"Isn't our son too much naughty?" Sanchita asked the question to her husband Rupak. Rupak who was busy with his laptop for some office tasks said yes without even glancing at his son.
"You are always busy with your laptop. You have no time for us." Sanchita blamed Rupak for not looking at their son.
"How often will I remind you that I work in a multinational company. In this Covid time, I have only the way to attend my office through this laptop. If I can't do my office work here, I'll lose my job?" Rupak shouted at Sanchita.
This was not the first time they were arguing on the topic. Fighting over the same issue had become their daily routine.
Sanchita and Rupak got married six years back. It was not at all a love marriage. It was an arranged marriage. Two years later their only son was born. They named him Kush. They had the best understanding. It was Covid and work from home had come into their marital life as the miscreant.
Kush was not aware of what his parents were arguing for. He was busy in his own world. Jumping, running, taking everything in his mouth, playing games on mobile were his world. If someone called him, he would mimic his father's favourite phrase "I'm busy".
Just like Kush had a habit of swallowing everything in his mouth, Sanchita always kept the floor clean. But that day, Kush found a big one rupee coin on the floor. It might have fallen from Rupak's wallet. He swallowed the coin. The coin got stuck in the windpipe also known as the trachea inside his throat. He started coughing and had trouble breathing.
Seeing their only son having trouble breathing, Sanchita and Rupak forgot everything and came to save him. They panicked for a while as there was no hospital left to take care of such a patient during the pandemic. It is also a biological response for parents to see their children in danger. Sanchita began weeping. Kush was her life. Rupak, controlling his emotion, called one of the paediatricians from his mobile contact list.
The paediatrician reached their home in fifteen minutes. By then Kush's health had worsened more. The paediatrician checked him for some time and found it very difficult to bring out the coin from his throat. He suggested that his parents should get him admitted to the hospital soon. The paediatrician also knew that finding a hospital was very difficult for the Covid. So he recommended a suitable nursing home for their child. Rupak booked a cab through the Uber app and left for the nursing home.
The nursing home was big and clean. It was a private nursing home. It was a two-storey building. On the ground floor, there were six smaller rooms whereas on the other side there was a longer compound. In a far corner of the compound, an idol of Krishna was placed. The compound was fully crowded with patients and their parents except for the corner where the idol was placed.
It was an uncontrollable situation for the nursing home staff as there were many patients but few doctors. They were returning most of them because even the rooms were not empty. Kush's parents also faced a similar situation and were almost about to return. The owner of the nursing home was a close friend of the paediatrician. Therefore, they were able to admit her to that nursing home despite many difficulties.
A doctor was called to examine Kush. Kush was still then battling for life.
"The patient is serious. I need to slit his throat to get the coin out. Otherwise, there is no other option." The doctor sought the permission of Kush's parents.
Kush's parents were so broken that they agreed without wasting a moment. He was taken to the operation room immediately. Sanchita and Rupak were kept waiting on a bench in the compound. Sanchita couldn't stop her groaning. Rupak was trying very hard to stop her. Sanchita had understood that bad news was coming out soon. She saw her son wasn't moving a bit when he was being taken to the operation room. Suddenly Sanchita noticed the idol of Krishna in the far corner of the compound.
Sanchita was a great devotee of Lord Krishna. She grew up worshipping the adorable god. She ran to that corner and knelt down in front of the idol begging for her son's life. She was sobbing. Rupak didn't want to disturb her. so he preferred to sit on the bench. One hand gently touched Sanchita's back. She turned around. To her surprise, it was a nurse holding a holy book in her right hand.
"Don't think so much. In the meantime, read this holy book. God will take care of your son. I'm going to the operation room to do my best to save your son. After reading the book, you place it at the feet of the idol." The nurse entered the operation room after advising her.
Sanchita followed her advice. She read the holy book. The book was about the life of Krishna and his philosophical advice. Sanchita merged into the book. She forgot everything about her present circumstances. Almost one hour passed. Sanchita was called by Rupak when the latter saw the doctor coming out of the operation room. She reached the doctor after placing the book at the feet of the idol.
"Don't worry. He's fine now. You can take him home after two hours." The doctor made them happy.
"Thank you, Doctor. I also want to thank the nurse who helped you in the operation to save my son. Please call her here." Sanchita implored.
The doctor called his assistant nurse who was in the operation room all the time. But it was not the same nurse Sanchita had met.
"No, doctor, she is not the same nurse I met an hour ago." She was surprised.
But ma'am, it was she who helped me in the operation. The doctor informed her.
"Then who was she who gave me a holy book to read and entered the operation room?" Sanchita got suspicious.
"A holy book! Where is the book?" Rupak asked her?
"There, at the feet of the idol." She took everyone near the idol.
Everyone looked at the feet of the idol but there was no trace of any book.
