Custom Search

Twice Bitten

by Vimala Ramu
(Bangalore)

It is a well known anomaly that opposites always attract. Our neighbour, a patient, soft spoken, helpful gentleman was a good friend of my husband. Why only a friend? He was friend, philosopher and guide all rolled into one. They, being engineers in different branches namely civil and electrical, complemented each other well. His wife, an extremely out going (or was it out- standing?!) type could talk to any one on the road for hours together, collect all their family news while acquainting them with her own family’s news and her extended families’ too.


When my husband had to undergo colonotomy, they were deeply concerned. So much so, the gentleman with a common friend took an auto-rickshaw to visit the patient in the hospital.

As I was at home, I could see them getting into the vehicle right in front of my house. But, I did not know where they were bound. I happened to be at home because my husband had just been brought home after his discharge. So, these two gentlemen, without even casting a casual look at our house, went all the way to the hospital just to be told that their friend had already been discharged. So, after two tedious trips to and fro through the peak hour traffic, they returned to be greeted by my husband right in front of their house!

About 8 years later, after an erratic ECG, my husband had to be rushed to the hospital directly from the family doctor’s clinic for an emergency heart operation. Thus we had no time to inform the neighbours. Seeing an open garage and a wide open gate and with nobody at home (we had planned to return home after the visit to the doctor as we were unaware of the seriousness of the situation), our neighbours were highly alarmed and deeply concerned.

Once they came to know about Ramu’s bypass surgery after a couple of days, our neighbour decided to visit the patient with another friend of ours. They did not want to repeat the earlier mistake. So, they tried to contact me on my ‘mobile’. Not getting any response, they however decided to go to the hospital. As soon as they reached there (negotiating through a traffic which had worsened 64 times during the 8 years), they were told that Mr.Ramu had just then been discharged and he was already on the way home.

Twice bitten……, they came all the way back to see Ramu heartily greeting them from our verandah!

Comments for Twice Bitten

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Nov 10, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Thanks
by: vimala ramu

Thank you Isabel. I have been avidly watching all your cooking and craft projects on FB. What a talent you are gifted with ! Keep it up.

Jul 29, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Thank you and God bless...
by: isabel

My mind's been littered with thoughts of yarns and thousands of crochet projects lately...Yet I cannot pass the chance to come here at Indus woman to read quietly, such a wonderful place to be. Thank you and God bless Vimala, Sneha, Lakshmi, Geeta and great writers.

Jul 07, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
thanks
by: vimalaramu

Thank you Pankaja for your encouraging words.

Jul 06, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
appropriate
by: nuggehallipankaja

It beats me how you can churn out even trivial things into entertaining humor! Everyday incidents which pass unnoticed by us all become noticed through your facile pen! It is time I emulate you,for, I have let off many a such incident Scot-free!

Jul 05, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
well
by: Sneha

Vimala, Yeh dil maange more!

Jul 05, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
topic
by: Vimala Ramu

You will find wonkier food for my blogs coming out as I become more and more senile!

Jul 05, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
anecdote
by: vimala ramu

Why, aren't you happy with the foreword I wrote?!!

Jul 05, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Enjoyed as usual...
by: Geetashree Chatterjee

What a coincidence and food for a unique blog!

Jul 05, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Oh, Vimala !!!!!!!!! :)
by: Sneha

You have such 'cool' neighbors... they're really very, very helpful. Its a pity we don't find them in Mumbai these days. The previous two places where we lived in Mumbai, we had the most wonderful neighbors. Sigh!

By the way, am jealous. Please write an anecdote on me now...why is it that everyone gets a space into your writing but not your younger friends? Unfair, Unfair !!!!!!!!

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Perspective.