing he got up and tried to tie up his underwear string some black out of dizziness struck him hard and he fell back inside the toilet with back of his head banged hard at the wall. Thats it. He lost his consciousness, felt paralysed, his hypertension skyrocketed abnormally. None of them inside the house are not aware whatsover happened to him. After a good 10 minutes his mother was worried and rushed to the toilet to find out what has happened. His father was brought out of the toilet with great difficulties, rushed to a nearby hospital and the doctors expressed their inability to treat him due to want of equipments referred to his home town. They all were transported to his home town and his father was admitted with half consciousness and asked his brother to fetch his son who is playing at the ground. All of this said in signs by him. His uncle rushed in a car to the ground, waited outside and informed one of the team mate who has came out for a cigarette.

January 11, 1987 - Sunday - 10.00 am - Hospital

As soon as he entered the hospital and saw his mother he realised something terrible has happened as he was not informed about anything serious. A single look inside the room where his father has been bedded with wires attached in almost all parts of his body, monitors blinking erratically, with foul smell of urine and the favourite dettol smell belonged to all the hospital in unison he felt frightened to hell. A morbid fear engulfed him and he knew in that his future is bleak and became the bread winner of the family. With tears rolling from his eyes he wept uncontrollably with his mother at his side the doctor came and announced

Sorry we could not save him. He has passed away. He was asked to sign in a form he filled as follows.

Patients' Name: K. Narayanan
Father of : N. Mathusuthanan - Age 16.

Blessed are those people who are having their parents alive. I whole heartedly pray the almighty to give all the parents a long life irrespective of their present health condition and wish them a very good healthy life ahead, as I knew the pain of being raised as a fatherless boy and live a parentless middle age. The advices, expertise, experience we get from our parents are invaluable. Only those who are really previleged and fortunate will have the joy of living a lovely life with parents and giving a lovely life to them. Those who are not so fortunate start loving the elders in the family or treat the family of our near, dear and your friends as one of your family. Show your affection, empathy, understanding and shower your love, service to them in full without any expectation. I assure you the joy you will have could not be described. It has to be felt.

I salute the parents and children put together who value their real worth. Love you all