DA 2. Oh My God!

Terry and Sandra go through a series of emotional upheavals as their unexpected guest oscillates between life and death......

2. Oh My God!

 

“Sam wake up!”  Sandra shook her husband with frenzied desperation.

 

“Ok ok, what’s it now?” He turned in bed, pulling her down with him.  “Good morning darling….. what a romantic way to wake up… on a Sunday …. mmmm… wid my…..”

 

“He’s DEAD! I told you, I told you…...  Oh dear!.....Now, what do we do?”  She struggled in his embrace….breaking in cold sweat……….

 

His eyes flew open, “Who’s dead?  It took him a few seconds to re-orient himself to the events of yesterday..... oh no....not HE!”

 

Diving out of bed, sheets trailing behind him, he made for the guest room.  The door to the guest room was ajar.  The old man lay sprawled on the floor, mouth open and hands thrown out.  He looked regal even in his dishevelled deathly state…. the white shining beard,… pearly white teeth, pink lips and unblemished skin.  Flopping down by his side, he grabbed his wrists trying to feel the pulse.....the pounding was loud.   Aw shucks, that was his own digital arteries!.  For the first time in his short career, he struggled to make a difference between his pulse and that of the old man’s…..none!   No expired air felt from the nostrils…. No chest movements…. and no breath sounds! …..“Get my steth” He yelled.  Sandra was already there shoving it into his hands.  He listened hard over the chest ……pin-drop-silence!.  Torch!...... Sandra again…. Pupils…..dilated and fixed!  “Mr Omeeshella are you ok?”  He shook him by the shoulder.  No movement…..not even a flicker…..  But the face defied what he was trying to refute…. So peaceful, even in death…. like he was in deep sleep….

 

“Oh my God!” he ejaculated as he slumped further down, his head in his hands.  Sandra knelt down beside him... her mind in turmoil… “Terry, take it easy.  He didn’t look too well to me yesterday.  I know you meant well and God knows…… It’s ok, I’m with you.  Now, we need to look into the legalities.......... whatever the matter, we’ll face it together.. ok?”  . 

 

“I’m not giving up like that”…..He turned the old man flat on the floor.  “Now for CPR”…

 

“Oh Hello, Good morning dears!”.... The twinkling eyes came alive…!

 

Terry and Sandra shrieked in unison as they cuddled together. “You alive?”.

 

Mr Omeeshella stretched out his arms and sat up yawning. He either didn’t hear their exclamations or probably missed it, as he gushed…   “That was a wonderful sleep.......didn’t have one in a long time.  I must say, this place is more than heaven!”  .

 

“We thought that you were.. err….unwell…I mean, seriously…” Terry felt it would be impolite to say that they took him to be dead….. and even signalled to Sandra to watch her words…

 

“Oh no, not at all”.  Not after the sumptuous dinner I had with you.  I just remember laying my head on the pillow after that.  ……  But, why do you both look so anxious?  Relax children.  Hey, I’m hungry again.  What’s for breakfast?” 

 

Mr Omeeshella staggered to his feet. The couple heaved a sigh of relief as they helped him up and into the washroom. The fact that he declined to either brush or bathe didn’t offend them in the least.  All they looked forward to was to get him off their hands as soon as they could. 

 

Back in the kitchen, Sandra went about making cheese sandwiches, while Terry made coffee……both not daring to breathe a word, lest the old man gets to hear….

 

“Now Terry, what are you going to do with him”?  Sandra couldn’t hold back anymore and she hadn’t yet got over the shock of the morning.  “Just locate his relatives or friends and get him off our back…. I mean, hand him over to them.  I’ll not survive another jolt like this. Not that I’ve anything against the old man.  Poor abandoned soul...... he seems such a dear.  But Terry darling, we got to be practical.  If anything goes wrong with him while he’s with us, they’ll not spare us., Just remember that.”

 

“Well, as I see, he looks well apparently. What he needs is a thorough check up " a complete physical examination, some blood investigations, and some scans, so we can catch the root of his problem.  And since I don’t have the facilities for it at my clinic, I might as well take him to the Earth Hospital.”

 

“Gosh! That’s going to cost a lot dear.  Who’s going to foot the bill?  Diagnostics can literally eat into your budget!  And you know better than me about that.  Why not take him to some government hospital? There might even be some concessions on expenditures. ”

 

“Shhhh…. Speak softly.  What if he hears?.  Hmm…. true.  Lets see.  At the moment, I feel he should go to a good one… I mean a well equipped hospital.  It would be embarrassing to take him through departments without proper specialists or diagnostic services or even supplies.  And what if he suffers due to plain dearth of any of these?.  No Sandra, let’s be just with him.  The rest, we’ll leave in God’s hands. ”

 

“Yeah Terry.  Do what you feel right, till of course his next of kin or any friend arrives.”

 

“Thanks dear.”  Terry heaved a sigh of relief.  “I did have some reservations about going all the way to help him out.  He was almost like an unwelcome guest.  But yes, even I feel we ought to do our best for him…. At least till any of his folks show up, that is…”.

 

The two carried sandwiches and coffee to the table.

 

Breakfast was a hurried affair… though Mr Omeeshella took his time munching and savouring the cheese sandwiches with oohs and aahs at the homely taste of it.

 

“C’mon children, have a sandwich.  Its yumm as always.  Hey I’ve come to love this wonderful home, the food and most of all, the two of you.  You are such a lovely couple… bless you children.”… He beamed at the two, his eyes twinkling. 

 

The words of praise fell on deaf ears, as the two wolfed down the sandwiches and waited with baited breath and pounding hearts to bundle him and get him out as soon as they could.  Terry kicked himself for making the stupid decision of bringing the old man home.  But how could he have known? ….. Well, its time he stopped going overboard with his kindness. ……. Baah!

 

“Sir, how do you feel now?” … was all he could utter in response, praying inwardly that the old man maintained his wellness till he reached the ER.

 

“Don’t worry son. I feel on top of the world.  And stop fretting about me.”  Mr Omeeshella winked at him his eyes twinkling naughtily….as he sipped his coffee.  “I’m done.  So now off to your clinic hmm?”  Mr Omeeshella beamed at him.

 

“Grrrrrr…” was all Terry could mutter inwardly.  “Sir, you need a thorough medical check up, and hence I’ll be taking you to the hospital, instead of my clinic, which is not so well equipped.”  He and Sandra led him to the car and had him comfortably seated at the back.

 

“Darling, just see that he’s placed in caring hands. He needs good care.  And try and locate his family or friends.  There should be someone around.  And call me in case you need help…. Perhaps we could inform the police so his kin could be located.  Oh I’m getting real worried about him.” Sandra rattled on effusively about what more they could do for the old man. The two were now grappling with conflicting thoughts of being protective or getting rid of him…. at the same time.

 

Mr Omeeshella reclined in the back seat as Terry drove on.  “Son, it was so kind of you to put up with me at your home… something that no one would even think of doing.  Sandra is such a dear.  Bless you both.  I felt like being with family…. after long…..” His voice trailed off…..

 

“That’s all right Sir.  But, do you have someone I could contact, just in case you need help?”. 

 

“No son.” He appeared to wheeze.  In fact I have many … near and dear ones, who seek me ………only when in need.  But once their needs are fulfilled, they are all gone…. Poof!”.  Did he hear the old man stifle a sob? 

 

“Oh I’m sorry Sir, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings”.  He felt a lump forming in his throat.  His heart reached out to him.  Something about this old man seemed to strike him.  He had certainly seen good times,… no, very good times and had perhaps lived a rich life.  All of a sudden he had perhaps fallen into hard times with not a soul to look up to.  Who could be as cruel with a dignified and lovable person as he… and why? … Well, old age had its own drawbacks… and with age related ailments… things could be worse.

 

Pulling out of the wave of emotions that swept him, he kept up a running commentary about health and healthful living for the benefit of his client….. whose grunts in response gradually transformed into a sickly wheeze.  The old man’s condition was indeed deteriorating.

 

He called the ER of the ‘Earth Hospital’ and gunned his Santro car straight ahead. " God, give me time please.  I really want to help this poor old man".

 

He didn't realize how 45 minutes had passed.  Driving in the gates of the Earth hospital, he heaved a sigh of relief, "At last we are here.  Mr Omeeshella?

 

No sound came.  He braked in front of the ER and turned round.  Where was he?  The seat was empty. He peered over his seat and found the old man slumped on the floor of the car.

 

"Oh My God!"..... He pushed open the car door and rushed to the back................

 

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       Continued……………