Anjali the name you were calling out while you were unconscious for 48 hours

I opened my eyes in a hazy hospital room a few days later. At first everything seemed a blur. There were white walls around me and sunlight streaked from a window far across the room with its curtains opened. I saw my mom sitting next to me on a chair watching me fondly. I felt her hand on my forehead, slowly ruffling my hair and I knew I would be alright. As I opened my eyes and looked at her, she smiled at me. “Hey sunshine,” she said, that radiant face looking ever so beautiful. “Hey,” I managed to mutter.
“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“I have seen better days,” I replied and she smiled.

“How long has it been?” I asked her after a while when I felt I had enough strength to talk.

The reply came from a man standing at the far side of the wall, staring at me intensely. “Two days actually,” my dad said.

I looked at my dad, looking like he was worried I would never be able to walk again. Moms are usually the one who worry more about their kids, but when the kid actually get hurts, dads always fear for the worst. Law of nature, I guess.

“Hello to you too dad,” I said joking.

To see my mom and dad in the same room was a bit of a rarity for me. Not that they despised each other. On the few occasions that they had met after the divorce, they had acted cordially and had maintained their friendship, yet there are some things which refuse to go away. Divorce was one of them. So they always tried to avoid each other, unless it was a necessity and most of the times that necessity had turned out to be me. So it did this time as well. And in a way I didn’t mind that glass shattering on me anymore as I got to see my parents together. There are some things that are more priceless than a bottle breaking on your head. This was one of them.

“Hey son,” my dad said coming over. “You had us worried you know.”

“Yeah well,” I replied in jest. “I wouldn’t be your son if I didn’t, would I?”

Dad smiled. “Yeah, but just try avoiding drunken lunatics with vodka bottles in their hand please?”

“I will consider it,” I replied.

Mom and dad laughed and to see them laughing together, it brought me a happiness that I couldn’t even describe. I didn’t even remember the last time I had seen them laugh together. I loved them and I knew they loved me and I didn’t have even one complaint against them as parents. They had always looked out for me, always wanted what’s best for me and despite their divorce had ensured that their personal lives didn’t bring any shortcomings in their responsibility as my parents. Yet a part of me had always wondered that if that divorce wouldn’t have happened, then maybe, just maybe, life could have even more better than it was.


“So when did you guys get here?” I asked.

“A few hours after you were admitted here,” dad answered. “Your mom got a call saying you had been in some sort of accident and had head injuries. Your mom called me and we immediately flew down here.”

“Accident?” I asked. “These hospital guys really fear the worst, don’t they?”
“It’s good that they do,” my mom answered. “We really were worried sick.”

“I am alright mom,” I said trying to appease her.

“Yeah, I know,” she said smiling and stroking my forehead. “You take rest now. I will go talk to the doctors about your tests.”
Mom got up from the chair and began to leave. “Mom,” I called her as she was about to leave the room. She turned back. “Can you cover me with your blanket of love just this once?”

I could see the tears in my mom’s eyes as I said this. She was smiling, remembering those days of my childhood as I was doing now. “Of course sweety,” she said. She came over to me and with a stroke of her hand, slowly covered me with and invisible blanker. I held that invisible blanket close to my body. A few feet away my dad’s eyes were welling up too as he saw the scene. After she covered me with the blanket, my mom kissed me on the forehead. ‘I love you,” she sad. “Love you too mom,” I replied and she left the room

Dad came up and sat down on the chair. He looked at me as if wondering how close he had come to loosing me. For a few moments I just smiled at him trying to comfort him that I was indeed alright. He gratefully didn’t say anything about how foolish I had been. Such talks could be saved for later.

“So Anjali huh?” he asked me out of nowhere.

“Huh?” I said in complete surprise. I had no idea exactly what he was referring to. Anjali as in Anjali the girl I loved or Anjali as in the girl who probably brought me here. To be on the safer side I acted as if I had no idea what he was talking about. Act ignorant when you are not sure how much exactly your dad does know about your love life. “Anjali what?” I asked. I couldn’t say Anjali who because then that would be just giving into him. I knew an Anjali, he would definitely have come to know about that so there was no way I was going to act as if I had never even heard of this girl.

“I am presuming that was the name you were calling out while you were unconscious for 48 hours,” my dad said with an evil grin on his face.

There. Caught red handed by your own dad. And that too when you were unconscious. ‘Good work Rahul,’ I thought.

I tried to act innocent all over again by having a blank expression on my face but then he kept staring at me waiting for response and I just couldn’t help but give him a sheepish smile admitting the fact that ‘yes-I had been caught.’ He hit me on the head slightly as he smiled. “Ouch!” I said acting as if his hitting me on the head had hurt me. “Yeah, try playing the hero, don’t you?” he said smiling.

“So where is she?” I asked him after a while.

“Where is who?” he asked.

“Anjali,” I said referring to the obvious.

“Anjali who?” dad asked acting innocent.

“Daaaaaddddd,” I said coyly. Having your dad tease you about the girl you loved could get embarrassing.

“Alright, alright,” dad finally said.

“Where is she?” I asked again.

“Who? Anjali?” dad teased me again.

“Yes dad,” I said now getting frustrated.

“Oh-we sent her back,” dad said matter of factly.

“Back?”I asked

“Yeah-the girl hadn’t slept in 48 hours, insisted on staying here with you. But today morning we forced her to go back and take some rest. She really cares about you, you know.”

“I know,” I said slowly. “So she hadn’t slept in 48 hours?”

Dad smiled. “No, she hadn’t. Said she couldn’t sleep somehow. At least that’s what Sheetal told us. I guess she couldn’t disclose the reasons to us personally.”

“Yeah,” I said wondering how Anjali was right now. All I could think of was about seeing her again.

“Whom are you two gossiping about?” My mom questioned announcing her entry back into the room.

I and my dad looked at each other. I signaled to him to not tell mom anything now. But dad being dad promptly answered, “Oh nothing-just guy talk.”

“Ahhhh,” mom said. “And this guy talk wouldn’t be about a certain Anjali-now would it?”

My dad gave me that evil grin again. How I hated my dad!!

My mom looked at me with introspecting eyes and I tried to avoid her gaze as much as possible. Having both your mom and dad looking at you asking you about a certain girl in your life can be the most embarrassing thing in the world. She continued looking at me and I continued avoiding her until I couldn’t take it anymore and burst out, “Would you stop looking at me like that?”

My mom and dad both started laughing. “I hate you guys,” I said. More laughter followed and I tried to cover my face with the blanket as much as possible. I had never been in a more embarrassing situation than this.

“I guess our son has indeed grown up,” my dad said as if officially announcing my arrival into adulthood. “Thanks dad,” I muttered. “You know, she is a sweet girl,” my mom said.

“And beautiful,” my dad added.

Fantastic. So now my mom and dad were discussing her pros and cons in front of me. If they thought they were doing me a favor, they weren’t. I just wished I could find a hole somewhere and hide in it. Didn’t they get it that they were just embarrassing me further? Unless they were doing it on purpose. Getting back at me for all the naughty things that I did when I was a kid. Evil people.

“When she met me the first time,” my mom continued, “she actually touched my feet. That was very sweet of her. Not many girls do that nowadays.”

Somewhere in all this embarrassment I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Anjali touching my mom’s feet when she saw her the first time. It was like I was falling in love with her all over again.

“Yeah,” my dad said looking away from me and acting as if he was having a serious conversation with mom about my grades. “Her simplicity is stunning.”

“I have a feeling she would make a wonderful daughter in law,” he added just for effect.

Ok. That was it. I wasn’t having any more talks about their prospective daughter in law in front of me. This was embarrassing enough.

“Ok-dad, and mom, you really need to stop this right now,” I said.

“Why?” me dad asked looking as if I had snatched a candy from him. “You don’t want us talking about our future daughter in law?”

“Ok-first of all dad, she isn’t your daughter in law. And second of all-she isn’t your daughter in law.”

Dad and mom laughed and I once again wish the world would just explode around me. At the same time we heard a commotion outside the door. It was as if a guy was just barging his way into the hospital and throwing everything that came in his way. I had a feeling as to who it was but I wished I was wrong. My worst fears were confirmed when the door of my room was barged open and outside stood Virat Mathur. ‘Oh brother!’ I thought to myself as my parents looked as if their worst nightmare had come true. I didn’t blame them. Behind him came a running Sheetal who had obviously been unable to prevent Virat from causing damages. But I had a feeling that the damages had just begun.

“Rahhhhuuuuuuuuullllllllll,” Virat cried out as he laid his eyes on me. I tried my best to act as if I didn’t know him.

“Rahhhhuuuuuuuuullllll,” he cried again as he came rushing towards me and held me in his arms like he was the mother of a lost 5 year old kid who had just reached home after 2 days. I looked on helplessly at Sheetal looking for some sort of help. Sheetal just shrugged her shoulders and acted as if this time she couldn’t just help it.

Rahuuuuuulllllllllllllllll,” Virat cried again. Trust Virat to act as if he was auditioning for a role in a Yash Chopra movie. “It’s ok Virat,” I finally said when I couldn’t take it anymore. “I am alright.”

But Virat wasn’t done crying. “Rahuuuuuuuuullllll,” he cried once more. “My friend, my room mate, you are alive. I am so glad you are alive. I was so worried about you. I came running as soon as I heard you regained consciousness.”

“Oh!” I said. “And who was that wonderful soul who told you I regained consciousness?” Whoever it was, he wasn’t going to be alive after today.

“Your mom, she messaged me-the wonderful soul that she is.” I glared at mom. Mom just responded by shrugging her shoulders supposedly suggesting ‘how did I know!’ “As soon as I got the sms, I rushed out of the classroom,” Virat continued to howl.

“You left a class?” I asked.

“Yup,” Virat grinned.

“In front of the prof?”

“Yup,” Virat continued to grin.

“How?” I asked. Why did that stupid prof ever let him out? Couldn’t he just hold Virat back till I had recuperated fully?

Virat’s grin grew even bigger. Then he very smugly said, “I told the prof I had a bladder problem. Once I said that, he didn’t really have an option, did he?” Oh how I would love to wipe that smirk off Virat’s face. But even I had to give him credit for his excuse. Leaky bladders aren’t something you can really argue against. And if you argue too much then that bladder might indeed leak before you can reach a decision. And Virat deserved credit for that. ‘Smart ass,’ I thought to myself.

“And how much damage did you cause to the hospital properties while coming here?” I asked trying my best to stop him from over reacting again.

“Oh-that,” Virat said. “Stupid hospital people. They told me not to get over excited, that this is a hospital. And can you blame me for getting over excited. My best friend had just returned from the jaws of death and they were asking to keep quiet. Idiots.”

“Jaws of death?” I queried. “Virat, it wasn’t like I had been run over by a truck or something.”

Virat looked at me as if he didn’t understand me. Then he suddenly started sniffing again. I knew what was to come so I immediately tried to stop him by saying, “Virat, please don’t.” But as soon as I said this, Virat started howling and crying again. “Rahulllllllllllllllllll,” he cried. “You don’t understand how worried I was. Mummmmmaaaaa, you are my dearest, bestest friend in the whole wide world. And even you? Even you are making fun of my feelings? I haven’t slept in the last 48 hours you know-I have been by the Venugopal temple praying to Lord Krishna for your recovery day and night. And you make fun of me?”

“He wasn’t,” Sheetal said simply. “Yesterday night he was gorging Dominoe’s pizza while watching the India-Australia match.”

Virat turned towards Sheetal. He seemed hurt again. “But I was crying for my friend all the time,” he said with tears in his eyes.

I looked at Sheetal for confirmation. I am sure she had a very logical explanation for Virat crying provided that he had actually cried. Sheetal shrugged her shoulders again. “He cried alright,” she said. “But because Sachin Tendulkar got out in the 90’s again.”

My mom and dad laughed along with me as Virat glared at Sheetal as if she was ruining the whole show. Sheetal just grinned back at him. Virat then looked at my mom and suddenly got up and hugged her and started howling again. “Aunty jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii,” he cried. “Aunty jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.” My mom looked as if she had been just hit by a bottle on her head. “Aunty Jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii,” Virat cried holding my mom in a tight embrace. “Our Rahhuuuuuuuuuuuulllll. What had he done to deserve this? What harm has he ever caused anyone?” he sniffed loudly. “This world is so cruel aunty jiiiiiiiiiiiiii.” He sniffed again. My dad offered him a handkerchief. He took it with one hand, still embracing my mom who still seemed to stunned to react, then blowing into the handkerchief very loudly, he offered it back to dad. Dad looked at the hanky for a second with a grossed out expression on his face and said, “Keep it.” Virat sniffed twice more and with drew the hanky.

In order to help my mom out, dad said, “Rahul will be alright, son. You don’t need to get so emotional about it.”

Dad had no idea what he had just done. Virat left mom and then started sniffing his nose again. Then all of a sudden he went and embraced my dad tightly. And it started all over again. “Uncle jiiiiiiiiiiiii,” he cried. My dad had a look on his face which said ‘whatever did I do?’ He would know shortly what he had done. “Uncle jiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. How can you say that? Look at that poor boy lying on the bed. He has a bandage on his head. He could have permanent brain damage. Maybe partial memory loss. Maybe he won’t remember us any of us. Maybe he will get brain tumor. How do we know what that one bottle did to him? I am so worried Uncle jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. Your son Rahul , my friend Rahul, God knows what that one bottle may done to him. Change him forever, that one bottle. Just one bottle.” And he blew into the kerchief again.

Dad stroked Virat’s head lightly as if to say everything would be alright. But we all knew he was doing this because he had no idea what else to do. He looked at me as if asking me to help. I just grinned at him and mouthed, “Now you know what I have to put up with everyday.” Mom was just sniggering all the time. Dad then looked at Sheetal for help. Sheetal smiled and indicated to wait a moment with her hand. She then said very sweetly, “Virat.”

Virat didn’t respond initially. He continued to hug my dad and cry. Sheetal called out his name, this time even more sweetly. “Viraaat.” Virat turned back to look at Sheetal. “Virat,” Sheetal continued to in her attempts to be saccharine sweet. “Let’s go, ok! Let Rahul have some rest.”

Virat continued to Sheetal for a few seconds before he ran towards her crying, “Sheeeeeettttttttttttaaaaaaaalllllllllll.” But before he could embrace Sheetal, she immediately put out her hand and stopped him. “No,” she simply said. And Virat didn’t take a step further. Then a few moments later Virat valiantly tried again. “Sheeeettttttttaaaallll,” he cried out and went to embrace her. The hand pulled out once again. Virat stopped in his tracks. “Virat,” Sheetal said strictly. “Out! Now!” Virat looked as if he was a 5 year old kid who had just been grounded by his mom for having too many cookies. He bowed his head down and saying bye and take care to me just walked out of the door. It was amazing to see the power that Sheetal commanded over Virat. Virat was like a dog held on a leash by Sheetal. He only went as far as Sheetal’s leash allowed him. And I was really thankful for that.

Thank you,” I told Sheetal when Virat had left the room.

“You are welcome,” she said winking at me. “So how are you feeling?”

“Better,” I replied. “Now that Virat is gone.”

She laughed. “Yeah, we all feel better because of that.”

We talked for a little while more before she began to leave. “Alright then, I’ll take leave now,” she said. She went and hugged mom. “Your son is a strong boy aunty, he’ll be out of here in no time.”

“I hope so too beta,” she replied.

She then came and pecked me on the cheek and said, “you take rest now. And call me if you need anything.”

“Thanks, I will.”

She opened the door of he room and just before leaving, she turned back to look at me and said, “by the way, there’s this very pretty girl sleeping outside on a bench who I believe hasn’t left your bedside or slept in the last 48 hours or so. Thought you might wanna know.” Saying that she winked at me and left...