PREGNANCY

“Mummy, why is your stomach so big?”

“Because there is a baby inside.”

“When will come out?”

“In a few days, after we go to Ooty.”

“Why Ooty? Why not here?”

“Because that is where your grandma is there. She will get the baby safely out with the help of doctors.”

“Will I also come with you to Ooty?”

“Is it because of the baby you walk slowly?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“The baby is sleeping inside. If I walk fast, the baby will wake up and cry, right?”

“Yes. You walk slowly.” Guatam gave a kiss to his mother’s tummy. “I love the baby.”

Indira hugged her son affectionately. He was in kindergarten; but he was extremely inquisitive, highly reflective and remembered a lot.

His family returned to Trichy three months after Suparna was born. Gautam learnt from his mother how to take care of the baby, hygiene, why Suparna threw up sometimes, why the baby’s head was not steady, what burping did to babies, how to put her to sleep and such aspects. He learnt to put his baby sister to sleep every night.

While he was in first grade at school, his teachers taught the right and the wrong. One among them was respect. He learnt respect for elders, parents, guests, teachers, police men, army men and so forth. His teacher also taught him that such respect should be demonstrated not by greeting them alone but also in action, such as offering one’s seat in the bus or in the train. He specifically remembered that when a man or a woman is holding a baby, that person should be offering one’s seat and the same should be followed when a pregnant woman was seen standing.

Pregnancy deserves respect and love.

The family loved cats. “Mummy, why is the cat’s tummy so big?”

“Because it is carrying kittens in the tummy.” He took the cat carefully, put it on his lap and gave a soft rub on her head. The cat purred and made herself comfortable. When the labour time came, the cat kept wailing. His mother arranged a box with old clothes.

“Why is she meowing mummy?”

“Because she is in pain.”

“Why pain?”

“The kittens are going to come out.”

“Is it painful?”

“Yes.”

“It means when Suparna was born, did it pain you too?”

“Yes my darling son. But, I wanted to get you a baby sister. So I did not feel the pain.”

“Can I watch the kittens come out?”

“No. She will not like it. That is why I pushed the box under the cot.”

Pregnancy not only deserves respect and love, but also sympathy and care.

When he was in sixth grade, he had a girl, Sumathi, in his class. She was the eldest among the students and hence she was made the Class Pupil Leader. He job was to come to school fifteen minutes earlier, ensure that the board was cleanly wiped, table and chair of the teacher were properly arranged and place the chalk pieces and the duster on the table for the teacher to be used readily. She enjoyed the entire class’ respect. One day, she came fifteen minutes late to the class. The teacher scolded her for her irresponsibility. “You are the eldest. You come late to class. Is it not irresponsibility?”

“Sory teacher, my mother is pregnant…”

Gautam became attentive. The teacher was not willing to forgive Sumathi. She gave her cacning on both the knuckles and made her kneel down outside the class.

“Teacher, until Sumathi’s mother delivers the baby, I shall come earlier to school and take care the leader’s works. Please permit me teacher. Don’t punish her, teacher. Her mother is pregnant.”

“Are you advising me? Come here. He got canning on both the hands three times each. He cried.

After the class was over, Sumathi met the teacher on the corridor and cried. Gautam stood by the teacher’s side and listened. He felt pity for Sumathi who had to cook food in the morning because her mother was too weak. He nudged the teacher. “Teacher, please, spare Sumathi. I shall take her place until her mother delivers the baby.”

“Sumathi, you go to the class. You, the little brat, come with me to the headmistress,” and she held him by his ear and walked. He walked grimacing, feeling ashamed by the looks of many students.

“What is it Rosy?”

“This boy Gautam, Madam… he is talking beyond his age.”

“Gautam ! He is a good boy. Bright one too. He would not have done anything mischievous.”

Rosy explained the events. The HM asked him, “Did you say that?”

“Sister, you are the one who taught me when I was in my second grade that pregnant woman deserve respect, care and concern. I was only trying to be helpful to Sumathi because of her mother’s pregnancy.”

The HM laughed aloud and said, “Good boy. But you should not say such things before the entire class. When the teacher is scolding a student, you should not intervene. It is disrespect to the teacher. Ok?”

Gautam turned to Rosy and said, “Sorry teacher. I will not do it. But please teacher. Spare Sumathi, teacher.”

The HM laughed again and said, “Ok, you run to the class. I’ll talk to your teacher.”

He was made the CLP for the rest of the year for the class that got him the school pupil leader’s position when he reached eighth grade.

Gautam was sympathetic to poor people. He had many students in his class who could not afford a pencil. He would ask his father to get a pencil for those students. Many of his classmates were enrolled under the mid-day meal scheme of the government. He would sympathetically and helplessly watch them running to form a queue and pushing one another for food. When I grow up, I shall ensure food for all.

He grew up with such strong attitude towards needy people around him. He would always reserve a window seat in long distance travels by bus. Most of the time, a pregnant woman would request him to spare it to manage her nausea. He would give up his seat without hesitation. He would book lower berth in trains when he went to North India for higher education. Many times, he would give up to elders or pregnant women or women with a baby or young child.

There were times when he had fought with fellow passengers to follow his gesture. “Can’t you see the old man standing? Why don’t you show some concern and offer him your seat?” A few times, some big bullies had jostled him for this. However, he would not relent. He would gather the support of other passengers to accomplish his mission.

When his wife was pregnant, he was extra caring of his wife. He was there with her except for the six hours at office that was at a walking distance. He was there with her during the childbirth and took the baby from the nurse even before his wife saw the baby. Then, he grew old, crossing sixty. His son was married. His wife and he had showered extra love and affection towards their daughter-in-law during her pregnancy. When he had to send her off to her mother’s place, he cried like a child. He became a grandpa at the age of sixty one.

With age came physical ailments. Congenital deformity in his spinal cord raised its hood after sixty. He developed acute cervical spondylosis. He was given traction and medication for activating the nerves and killing the pain. Cervical collar became a part of his attire. He was advised not to travel by bus and not to occupy the back seat in a car. Two-wheeler travel was a strict no. He was prevented from driving as his neck caused temporary vertigo from time to time.

He continued to work as a consultant after his retirement. As a rule, he travelled business class in order not to strain his neck and spine badly. Recently, he was to travel to Delhi. He was booked in a private air carrier. The airline staff were courteous to take care of him; so were the security personnel.

All went well until he boarded the coach.  A senior citizen who was seated in the coach rose and offered him the seat.

“It is ok Sir. You are elder. Please be seated.”

“But you are in pain. You deserve more than me.” He was probably sixty-five. Gautam accepted the offer profusely thanking him. He was indeed in pain but the travel to a client’s office at Delhi was critical. The coach waited at the terminal for a few minutes. Then he saw an elderly couple, probably above seventy five, slowly boarding the coach, with the support of the other passengers and their own walking sticks. They were accompanied by a girl probably their granddaughter. She must have been in her mid-twenties.

Gautam rose and offered his seat the woman who seemed weaker than the old man. He was shocked when the girl rushed to the seat and sat down. The old couple held on to the rod to stand steady, as if unaffected by this action of their granddaughet.

“I offered the seat to your grandparents because of their age,” Gautam hissed. His anger was clearly visible to everyone. No one spoke. The girl’s face went pale.

“Don’t you have the basic courtesy to offer them the seat? Isn’t there a limit to selfishness?”

The girl’s eyes became moist. She became too scared to respond. The old man said to Gautam, “No, it is alright.”

“Sir, it is this alright mindset that has spoiled the current younger generation. They just memorise books and pass exams. They even get jobs. But they do not learn values, manners and courtesy.” He wanted to say something about her upbringing but thought it would be too judgmental and personal.

“I am very disappointed by your behaviour, young lady. Disappointed.”

The old lady put her hand on his shoulder and said through her toothless mouth, “So, I understand your anger. We also want her to be seated. She is pregnant.”



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