A NEIGHBOUR'S CHILD AND MY FATHERHOOD

FATHERHOOD IS ALSO GREAT.

MOTHERHOOD IS GREAT. 

தமிழ் மொழிபெயர்ப்பு 

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(MY REAL LIFE INCIDENTS IN CHILD REARING)

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Next to my father-in-law’s house in Ammapet lived a couple. They had a two year old kid called Harish. That kid used to come to theirs house frequently for playing. Myself, my wife and my kids used to play with that kid. If we happen to eat something, we used to offer it to him. But his parents will refuse because their doctor had instructed them not to do such things. The boy seemed to be healthy. All my genuine attempts to feed the kid with something nutritious failed. It was the doctor’s order they said. However, I came to know that the boy used to fall sick very often. They were poor and would say that they would have to pledge their gold jewels to meet his hospital expenses.

I knew that the boy was not really suffering from serious chronic disease like heart disease or asthma. Of course, I am not a medical professional. But one things was crystal clear for me. The doctor has installed excessive fear in the kid’s parents and making good money. Many times, we would have heard that people praising a doctor who had saved their relatives’ life. Hence, they are like God. But here is a cheap doctor who seem to use the kid as a land to “cultivate” disease and have a “bumper crop” or great harvest. Oh, my God ! I should stop it at any cost, I resolved !

Everytime we went to my father-in-law’s place, we would see that boy, Harish. Every time I would insisted to their parents to see a “better” doctor. However, they would refuse to do so, saying that all their relatives take their kids only to this doctor. Moreover, he is a “lucky” doctor (Kairaasi). I would ask them to take him to Dr.T.K.P.Thirugnana Sambandam, a doctor who is not after money. I would have to add that since he happen to be my maternal uncle, don’t think I was favouring him. I fact, he was really an ideal doctor. But they did not pay heed to my word. Like the small insects that falls prey to the like source – they kept on showing their kid to the same money making doctor.

I resolved that in 2 or 3 years I should “split” Harish and parents from the money-making doctor and link them to the good doctor, viz. Dr.T.K.P.Thirugnana Sambandam. I took it as a personal challenge and started to “brain wash” Harish’s parents.

Then, slowly and steadily, I went to Harish’s house voluntarily and used to mingle with them. I would ask for tea and get is prepared and then drink it. Generally, I was a reserved guy, I was a bit shy and I never liked asking help from others. But now my intention was to somehow get close with Harish’s parents  in a few years and at any cost. This job continued for a few years. And soon I started persuading them to change their doctor.

Finally, one day, when their son Harish was miserably sick, they had taken him to thedoctor I told, viz.Dr.T.K.P.Thirugnana Sambandam. The boy was in a very serious condition. The doctor checked up the boy. Then he administered an injection and said that he will be alright in 10 or 15 minutes and he coolly walked away. The boy was back to normal in 10 or 15 minutes as the doctor said. It seemed the doctor had not insisted for admitting the boy in the bed because his condition did not warrant it. Moreover, he had charged a very meagre amount as fees. This gave a pleasant shock to Harish’s  parents. They continued that if they had taken to their regular doctor, definitely he would have made a bit fuss and would have admitted him in bed compulsorily for 2 or 3 days. And would have definitely charged about 10 times more money. And of course, as usual, they would have to pledged their jewels an umpteenth time for Harish’s hospital emergency expenses. They were all praises to Dr.T.K.P.Thrignana Sambandam, my materal uncle. They even thanked me a lot for what I did.

I told them please go to a temple and pray to your favourite God that Dr.T.K.P.Thirugnana Sambandam should live long! The catch – He does not have any belief in God and does not pray.

I heard them narrate the above story one day when I visited them. It was really a very happy day for me. At last, after years of meticulous efforts. After lot of coaxing and brain-washing, I had done a small good to a poor parent. AND OF COURSE, WITHOUT GOING TO ANY GOD’S PLACE –TEMPLE, CHURCH OR MOSQUE. I remember it was the New Year eve, to be more precise, 27th Dec, 2003 and I took it was the NEW YEAR gift I gave to myself. A few year back I happen to hear that Harish’s parents are still sticking on to Dr. T.K.P.Thirugnana Sambandam.

I should say that like others, I don’t have great respect for God or any religion because of my brought up. My religion is to think good for others and try to do at least a little. In Tamil they would say, “ARAM SAIYA VIRUMBU”, ie. Think of doing good. know, Now and then I would do a little help to people whom I come across in life.

The knowledge that you could have amassed is still like a handful of sand. There is yet the whole beach’s sand left out. A great Tamil saying goes.  
-e3.ezhilarasan.