Nurungukal…3..contd…

Ichirivettam..2….He lay crumpled, emaciated,wrinkled in a corner of a dark room. His nails have grown and curled up. We called him Chettayi. A small man. We have seen him moving about briskly making short steps and always smiling. On that day I had accompanied a team of palliative workers during a home care visit. I was shocked to see him in his present condition. A foul smell came out from the room. One of his sons who was mentally not o.k. was walking up and down in front of the house. He resisted our moves to nurse his father. His wife sat in a helpless mood on the veranda of their thatched house. We had no option but to abandon the mission on that day. Next day we managed to remove him to a nearby Govt. hospital with the help of a doctor and police. Although he died a few days later, we were sure that he departed with a smiling face.

      Look around there are many such Chettayis in your neighbourhood who throng for your care…dum dum pi pi pi…