THE GREEK HOSPITAL (ITY)!

The most exciting month on the NDC course is May when the officers and their spouses go out on their much awaited travel abroad .Like all others I too looked forward to this travel to Vietnam and Greece which was assigned to us and was excited about the former country because of the shopping opportunities it throws up and the latter for the rich cultural and historical background.

Trouble brewed in Malaysia when i developed sudden pain and irritation in my right eye which was bothersome as it kept watering and impairing my vision a bit. Gen Bakshi told Kumar that it would be wise to call in a doc at the Delhi airport where we were heading after the Vietnam leg enroute to Greece. On arrival the duty doc marched up and in no time told me to call off my trip and to head straight to AIIMS as the eye was more important than the trip! I made little of his diagnosis saying he isn’t an eye specialist and without any instruments cannot give a final picture like this at all.

We took off for Greece but on the flight it felt worse and so on advise from Rakesh Sharma and others called the DA from Vienna to fix an appointment with an eye doc at Greece.

The descend to Greece was the most awesome sight ever with the sea coast, the streamers, Gondolas the mountainous terrain, and green plains rolled together making the environs picture postcard perfect. All this I admired with one eye!!!!!

On arrival we went straight to the hospital and the doc called Monusakis was shocked at the state of my eye, galvanized into action, took pictures of the 'good' eye as he called it and the other eye, showed them on the comp and convinced Kumar that I had to be admitted immediately! My world came crashing down and apprehensions of being alone in a strange country with strange(ly) good looking people all around, specially the handsome Greek Docs gripped me and heightened my fear to an extent that I told Kumar to stay back with me that night in the hospital! Quick arrangements were made the paper work was in place and we were made comfortable in a special ward.

Then started a rigorous routine of drops every half hour (which meant no sleep for three full days!) and the efficiency, care and timing with which Labrini, Erinie Dora and a couple of others did the job is commendable. The experience was truly out of the ordinary and the nursing assistants and Pedro the guy who served food were so good and friendly that time flew by and it felt like being at home. Especially the time they all made to chat me up, some out of curiosity about a foreign national, some to improve their English and others out of sheer courtesy touched me .The other touching gesture that kept me going was the beautiful thoughtful and timely ‘get well’ card that the ladies and officers of the group sent through Kumar the next day. I have made friends for life and am in contact with a few of them on the net.

The efficiency, equipments, friendly demeanor and hospitality of the Greeks left me speechless and I gave them 'thank you' cards to express my deep sense of gratitude for their kindness and timely help.

Erinie was so besotted by my friendship that she bought me an ice-cream on the day of my discharge. When she asked me if all Indians were like this , I told her "They are better!" and that according to her was an award winning answer!

One returning to the hotel,I realized that I was lucky enough not to have missed out on the trip to the Oracle of Delphi . So the next day I set out in earnest to see and know more about the Greek land and at the Oracle of Delphi lost my diamond ring!. The story goes that in olden days the people who visited the Delphi gave expensive gifts in return for favors granted by the Oracle and in my case when someone asked me what 'favor' I got for giving my diamond ,I promptly replied "My eye"

Like someone said I did get to see more places than the rest of the course!!!!!!!

MY FIRST LOVE

Driving for nearly three hours

in my dodge,

I was suddenly reminded of my love,

on seeing OORVASI lodge.

I drove into the car park,went into

the dimly lit restaurant,

and choose a cozy comfortable table

at one end of the room

I asked for her and "instantly"

she came to me,

all dressed in orange and white

A queenly sight!

with an aroma that roused my instincts.....

I lost my composure, and

immediately lifted her to me

with both my hands ,

touched my lips with hers

gingerly which few do

till she was completely exhausted.

A touch of satisfaction lit my face

and i became fresh as morning dew.

She is mine and mine will ever be,

Yes, she is she is sweet orange and white

And everybody calls her "TEA"

LIFE

The waves,
echoing beyond the shores are heard among the farthest Hebredies
Amid the din of wind and rain
raging around,
they go unnoticed as they dash against the rocks and break away.

But a radiant calm pervades
around the boat,
steered by you,
and I
oblivious of all this
engrossed in my knitting...
criss-crossing the needles mechanically,
weaving patterns i have in mind.

(But who knows what the end will be like?
Is'nt life too a similar pattern with an unknown end??)

Slowly the waves rise and dash against
the sides of the boat,
disturbing the tranquil calm,
tossing the vessel about in the sea.

Like the perennial seaswell
life is lifted up
and dropped again
and threatened.....

amidst the steady whisperof the waves,
they begin growing in size to frightful heights.

You were lost in deep thought
and the smoke from
the cigarette you were smoking
wafted across the air in
circular rings
and this minute's slackness
brought the pattern of your life
to an abrupt end.

Perhaps,
destiny,
willed it.
You were devoured by the insatiable
waves
coming back in quick successions to be seen no more.

I
opened my eyes on the shores

now
I'm a vegetable
animate -yet inanimate
bereft of all enthusiasm
my mind was obnubilated as
my eyes wandered away
slowly
resting on
the unfinished pattern on the knitting needles.

RECIPIE FOR SUCCESS

BLANCH the brain
in boiling hot water.
Peel and Skin the
outer layer!

Sift and seive out
ego,negativism, greed,
jealousy and evil thoughts from
the centre and
stuff it back with
positive thoughts kindness, forbearace
and a quest for knowledge.

Add a dash of intelligence,
and a sizeable amount of maturity.
Bake it in the skull for life and dish out
generous helpings when required!!