“Excuse me, sir”. The man turned around, smiled and stepped aside. But he couldn’t hide his tears.
It was pretty usual. He’d see faces - sad faces, faces with fear, faces with hope, faces with emotions… now he was pretty used to all of them. They’d come over to see sick relatives, to see people fighting with death, or mothers going through unbearable pain. Even though the causes were different, the pain was always the same. Sometimes there was hope, and at others, smiles from life.
It was almost noon. That meant a short break for him. He looked at the floor; it needed at least one more wipe through. He decided it’d be his last one.
That was his job. Mopping the floors of that huge mansion that people call the hospital. Right from morning until dusk. Not that he hated his job. Not that he loved it, either. No point. He’d have to do that anyways.
There was something about it that he liked. It gave him strength and hope to survive, a reason to live. He’d have to wipe off all the dirt on the floor, brought in by visitors. As soon as he’d finish cleaning the floor, he’d turn around to find innumerable shoe marks, waiting to be wiped off. And then, he’d have to start all over again, from the very beginning. This, to him, resembled the lives of the patients – they had to struggle constantly to keep death away. At times they’d win. At others…
He kept the mop aside for some rest. He began sipping some coffee and his mind wandered away. They’ve admitted a young lad today- accident due to reckless driving. That’s a serious one. Two fractures- one major, another minor. Serious bruises all over the face. He’s hardly 18. His father looked some 20 yrs. Older than his actual age. A few more patients with minor problems… a young lady in the pediatrics ward… the kid for dialysis…The kid for dialysis! Bright urchin, dark life. Kidney failure, none available for replacement. Even then he is always so cheerful. He really gives one a hope to live.
This kid reminds him of his son. He was barely five when a truck crushed him. Since then he has been here – mopping floors. The kid is coming this way. He is sitting so calmly. He actually enjoys riding his wheelchair- “ I feel like a prince sitting on the throne” – he’d once told him. They exchange smiles and then they take him to the dialysis section.
He can hear his chuckling inside – he must be playing the fool with the doctor. Kid. He was missing his son desperately. If he were here…
He chuckling suddenly stopped and there was absolute silence. But this silence was so eerie. It was deafening – like that of a graveyard. He tried to brush off all thoughts aside and picked up the mop. They’re bringing someone out of the dialysis center – the sheet has been drawn over the face. Beside the stretcher is a lady with tears streaming down her face. She’s the kid’s mom. He picked up the mop and started mopping vigorously.
A tear drop glistened on the marble floor.
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