THE GOLDEN NECKLACE

I was in a mood to wind up these writings, thinking what worth it was to write on my past. After all, I am not a popular person. There was nothing for any one to learn or copy from my life. Such incidents which I write might have often happened in any body’s life. It might be because I am too sentimental that these remain as unforgettable memories with me. Yes, that had always been so. Time can not wash away certain incidents that captured my heart.

Yesterday my daughter called me up from Bangalore and asked why I stopped the writing. She had been in fact the inspiration behind my blog. When I retired from the service, it was her suggestion that I should try to recollect the eventful incidents of the past and give them a shape in writing for her to read. She probably had the idea to make me engaged in something, so that I don’t feel bored sitting idle.  

I told her that what ever remained green in my memory had been already unloaded.

“Okey; but there could be still many other incidents too which you might have deleted time to time from your memory as not worth storing. You can try to restore them from the recycle bin”, she rather pleaded.

“There could be”, I replied. “But those would look too silly to be written”, I explained.

That was when she asked me whether I have read the books of Smt Sudha Murty, wife of the Infosys giant. Seldom did I read books in my later years. I said, “No”.

She said that she had bought two books written by Smt Sudha Murty. She had already read one, titled ‘The day I stopped drinking milk’. She is on to the next, which is titled ‘Wise and otherwise’. She said that she enjoyed the one she already read which contained several incidents in the author’s life.

 “These may appear to be silly at first. But, each incident revealed a lot, firing my thoughts”, She said. “Silly things also matter. That is my point”, she continued convincing me. And I agreed. She had a habit of pestering me with such ideas which she considered great, but often it was my way to snub them as foolish. But in the arguments to be followed, she often won. Be it that, but deep in my heart, I had a feeling that she is more sensible than me. And I often surrendered to what she suggested. Let these at least be a substitute for the stories failed to be told by a grand father to his grand children, to be read in future, I thought. May be, they would know and remember me through these silly narrations from my life.

And so comes out this story of a golden necklace. It was of about a two and a half sovereign gold which my wife wore for her marriage. That was the most precious and valuable item which we possessed then. She had a little bit of other ornaments, but she made it a point to wear the necklace while attending any marriage function. With glittering red stones studded to it, it was a marvelous piece. The images of her early days imprinted in my memory had always this necklace around her neck. It suited her well and she proudly wore it too, as if it was a symbol of her social status.

For her first delivery, I got her admitted to a private hospital in our home town. Certain symptoms prompted me to consult a doctor there and he suggested that it was time to admit her for the delivery.  I should have been looking for a Government hospital in fact, considering the financial position I was in. But, I was seriously concerned with her comfort and safety rather than my financial prospects.  I had a little savings from my salary and I thought I would be able to afford her the luxury of a private hospital. The dreams about the new to be born filled our hearts.

What I did not expect was that it would take too many days at the hospital. Three weeks passed since she got admitted. I remained at the hospital all along. My money reserve got dried up. The expenses were going beyond my expectations. And I had to fetch more money to pay the final bill and get her discharged after her delivery. I didn’t even know how many days she would have to remain further in the hospital. Dreams slowly paved way to anxiety.

I was never in the habit of saving money. Definitely, I had the thoughts for the day next. But, I never cared for a long future. And there wasn’t much left to be saved also. When I wanted to purchase anything more than the normal expense, I didn’t shy to borrow money from my friends. I never felt any wrong in doing that. I would repay it at the shortest possible time. Borrowing from friends, to me, was like using the ATM card now-a-days. When I needed money to meet an extra expense, I simply asked some friends who had it. Never did any one deny. And so was with me too in giving out loans. That was the way in the camp. Every one reaches and helps out, because all have the feeling of sailing in the same boat.

But, that was not to be so at my native place. Here I didn’t have such friends. I had relatives. But I was soon to realize that my camp friends were better than relatives. My attempt to borrow, from some whom I considered reliable, also ended up in disappointment. Every one had some excuses to express their helplessness. There were advices also that I should have preferred the military hospital. Yes, I should have. That would have been better. But, I thought to have my wife’s first delivery at my native place itself where all our close relatives would be at an arm’s distance. I thought that my wife would feel more confident and comfortable if it was at the native place, rather than at a distant military hospital. It was her first delivery. I should give preference to her wishes…

I had to get some money somehow. I was told that the delivery would take place any way on the day next. The doctor decided that my wife would either undergo the normal delivery or the caesarian on the following day. He would only wait for that day more. Drugs to cause pain would be administered to her the next day morning if she didn’t develop it of her own, the doctor said. And if it didn’t work out, she would undergo the caesarian.

I was half listening to what the doctor said. My mind was drifting to some other matters. How to fetch money? That was the big question before me. I pondered over my remaining options.

I thought of the golden necklace. We valued it much. I knew that she was deeply attached to it. And I too liked to see her with the necklace adorning her neck. It was the only one. It was almost like a symbol of our sentiments; our love.

I considered pledging it with a Bank to obtain a loan. I could redeem it later. With the necklace in hand, I started my run from Bank to Bank. No Bank was accepting it. This was partly expected. Because, it was in the Newspapers that many banks decline to accept gold as pledge considering the immense theft cases reported. In the last Bank I went, I had a bitter experience too. I was asked to wait for a while and the Bank man called up the police. I was taken aback when I realized that it was for the police to come that I was asked to wait for. I showed the police my military identity card and explained the situation I am in. He went back. The Banker excused himself telling me that it was an instruction from the police to call them if any one came to pledge ornaments. He declined to accept it even then, and I decided not to try with the Banks any more.

Frustrated and deeply distressed, I decided to sell the necklace in some jeweler’s shop. It was a painful decision. I hoped that I could explain the situation and my wife would accept it. Parting with it would definitely sadden her, but I expected that the pleasure of seeing the smile of our new born would compensate it to a great extent. Thinking of her, I wondered what would be her situation then. Could it be that she had already given birth. For more than three weeks I was with her at the hospital all the time and when the D-Day neared, I was away. I cursed my destiny.

Before selling it, I decided to make a last attempt with a Bank. I had a cousin working in a scheduled Bank. I called him and requested to help in getting a loan from his Bank. He replied that his Bank also doesn’t accept gold pledge as a policy matter, but told that he knew of a bank which still gives loan on gold. A person quite familiar and known to him was working there and he would try through him. He kept his promise and later informed me that he had talked to the person and it was agreed that the loan would be given on the next day morning.

The most important next day arrived. My wife was to have her delivery. That was her business. I was to get the loan. That was my business. Things were now in that way for me. My mind was almost blank, inconsiderate, caring less, neglectful, non-bothering and leaving things to fate. I proceeded to the Bank.

After a long wait, I got the loan. I heaved a sigh of relief. I didn’t expect the police because of the recommendation tagged to the loan.

I felt as if I was rich. Without wasting any time, I proceeded back to the hospital.

“Where were you all this time? She has already given birth to a female child”. My wife’s grandmother told me; half in informing and half in accusing.

I sat on a chair and took out my packet of cigarette. I could relax now. I was a habitual smoker in those days. Suddenly I thought of my new born. How would she be? She must be like her mother, I thought. After all it was a female child. I took out a cigarette from the packet and searched for the matches.

For a moment, I looked at the cigarette. It crossed my mind then that I would be kissing my baby with the nicotine tainted lips, if I light it. No, I should not do that. I should save on its expenses too. I should be a responsible father. I should care for my baby’s health. No more unnecessary expenses. I should have money always to meet the family needs. I threw the cigarette along with its packet to the dustbin.

I took two decisions on that day. First, I would not smoke again. Second, I would not borrow money from any one any more.

32 years elapsed since. Thanks to His grace, I had been able to follow both till this day.

My second child, for obvious reasons, was born in a military hospital.

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