Nov. 6th 2008. Downingtown PA
Sulo has passed away with a clear note in everybody’s mind that how insecure we are in our surroundings. People constantly talk on the phone while driving; we sometimes hardly stop on the stop signs and then rationalize by tossing a term called “Sliding Stop”. We are so insecure as a family, we don’t carry proper insurance policies. Just racing and chasing our American dreams but forgetting the basic necessities to lead a life that is safe for our society, for our surroundings and for our generations.
A life starts with so many promises, adulthood comes with so many responsibilities, womanhood encompasses so many attributes, could never be so clear after this incidence. An adult makes a mistake of not seeing a pedestrian crossing a road and the truck runs over a woman walking by. The pedestrian wave’s hand to let the driver know, somebody wants attention, but a driver is distracted by phone or by looking at the opposite traffic and runs over her. She falls down; her chest bears the weight of “Chevy Silverado”. The back tires runs over her and she knocked down by the truck still watches the driver in the rear view mirror thinking “Gosh would that he could see me lying here”.
She gets airlifted to a medical center that is supposed to be one of the best hospitals to handle severe accidents like this. She is conscience, breathing heavily, gets life support. Her brain is intact, her spinal cord looks fine. She writes on papers to convey her feelings, her willingness to fight the course, asking help from the God to let this time pass, constantly thanking medical staff for the care.
Her husband an IT consultant, 200 miles away from her, gets a call, asking to rush to the hospital. All her brothers, cousins start from their respective homes, driving in cars, catching flights and finding connections to get to the best doctors around.
The 3 year old doesn’t sleep without holding her mother’s long hair, she reminds through a note, her husband is very quite by nature; people should be constantly talking to him, she reminds through a hand written note. The 7 year old daughter understands that something is not right at the house. Nobody should inform kids here and parents back home in India.
Everybody is pitching in, somebody is taking care of children, someone is bringing food and someone is bringing holy ash to apply on her forehead. Every corner of the house is praying.
She fights for her life. Her chest bone is broken. Doctors have done this operation multiple times; he is very well known doctor of the area. After the operation, she even asks a nurse to wipe her back which got wet due to the sweat, again by writing on a piece of a paper, and here the story takes a turn, ends with a big blow to the family. She succumbs to her injuries.
All our prayers, all her blessings don’t carry any more meanings. Even existence of the merciful God becomes questionable. Major decisions are on the way. How the kids will be taken care of? Will their family shift to India? Should one of the brothers go back to India and so on & so forth.
Why all these, just because someone forgot to see a pedestrian walking in front of his car. A person just for some time might have driven away from his responsibilities or a person just might have forgotten his blue tooth at home or the person might have gotten into a heated conversation while driving. A question is so open, coming numerous times in humane mind.
Speeding cars, no speed breakers, no laws to enforce driving without be on the phone, again and again are becoming the reason for the irreparable losses.
An immigrant lands in States with a determination to realize an American dream, becomes the part of the celebration of festivals and gatherings in the communities, with the post graduate degree in pharmacy, passes the CFPG exam in a single attempt, brings so much expertise from the countries like Singapore, China and India, just ends her life on a turn where there is a stop sign that tells everyone to stop, near a school zone where the speed limit are as low as fifteen, that tells everyone to be cautious, but someone ignores the basics, acts irresponsibly and runs over a life that ends on a positive note to help us to act more responsibly and in more civilized way.
My humble prayer to the departed soul and my raised voice for the actions we need to take to make sure we don’t let any more “sulo-The Bravo Didi” feeling so helpless in their battle for life.
Tags: bravery
