The blue-hater
It is not about hatred ness but love…
A love story of your dad- me- Mitesh Goenka!
I was sitting on a bench looking at the white marble floor and sage green paint on the corridor walls. My nostrils encountered the omnipresent smell of antiseptic. This scent likely triggers involuntary memories of negative events such as a loved one's illness to most people. Yes, I was sitting in the corridor of a hospital.
I was not ill. None of my family members is ill. I was there with my mother and eight months pregnant bhabhi. We were waiting for her gynaecologist.
The ambiance of the hospital was quiet until that tornado invaded.
A beautiful girl entered and trashed the hospital's main door with a handcart. Another pregnant lady was lying on that handcart. She was screaming, signifying her labour pain. She ran with that handcart alone straight to the labour room. All the staff members started running behind her.
“Who is this beautiful girl?” I murmured.
“She is my gynaecologist. We are here to meet her,” my bhabhi replied.
I went near the labour room to have her glimpse again. I stood near that cart.
There were some apples still left on that. I took one apple and started eating that while glancing at her continuously.
She had opened her big black hair and a black mole near her thin red lips. She has beautiful sparkling eyes. She was guiding her staff for the treatment of that lady.
“Do you need more apples? Or should I take this cart outside?” One ward boy asked me.
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away. And if you started loving a doctor, throw an apple away.” I threw the rest of my apple on that same cart.
“What?”
“Nothing! You just take it outside.”
When he was leaving with that cart, I stopped him from his collar and asked him, “Hey! Listen! Is your doctor married?” pointing towards that doctor.
“No, sir! She is single.”
“Great! But, she wouldn’t remain single anymore!” I murmured, pointing towards her. The ward boy went along with that handcart. I leaned towards the wall to see her.
She came outside while giving instructions to her staff. She was tying her hair.
“Freedom is beautiful. Don't tie them with strings,” I said.
She must have listened but ignored me. A girl became more desirable if she ignores you. After completing her conversation with that nurse, she came towards me.
“What do you want, sir?” She asked me.
“You...if you don't mind.”
“Are you out of your mind?”
I lost in my thoughts, “yes, after seeing you!”
“I am with her,” I said, pointed towards my bhabhi while glancing at the doctor.
“But she is looking fine. And there is time in her delivery, any complications?”
“No, Ma'am! We want her to deliver the child now. It is a good scopic time. The baby will be a stroke of good luck, and our business will grow if it arrives now.” My mother tells her.
“But ma’am! I have an emergency. Secondly, her ninth month has just started. It will affect the growth of the baby. Moreover, she has the possibility of normal delivery. Why you wanted to go for a C-section delivery?”
“I will pay you the double. Just treat us,” my mother ordered.
She called a nurse, “take the double amount from them and submit to the hospital fast. Also, admit that lady and take her for an ultrasound.”
My mom went towards my bhabhi happily.
The nurse asked her, “but mam, why double amount? Aren't you treating that lady in pain inside?”
"Hospital needs money for treatment. That vegetable vendor couldn't afford the hospital's bills. That lady can pay the double. So I accepted.”
“But mam…”
“That lady in the labour room will bless this old lady. Her blessings will raise her business, not that baby who is not grown in the womb of the mother properly.
You just take her for the ultrasound. Till then, I will do the delivery of this emergency case. By this, they will be satisfied. I will handle the rest.
Now, do it fast!”
“Okay! Mam!” She ran.
“Oh! Beauty with brains. I think I am in love.”
I reached to my bhabhi and whispered in her ears, “Bhabhi, I am in love.”
Bhabhi said, “what are you saying, Mitesh?”
“I am in love with your doctor.” She tapped my head, “Take me towards the labour room.”
“No, you need to go for an ultrasound first. Only after the reports, she would treat you.”
“Okay! I have five hours. She would deliver the baby by that period,” My mom replied.
“Mom! firstly, go for an ultrasound. The health of bhabhi and baby is more important,” I forced my mom.
I had imagined myself as her partner. It became my duty to prevent her from hurdles. I will fix this problem for her.
After about an hour, she had treated that lady with delivering a healthy baby. She was sitting in her cabin, having reports of ultrasound in her hands and tensed expression on her face.
“Look, aunty! The baby is weak. I can do the C-section delivery now. But…”, she crouched her chin after saying that to give a more serious expression.
“But what, ma’am?” My mom got affected by her fake expression. A line of tension could be seen on her forehead too.
“But, aunty!” She paused for a couple of few seconds and moved the reports towards my mother, and continued, “survival of baby is doubtful!”
My mom remained stunned.
She added, “If you still want, I could send her to OT. The baby will be a blessing to your business. Your daughter-in-law is healthy enough. She would conceive again soon.”
“No, ma’am! I don't want to kill my child. Tell me what I should do to make the child healthy,” my bhabhi said with shivering lips.
My mother gave my bhabhi a stern look at her decision. And, my bhabhi’s eyes went wet with tears.
The doctor put her hands on my bhabhi hands to console her.
Then, my mother said, “I want to have a healthy baby. I can wait!”
“Please, don't worry. Everything would be fine. I will write some medicines. Have them regularly and feed yourself with healthy food as well. I assure you, you will give birth to a healthy child soon.”
My mother and bhabhi left happily. I stayed in the room.
“Now, what do you want?” She asked me while I was glaring at her by leaning against the wall.
I sat on a chair and asked her, “why you lied to her?”
She gave a confused look.
“No, I am not going to say anything to her. But please tell me, why did you lie to my mom?”
“Are you the husband of that pregnant lady?”
“God is not that much happy with me, but soon will become a husband if you get agree!”
“What?” She exclaimed as if I had thrown a cockroach on her.
“No, I am the brother of her husband.”
“Look, the natural procedure is always better. When she can give birth to her child with the normal, natural procedure then, why should one follow C-Section?
It disturbs the body too. If I only deny, she would take her daughter-in-law to some other gynaecologist who might do this favours to you.
I lied for the wellness of your bhabhi.”
She said and put her hands on mine. She was sending her emotion of ensuring.
“I am touched,” I responded.
She removed her hands in a hustle.
“I mean, your suggestion and thoughts touched my heart,” I explained my emotion.
She smiled. While I was going out, I stopped and came back to her, “I am not filing for a refund. We will have the delivery here, at the right time. It would be our advance deposit.”
“Look, I am not charging double. It is…”
“I know, ma’am. I heard that too. Tell that lady to bless my bhabhi only. And business…. we will handle!”
“Okay, sir!” she smiled after saying that.
“Well, My name is Mitesh. You needn't call me -sir.”
“Okay”
Finally, I left her cabin, but my heart left there.
As I sat in the car, my mom asked me to sanitize my hands.
“My hands are fine.” I didn't want to wash her touch so soon.
“Hospitals have patients, diseases, and germs. So I suggest you sanitize your hands fast.”
I couldn't understand the way she ordered while suggesting.
She added, “Moreover, you have touched that dirty hand cart.”
“Mom, I have eaten an apple from that dirty handcart. Should I drink some sanitizer?” I cracked a joke. My bhabhi laughed. My mother showed her terrifying eyes.
“It is not funny, Mitesh. You ate that apple without washing. I never bought apples or anything from those dirty and unhygienic carts,” my mother said.
“She will keep on debating with me unless I sanitize my hands. So it is better to sacrifice that fragrance unless my mom would destroy her glimpse in my mind too,” I murmured.
“What did you said?” She said.
“You have that much problem with hospital ambiance. What if I marry a doctor? You will ask her to bath every time she comes home after her duty,” I said and laughed.
She said, “why would you marry a doctor? I wouldn't allow any working women to be your bride. Your bride will be a homemaker like your bhabhi. If she goes out for work, who will look after the kids? With a working mother, kids become orphans.”
“Granny will look after kids.”
“It is not the responsibility of the grandmother. A mother has to raise her child!”
“Then, why granny demands kids if she couldn't take care of kids?”
“Stop arguing and start driving.”
While driving, I continued, “Tell me, mom, why you can't raise kids. You raised as well. Your grandchildren deserve that best motherhood. Aren't they...”
“I am old now. I would die soon.”
“We will manage after your death. Raise, at least till you are alive. My granny was old too. She passed away only a few months back.
If you live that long, our kids will be raised well.” I laughed.
My mother got irritated by then, “I am like sugarcane, and you are that juice machine. Squeeze me till my last drop.”
I smiled to show my confirmation of her offer. Soon, we reached home.
“Mitesh, bring reports from the car. I am going with your bhabhi inside,” Mom said.
I parked the car and took reports to find her name.
‘Avni Sharma’ is the name of that girl.
“A gynaecologist will send me to a cardiologist,” I said to myself.
“Bhabhi, are you fine? Should I take you to a doctor?” I asked her in the evening while having dinner. Mom and bhaiya already have taken their meals. Bhabhi was having food with me.
“I had a check-up today only. It's not been even twelve hours past. Why should I go to the doctor so soon?” she asked me while serving rice on my plate.
“Hmmm… she said that the growth of the baby is not well. I was worried about both of you.”
“She asked in to visit after a fortnight.”
“Okay! I will take you there then.” I said sadly by putting my hand on my chest.
My mother was sitting on an easy chair in that same dining hall. She saw my hand on my chest and reacted, “what's wrong with you, my child?
How many times have I told you not to cook rice in the evening? But you are a lazy girl. Now my poor lad is in pain due to acidity. Give him medicine.” My mom screamed at my bhabhi.
“Yes, mummyji! He is in pain. He needs to consult a gynaecologist,” Bhabhi made fun of me.
“What are you saying? Say louder; you are inaudible to me.”
“Nothing, Mom! I am feeling fine now. Some food has stuck in my food pipe. Bhabhi has given me water.” Bhabhi laughed at me.
“Okay! We will visit her later. But could you please give me her number?”
“Whose number are you asking for?”
I said, “bhabhi, you know well, I am asking for Avni Sharma?”
“You can get the number from the same place; you got her name.” She pointed towards her reports.
I darted towards the report placed on the table keep below my late father’s photograph. I got his blessings, note down her number, and went towards my room.
I called her. She took the receiver and replied, “Hello!”
I remained silent and was enjoying her voice. Her voice hit my eardrums like sweet candy. As I was silent, she threw one more candy by saying, “Hello! Who's there?”
“Avni, I have bought this new T-shirt for you, see!” Someone had called her. I could hear clearly that other voice too.”
“Mom, you know well, I don't like the colour blue at all. So then, why have you purchased this blue one for me? And she put the receiver down.
I watched the walls of my room. My room has cream and brown shades on its walls. The ceiling was off-white, and the ceiling fan was brown. All furniture in my room was grey. I thanked God, as I have just renovated my room.
I was about to lay down to sleep; just then, I noticed my room's silk curtains with a beautiful chiffon layer. It was blue that was beautifully going with cream and grey.
I stood up and reached to those pretty curtains, “Sorry! You are beautiful, but Avni would not like to see you in her room. You have to leave my room.”
I went to my mom. She was lying in her room. She was about to sleep when I screamed as some crocodiles were hanging on my window despite those beautiful curtains, “Mom, I need to change the curtains of my room.”
“Why? What happened?” she stood up from her bed as I have demanded my share in her property.
I said, “those are not going with my cream walls. I need grey curtains for my room. Could you please change them by tomorrow?”
My mother said while having her medicines, “But, it’s not even a month has passed with those curtains.”
“I haven’t chosen those weird curtains. I want grey curtains only! And that landscape in the dining hall with a blue river and clouds, not looking well. Please, change that also.”
“But that painting is very expensive. What's wrong with that?”
I suggested, “Who put any landscape in the dining room? How would our guests react to your choice?
Bring some elegant paintings of spices for that place, such as cardamom, cloves, etc.”
She gave me a counter attack, “Yes! Good idea, my son! I will put that expensive blue landscape in your room behind the wall of your bed. Your blue curtains will look good after that.”
“What? My room is not a bin to throw all useless colours… I meant useless things over there.
And how can you forget that panditji has denied putting any landscape in my room? You want to affect my health for the sake of that landscape!” I thanked that panditji for his advice. His useless advice became useful to me for the first time.
“Sorry, son! I forget his advice.”
“I don’t want that landscape and those curtains in my room,” I said and went from there. I was standing in front of my bed. I was looking at that wall, where my mom was suggesting to put that landscape. “Here, I will put our best wedding photograph!” I smiled and laid down on my bed.
The next day, after having a bath, I opened my wardrobe. My eyes were left wide open as my wardrobe got termite.
It was full of blue shirts and t-shirts. I recalled her sweet voice again, saying, “I don’t like the blue colour at all.
I threw all the blue clothes from my wardrobe on the bed. I took a peach coloured shirt to wear and went to my office.
I was on my way to the office when my mom called me, “What is this mess in your room?”
“Oh! You saw that termite.”
She asked confusingly, “Termite??? Where?”
“Mom! I forget to tell you as I was getting late. I don't require those clothes. Please discard them. After the office, I will be late for dinner as I will go shopping.
Please, tell Bhabhi to cook pulaav for me. And not to wait for me.”
“But why to discard those clothes?
And rice makes acidity. She will cook something else for you.”
“Okay! Bye, mom!”
“But.. but what about clothes…..”
I put the phone down without listening to her as I had no answer for her that question.
In evening, I went for shopping. How difficult it is to find clothes for a boy! All the outlets were filled with blue shades all around. The female outlets have so many colour options.
Why should girls have all the fun?
In casual wear or while buying t-shirts, we males still have colour options, but when we go for office wear, it's near impossible for me to have blue free shopping. Either it is plain, or it is lined, but blue is spread all over the outlet. The remaining option keep our life colourless, i.e, black and white!”
I was tired and ravenously hungry too. I ate a burger and some other snacks to feed the rats running inside my stomach.
I called Avni.
“Hello! Mitesh this side. Could you please tell me your favourite colour too? It will help me with shopping.”
“Sorry? who? Wrong number….” She said and put the receiver down.
I called her again, “no, Avni! It's not a wrong number. Please, tell me about your favourite colour.”
“Who are you? And why should I tell you about my favourite colour?”
“Okay! Don't tell me. You come here to the city Mall. I am waiting here for you.”
I could feel the frustration in her sweet voice while saying that, “Why do I come?”
“You said that you don't like blue colour, that's why I am changing my wardrobe. So, you have to help me with my shopping.”
She cut my call, saying, “mad guy!”
“I will continue my shopping later on,” I said to myself. I reached my home with a handful of my shopping bags.
“What is all this?” my mom shouted with shock.
“Call any servant to help me, and I have taken my dinner.”
Mom called the servant to help me.
“Bhola, after putting these bags in my room. Bring other bags too from my car.” I handed over the car keys along with shopping bags to him. Mom was about to ask me another question. I kissed her cheek and said, “Mom, I will talk to you tomorrow. I am much tired now, going to sleep. Bhabhi, please bring me a green tea.”
I went to my room.
“Simran, what is wrong with this boy?” my mom asked my bhabhi.
“Mummy ji! I will find it. Please calm down! Stress is not good for your health.”
I was arranging my new clothes in my old almirah when bhabhi came with a cup of tea in her hand.
“What is this? Why are you behaving like this? You have discarded your favourite blue blazer too!”
“Blue colour…again, … I wouldn’t drink this tea. It is in the blue cup!” I said and continued my work.
“Who doesn't like the blue colour?” She replied herself after a pause, “my doctor!”
I just gave a confirming look.
“I will bring your green tea in another cup!” she said and went to the kitchen.
The next morning, I was dreaming about Avni when harsh voices disturbed my fantasies. I woke up in a spoiled mood due to the spoilage of my dream. It was bhabhi who was screaming aloud.
“God's mill grinds slow, but sure, bhabhi is in pain! I will take her to the hospital,” I said and rushed outside after looking at myself in the
mirror. I took my hairbrush while exiting my room.
Bhaiya and mom have held her hand.
“What are you doing?” I said while yawning.
“Can't you see? She is in pain. I am taking her to the hospital,” bhaiya replied.
“Bhaiya! You have an important meeting at the office so, be there. I will take her to the hospital safely. In that way, you will attend your meeting, and I will enjoy my dating.”
“What did you say?” Bhaiya asked.
“No time for useless discussion. Give me reports. I will take her to the hospital.” I took reports from bhaiya and held the hand of bhabhi. I helped her to sit in the car. I took my seat. I was about to press the acceleration of the car when I noticed my feet.
I was carrying slippers on my feet. It is not that I couldn't drive with slippers. But those slippers were blue!
My blue slippers pushed me outside the car.
“Where are you going, now?” Bhaiya shouted at me.
“To change my footwear,” I answered and rushed towards my room.
“Fashion is important at this time!” Bhaiya screamed at me.
“What if my foot slipped on ascerlation due to slippers? It is necessary to have shoes for safe driving, and I need to take her to the hospital safely.
And, now, you are wasting time in useless discussion. Let us go!”
“Listen..” Bhaiya was about to say something when I stopped him by looking at my mom, “see, mom! Bhaiya is getting irresponsible day by day! He should get ready for the office now! Ask him to go inside!”
I sat in the car again and started to reach my destination. While driving, I took out my hairbrush from the bag of reports where I kept that. I was brushing my hair and driving a car too.
“What are you doing? Drive safely!” My mother ordered me.
“Okay! Okay! I will drive safely.” I said while combing my hair. I put the brush on the other seat as both the ladies were having their seats on the backseat of the car.
As we reached the hospital, I took the brush again and started combing. Bhabhi was screaming continuously.
“Finish this salon work and help her. Come here!” my mom started scolding me.
“Wait! You told me to drive safely. I stopped brushing at that time. Now just wait!” said I and completed my hairdo in few seconds. I helped her to go inside. I was excited for the baby as well as for meeting Avni.
I opened the door of her room. My bhabhi was sitting in a wheelchair as she was unable to walk. My mom was waiting outside the room with her. Soon, Avni arrived, holding a file in her hands.
She has worn a pair of jeans which was maroon in colour with navy blue Kurti.
“Simran! From how much time she has this pain?” Avni asked me by seeing reports of bhabhi.
I kept her staring. She asked her nurse, “Take her for an emergency check-up! I will do her internal checkup there.”
The nurse left with bhabhi as she guided her.
“You tell me fast from how much time she is in pain?” She asked me again.
I was stunned to see her. Not because of my emotions for her, but her appraisal had shocked me.
“Firstly, you tell me...what is this?”
“What is this? Mean??”
“How could you wear this?” I asked her.
“Sorry! Is there any uniform?” she has a good sense of humour too. But I was serious at that time.
I shouted at her, “you told me that you hate the colour blue. So, I have changed the curtains in my room. I have thrown an expensive landscape from our dining hall. I have changed my wardrobe by removing all the blue's from there.
Do you know how difficult it is for a man to purchase clothes with no blue shades? Moreover, you refused to help me while shopping.
Even at this critical time, I changed my footwear!
And, you are so comfortable in this hell, blue!”
“So, it was you who called me the last night!
Who told you to remove blue from your room and home? And, yes, of course, footwear in this crucial time?
Well, could you please tell me what you are doing here?”
I remained silent in aggression.
She went outside and met my mom. She asked those same questions and moved to the emergency ward, where bhabhi was waiting for her.
writing here…
