That Night

That Night [2 September 2006]

It was the night of 1st September 2006, and I was at our home in Bangalore, back from work and had the tickets for the morning Air Deccan 5:50am flight to Delhi. I was on call with my father who told me that ‘it’ could happen anytime now – I already knew this. Next call was to my wife (Richa), who had already been admitted to the ‘nursing home’ there – she was fine and was consoled that I would be coming the next day.

I had been to Rampur just the previous week – on a short notice – due to ‘false’ labour pains which caused my in-laws to have Richa admitted to the nursing home. I was later told about the experience and details by my wife. The doctor there had tried all possible means to have the pains increased, but to no avail. She was later discharged with the advise to come back when the ‘pains’ re-appear.
They were back and Richa was also back to the nursing home. All said that it was to be a ‘normal’ delievery – but as it turned out – it was a C-section (as called in medical parlance).

It was easy getting up that morning (although I slept late – lazing about in packing the usual ‘big’ suitcase that I normally always carry with me), promptly as the alarm in my mobile went off at 3:45, got fresh, locked up the house, and was out to get to the airport in an autorikshaw.

The flight was uneventful (without any sleep even) – reached Delhi – took a bus to Connaught Place – a bus from the Shivajinagar stop to Ghaziabad – and another from there to Rampur. It had started raining by the time we were some way off Rampur – and what a rain it was – ‘cats and dogs’ and what not more!!! I got down at Rampur at about 17:05 pm and looked around for a rickshaw for our home – no one was in sight – decided to walk it out (it was still raining – down to a drizzle now) – by the time I had our home in sight the rain had become heavy again and I saw the power go out just then – climbed over the gate to enter the house – which was surprisingly filled with about 1 inch of water all the way from the road to the main door – and entering in from the bottom. (I later got to know from my dad that the carpet in the living room was floating in water and had to be moved!!!). I put down my bag – and went to the neighbouring shop to make a call (the shop-wallah recognized me as the son of my father – and allowed me to make a call from his mobile instead). My father answered in about 4-5 rings – briefly saying that I’m just outside and coming soon…He came in about a minute I got back to our house – breaking the news – ‘Ladki hui hai, aur operation se’. I looked at my watch – it was 17:55 – about 20 minutes back – ‘hum do se teen ho gaye’ and as they say ‘Life would never be the same again’!!!

I went to the hospital on the ‘Activa’ – that is when I got the first glimpse of her – she was already in her dadi’s lap sleeping as a baby only can. I stayed that night in the hospital – getting my first lessons in preparing a bottle with milk powder (making sure that it was not too thick!!!

My wife later gave me the details and her experiences. One thing she told me was that the rain that day, made all relatives and friends coming to visit her, come with a ‘change of clothes’ in a polytheen – so as to change from the wet ones on arrival at the hospital !!!

I stayed for two days before coming back to Bangalore – alone.