The Midnight Pain

The Midnight pain.

We  parked our car at Akshardam Metro Station and took the Delhi- Metro to Tilak Nagar. I was visiting Tilak Nagar  after 29 Years. My memory of Tilak Nagar was - a isolated place outside the city limits with number of multi storied  flats. Those days it was a deserted place outside the city limits.Those days there was not a single  shop nearby.  The moment we got down the escalators in Tilak Nagar, few  rickshaw wallas surrounded us. It was a difficult task to get the address of the person with whom I met him 3 decades back in this place. 

After my recent posting to Delhi, I remembered him and decided to meet him somehow.For almost 25 years I have not gone to his house.  With lot of difficulty I got his number and his son picked up the phone. As we approached his flat, I saw him standing there. It was a great joy to see him from the rickshaw and instantly it took me back to my 25 year old  memories. He was well dressed as usual and the characteristic smile on his face was even more brighter.  It was Shri B.D Pant - the humble - modest Section officer of BIS office Bangalore of 1980's.  I was also posted in Bangalore from 82 to 94.

 It was the same flat where we  stayed with him for 4 days when my son (Jibin) was 2 years. His two sons have grown up and got married. Elder son was staying with him and his younger son  was staying in the next flat. We  sat in the front room and soon his wife joined us. They also was  thrilled to see us. He said it was a real surprise to see us after such a long time. We recollected the days when we were together at Bangalore and also our stay at his Delhi house. When We stayed at his house, it was the morning prayer by his wife woke us up.Though his health was generally good, his  memory  was absolutely fantastic.He was 84.

There was a specific reason to remember him so well. We recollected that incident  that happened  on our first day at delhi with him. Jibin was only 2 years at that time.   I came for an official LPG cylinder testing programme at our central laboratory Ghaziabad. We reached Delhi by train and on the first day at night around 12 AM, Jibin started crying profusely. Jibin as a child, I know right from beginning does not cry for small pain. He cries only if there is some severe pain. We tried to locate the pain by looking at his hand movements, but in vain. Initially we thought it as a stomach pain, gave some indigestion  medicine,but he did not stop crying. By this time everyone got up in the house and all of them tried their best to stop him cry.

Finally we decided to take him to a doctor. Around 2.30 AM,Mr. Pant and his son took us  to a doctor’s house nearby, knocked at his door and woke him up. He came out and examined and gave some medicines. Within 5 minutes, he stopped crying and before we reached home, he slept off. We were  very very thankful to him as well as God because we stayed with a person who could help us in such an unfamiliar place.

... After spending some time together we returned with lot of satisfaction.  I could see his wet eyes when we parted. While leaving he gave his annual survival certificate for pension which I certified and sent to our  accounts for his pension purpose.

Just  a month after  my visit, his son called me said –‘Pappa is no more ‘ . I really could not believe. But when I look back, it gives me immense satisfaction that I could meet him and express our gratitude which I owed him for almost 3 decades. I should have taken a selfie with him which I forgot. Then I thought, how many selfies were taken thrown out. The one which is taken with my heart does not fade. That Unfading selfie is there.  He lives in my memory  as long my heart pumps. That is the truth.