Ouch...
I did not know where I was. I opened my left eye. An array of bandages crisscrossed from head to toe like a shattered old radio hastily taped up. I could not see an inch of my skin. An exotic bulb was casting a red light at my right leg from the lamp perched on the foot of my bed. My right foot toes were peeping out from a grey mould of plastic wedges and cotton wool.
Judging by the looks, it must be a multi-specialty hospital. A bunch of suave guys sporting white coats were bending all over me with prying eyes, in exaggerated movements. They looked agitated, debating in low, partly intelligible voices in mixed metro accents. All I could hear and see were their curt verbal pronouncements and ceaseless gesticulations. Some of them were hectically scribbling prescriptions and diagnostics. I could not hear clearly get how many bones were involved but by the expressions on their staid faces it must be very high.
Oh, what a pain! How I wished I went into coma. The pain was creeping. It was present hideously in every sinew. I just lay there helplessly seething in pain wondering why they didn’t give painkillers yet. Wouldn’t they understand what pain could be to a human? I wished they stopped circling me as if I were a strange one-eyed monster washed ashore by a Tsunami. Did they have no stock of anesthesia or good old chloroform? Or did they mistake me for a willing human guinea pig, as they were casually taking notes. Was I being used in a new research?
I wished I could scream till the whole world erupted. But all I did was shake my torso a bit, the only untied portion. I just watched the medical team pass on to my neighbors bed, might be having another chap like me, providing a possible scoop for a medical journal in their next article.
That was when I thought of God as proverbial last straw. Quickly I tried to recite words from my well versed prayers. To my surprise, the once familiar prayers were not coming to me. Did I lose my memory or what? Pity I could not recollect a simple prayer. It was frustrating. After all I trusted the Almighty in totality all my life.
I started crying loudly to the shock of my fellow patients, in great elaboration like I was doing my prayers every night to the extent of a refined art, without any external prompt. Yes. It was always comforting to cry ones heart out, lustily. Tears rolled down over the bandages turning them into near yellow pads what with my ocular saline diluting the multicolored ointments beneath.
That was when I saw my dear friend George walking towards me from the open door. The florescence of a neon bulb threw a halo around him. What a relief! His presence made a world of difference. Now I had no need to worry as I was sure he would take over all my burdens and pains.
George was a nice chap. He had all the answers up his sleeve. He was always there to give succor to the needy. His very presence is a harbinger of comfort.
I signaled to George to sit by my side. My voice got back its strength miraculously. I begged him not to leave my side for a second. My next question was how I got there and what happened to my vehicle. Yes. The details were coming. I hit a stationary ambulance while I was returning from the late night show. What a shame! George provided the clue to the present status. In fact, he met the chief doctor who told him I would be discharged positively in the morning. I challenged him, "Why, George? It couldn’t be so. How is that I would be discharged so soon when so many of my bones were involved? I heard them talking about them. Better ask them to put me on a treatment plan and fix my bones right now!”
George smiled reassuringly, “Dear friend! What made you think you broke your bones?”
“Look at my condition. I was feeling awfully miserable till you have come. Every part of my body was in great pain. I could not move a single digit even. Tell me! Is it not high time they gave me some medicines soonest? I heard them already talking of some drugs.”George sighed, “You know, the chief doctor was all apologies for the mistake happened in your case. An intern who admitted you had mixed up your X-rays with those of another guy. In fact, that poor guy was involved in a building collapse and sadly succumbed to his injuries a little while ago. It was a different matter he was luckily survived during a crash when the ambulance ferrying him here. ”
Impulsively, I started checking on my each of the pain source. I was pleasantly surprised to find nothing that caused so much pain. Oh! No pain. My mighty dear George! Where did it go? Why? For no reason, I had dumbly suffered thinking there was pain.
Then all of a sudden those words from my prayers were rushing back. I did not know when I slipped into sleep.
I opened my eyes some 24 hours later. I saw my wife at the foot of the very bed. Tears were rolling from her eyes. She told me to thank the surgeons for having miraculously executed a great job in putting together about a dozen bones and three joints with steel rods and wires, not to mention sewing up some strayed ligaments.
Soon, the old phantom pain took over me and I could not find my George around either. Again all those prayers became elusive to my mind. I called out for George. But there was nobody by name George among my friends, my wife clarified.