He hadn't expected this. I mean, he had, but not like this. In his mind he visualized her being wheeled into the labour room on the day their baby was due. He would stay next to her, help her breathe during her contractions. And then they would be in the labour room, she pushing and he encouraging her to push harder.
But then life happens when you are busy planning. And it did happen. The seventh month just gotten over and she had to be wheeled into the labour room. He wasn't prepared. This was not how he had envisaged it. This real life drama was more than what he could handle and all that pushing and encouraging that he had reserved for her was now being used on himself. He kept chanting,"You can do it! Of course, you can do it!" And there she was. That little bundle of joy. Their world. He held her in his arms. What an angel! This little blob of cotton will soon grow up and he'll teach her to walk. He'll teach her to ride the bicycle.
"Mr. Nair. Mr. Nair." There was a pat on his shoulder.
"ഈ ലിസ്റ്റിൽ കാണുന് സാധങ്ങൾ വാങ്ങി വരൂ." It was the nurse. She forgot to congratulate him. But he did get a list of items to be purchased.
He rushed to departmental store close by. He picked up a pack of baby powder, sanitary pads and a powder puff (how thoughtful). And being a man with foresight he picked up a pen to fill details in the document for the birth certificate, a punch so that the papers can be neatly filed at the earliest, a pen, a pencil, a paper weight and a box of his favorite Pringles, in case he felt hungry. Oh and paper plates for the friends and relatives who'll drop by to see the mother and child. And a bottle of perfume. The room may smell of pee and poop. Aah, some pins too. They may come handy to fasten the diapers.
But then life happens when you are busy planning. And it did happen. The seventh month just gotten over and she had to be wheeled into the labour room. He wasn't prepared. This was not how he had envisaged it. This real life drama was more than what he could handle and all that pushing and encouraging that he had reserved for her was now being used on himself. He kept chanting,"You can do it! Of course, you can do it!" And there she was. That little bundle of joy. Their world. He held her in his arms. What an angel! This little blob of cotton will soon grow up and he'll teach her to walk. He'll teach her to ride the bicycle.
"Mr. Nair. Mr. Nair." There was a pat on his shoulder.
"ഈ ലിസ്റ്റിൽ കാണുന് സാധങ്ങൾ വാങ്ങി വരൂ." It was the nurse. She forgot to congratulate him. But he did get a list of items to be purchased.
He rushed to departmental store close by. He picked up a pack of baby powder, sanitary pads and a powder puff (how thoughtful). And being a man with foresight he picked up a pen to fill details in the document for the birth certificate, a punch so that the papers can be neatly filed at the earliest, a pen, a pencil, a paper weight and a box of his favorite Pringles, in case he felt hungry. Oh and paper plates for the friends and relatives who'll drop by to see the mother and child. And a bottle of perfume. The room may smell of pee and poop. Aah, some pins too. They may come handy to fasten the diapers.
No comments:
Post a Comment