The Home

I was searching for my mother for the past two months. She left my home quarreling with me and my wife. I enquired about her whereabouts from my relatives but to no avail. But I knew that she was not a weakling to lose her life by committing suicide. Nor she had health or money either to travel by train or car to go to a far off place; nor did she have any close or even a distant relative to seek refuge under such circumstances. Hence, I was rather confident that she must be alive and was somewhere nearby in an unknown place.I did not have any other idea for searching her. My wife suggested that I might prefer a man-missing complaint in the police station and in a vernacular daily or any other media such as local cable TV channel or DD Pothigai channel etc.But I was afraid to make any such complaints for they might flare up the news among my relatives and friends and they might look down at me. Hence for fear of being rebuked or speaking ill of me by others I kept mum. Perhaps my ego played a crucial role in my passive attitude. But something was haunting me day by day ever since my mother was missing. After a month or so, my cousin called me over my mobile phone. ‘Mother had telephoned to my mom and dad. She is at a Home nearby Cuddalore.You can call her over phone’ and he gave me the phone number also. I heaved a big sigh of relief. I rang up the telephone number. Somebody else, perhaps a person in charge of the Home answered. I introduced myself and then enquired about my mother mentioning her name, age and complexion etc. ‘You mean Santha Ammal from Villupuram?’ ‘Exactly, How is she?’ ‘She is fine. But while joining Home she told us that she was an orphan.That’s why we admitted her.This is a Home meant for destitute, orphans and poorest among the poor. Then we cannot accommodate her. Take her back.You may have to pay for her stay here for the past two and half months.’ ‘Ok, Mam.’ ‘But your mother is hale and healthy. She is very helpful to us. In fact, she is very much interested in doing service here; she attends to the disabled people; consoles destitute; Despite her age, what is her age... you said 75, isn’t it? She is very helpful in maintaining this home. She helps in cooking too. Ok, when do you come?’ ‘Tomorrow, morning’ The next day I went to the Home in my scooter. The Home was situated at the top of a hill. My scooter refused to cooperate with me after some distance. I left it down the slope and walked about 500 meters. When I went to the Home, there was a studied silence. It was in a natural habitat.and the climate was so good. I also saw some natural fountains nearby the Home from which pure and fresh water was gushing out in plenty. I could not resist my temptation from drinking some water that was so cool and sweet. When I entered the Home it was about 11 a.m. But what I saw in the Home was simply heart breaking. Unhealthy, aged, physically challenged and destitute people, a few so thin children, but all of them were in rags. I looked for my mother. She was in the kitchen giving some instructions for the preparation of mid day meal. ‘Mom’ ‘ …’ Perhaps still her anger against me was fresh. I spoke with the person in charge of the Home. I paid the dues as demanded by her. When I tried to take back by mother, she responded as follows: ‘Ram, I am not coming with you. I do not have any grudges or ill will against you or your wife. I have already brought up my grand children and now they are grown up and well settled. They no longer need my help or support. But see these people. They always need help. So I want to stay here and spend the rest of my life meaningfully. I am really enjoying what I am doing here. I help all these hapless people and I have immense pleasure in doing this. You may even frown at me. But I don’t mind. But these people deserve our help, sympathy and support. I am going to just provide what they need in the rest of my life. I have already spoken to the management of the Home. They appreciate my gesture. You need not pay anything to the Home for my stay here. If you want to see me, you are always welcome’ Then my mother went inside the kitchen of the Home.I waited for some time. But her decision seemed to be final. I left the Home quietly with mixed feelings. I was in tears even after reaching my home at Villupuram. When I told my wife what happened at the Home, she frowned at me. I had no idea how to convince my wife but I really felt proud for my mother but I could not express it openly at my home.