Those enchanted four and half years

Chapter 27

Second part of third year came with the big baggage of being in the 'final year'. Final year was supposed to be very very tough. The burden of study, the pressure of being in final year weighed heavily on our shoulders literally made us bend underneath.

This year we were supposed to learn so many subjects – Medicine, Surgery, Orthopaedics, Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Psychiatry, Skin, Anaesthesia, Radiology – and each subject was in itself so vast! Now PSM seemed nothing! As our final year began, we had no time for anything else except study. We were seen in only three places – lecture hall, clinics or library. We were not aware of what was going on in our college; extracurricular activities, Freshers eve, days, gathering, cultural events...nothing. For us, Medicine became morning, Surgery became afternoon, Obstetrics became evening and Paediatrics became night. Beyond this, there was no life. I and Arun started spending whole day in library.

Our first clinical posting in IIIrd/2nd was Surgery. As usual I and Sufee went to take case history of a patient. As we were asking the patient his history and jotting it down, I noticed the patient on the next bed intently listening and watching us. We ignored him and continued with our clinical examination. Just as we finished and got ready to leave, I casually looked at him, and our eyes met. The patient gave me a warm smile. He was quite elderly, with almost all hair a shade between grey to white. His face was wrinkled. But with his smile, his whole face lit up. I instinctively smiled back and left. Next day after I had taken a case in female ward and went to male ward to call Nayana, I saw the old man again, sitting on the bed, cheerfully talking to the ward-boy. It was almost lunch time and most of the patients were having lunch with their relatives' except this man. The moment he saw me, he cheerfully waved at me. I went to speak to him.

"Ajoba(grandpa), don't you eat lunch?" I asked. "No, my lunch goes in through this," he said cheerfully, showing me a bandage on his stomach, "they have made a hole in my stomach to feed me, as I have cancer of food-pipe. So I don't worry about lunch." "Oh, but don't you have any visitors?" I asked out of curiosity. "No, my family lives far away in a small village.and they have too many other problems to look after..," his voice trailed, "leave me apart, what's your name beta?" "Ruta," I replied. "Nice name..and you two?" I hadn't noticed Sufee and Nayana behind me. "Sufee."

"Nayana."

"Well, shall I tell you something? I can do face reading," he said, smiling.

"Really?" Sufee was immediately very interested. "Yes." "But what do you tell by reading face? Future?" I asked, curious. "No one knows about future beta... I can read the nature of a person from his face." "Okay, then tell about me," Sufee said impatiently. "Okay, sit down," he said. Sufee sat on the bed, across from him. For a few moments, he keenly studied her face. "Sufee..," he began. We began listening attentively. "You are a very fun-loving person." I and Nayana exchanged smiles. "You are happy – go – lucky. You tend to take everything very lightly. You are witty. You know how to make people laugh. You can be naughty...even crazy at times." We were listening to every word, realizing that each word was true. "But deep down, you are a very emotional person. You usually manage to mask such emotions, but you will do anything for someone you love, without hesitation." We were totally transfixed. After a few moments pause, I said, "You are absolutely right about her, ajoba." Sufee was still at loss for words. "Come on! Don't be so serious..let me tell you a joke. Since you are doctors, I will tell you a doctor's joke. A man goes to a doctor and says, 'Doc, since two days, I feel that I am a bridge'. The doc is flabbergasted to hear such a complaint and says, 'Oh my God, what has come over you!' The man replies, 'One truck, two buses and four cars'. Hearing the joke, we burst out laughing.