Guriya by Safi Ur Rehman Sadiq
He was sitting there with me. Dejected, broken, disappointed. Everything, but hopeless.
"It's a tragedy. It happens. Bad things happen. It'll pass. Time will change. It always does."There are no tragedies, I said. But he disagreed. He seemed to have a lot of faith in humanity. I didn't argue.
"Yes, but he isn't here yet. You better take your child to a private hospital". He thought it was a good idea. At least until he reached the private place. There was treatment, paramedics, doctors, but not for his daughter.
Sir, are you listening to me?"
The next day, he took his landlady to the mall for shopping. Then to a cinema. Then to a restaurant. When finally they returned, he asked her for help. The family had all the means. But they refused to help. " Actually it's the last week of the month, so we don't have any money. I know you think we have a lot of resources but to be honest, we don't. But don't worry. You will get your salary right on time."
The next day was wedding of the son of his employer. The generous businessman invited him and his family. He was as much ecstatic as he was grateful to the old man.
Splendid wedding. Majestic display. Fireworks and everything. But back home, his 11 yrs old daughter fell mysteriously ill. She cried with insufferable pain for some time, going in and out of consciousness.
An ambulance was called and the kid rushed into the nearby hospital immediately. The father was standing alongside the stretcher of his sick daughter, shouting for the doctor.
Where was the doctor ?
"Where's the doctor?" he asked the staff on duty. "The doctor is not here. He hasn't arrived yet."
"Isn't it supposed to be an emergency hospital ? Isn't there supposed to be a doctor ?"
"Your daughter is suffering from a congenital disease. She is in a lot of pain. She will have to be operated upon. We can do it right away but you need to deposit Rs _____ .............
He had stopped paying attention. He didn't know whether it was good news or bad news. He didn't know whether to smile or cry. They gave him hope, and despair.
He didn't have one 10th of the amount. The only people he thought could help were the family he worked for. He was sure they'd help. After all he had been their driver for years
A thought crossed his mind. Is my daughter not worth it ? Are cinemas and designer suits more important? How come they have money for all of that but not for my little angel ? Are they actually willing to sentence my kid to death for a little, dirty money?
All the people he went to, all the people he thought could help, came
up with an excuse or another. The hospital refused to treat his daughter , saying he needed to deposit the money first. With no one left to go to, he went back to his little girl. Breathing heavily, labouring to catch every breath. He could feel her dying but there was nothing he could do. He could feel her soul leave her body but he was helpless. He held her daughter's head in his lap as her breaths became laboured.
She died in his arms. His little girl, his love, his family, his world, ending in his own arms. Can anything be more cruel ?
That night, He had a lot to think about. Who was to blame ? Maybe no one. Maybe it was a tragedy. Maybe it was all predetermined in God's plans. But what if he had the money ? Maybe the employer is to blame. Yes, it is him. It is his family. They killed my daughter. But what about the doctors? They could have saved her. I would've paid them later. They are the culprits too.
Later that night, he got a call from the good old lady "Be right on time tomorrow. It's Guriya's result". He told her he wouldn't make it. How could he ? He had to bury his own guriya.
He was sitting there with me. Dejected, broken, disappointed. No sparkle in his eyes, no plans in mind, no dreams in the subconscious.
"There is no such thing as tragedy. It's always someone's fault. Always. Some heinous ignorance, some gruesome deliberate act, some murderous overlooking .....
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