Jesupatham Uncle
I first met him in 2004, when he rented his ground floor house to us. He was a simple looking man mostly dressed in white shirt and white dhoti and using a bicycle to commute. He used to take his cycle to his office, church and anywhere he went to. He didn’t own a mobile phone though he had bought one for his wife and both sons. Mind you, they are not poor or stingy people. I should say that he just didn’t feel like using all the latest gadgets. When he was free, I would mostly see him doing some work in the CSI Good Shepherd Church. Though I wasn’t a member of this church, I used to go often in the evenings when I come back from work. It was a routine for me after I get down from bus, I will go inside, talk to God for 15-20 minutes and then step out to go home. Most of the times, I will see him or the church attender. His wife is a nice person too, an aunt I will fondly remember. She used to grow nice flowering plants on the terrace. Whenever I went upstairs to their place, she would pluck roses and give it to me.
Though all of this would apply to any land lord or neighbor, one thing always made me smile. This uncle used to call his wife, “Paapa” (baby), yeah one of those pet names a husband would fondly call his wife. But most often you see this happening during the early years of marriage and a bed time routine. But this uncle will always address his wife as Paapa regardless if whoever is around. Both have two grown up sons (now married) and she was aging too. But the loving relationship they shared oblivious to their surroundings was beautiful. It was a good solid marriage.
I got to know he was suffering from cancer three months back. It came as a sudden shock. He wasn’t certainly the type who’ll get cancer. I mean, if he the one who bicycles a lot, doesn’t have flab, doesn’t have any bad habits or anything remote to have caused cancer, then who else can escape this dreaded disease? I had to travel to Chennai for a project meeting that day and I was determined to meet him same day too. Once I met him, I was shocked to see how fragile he had become. He was not able to talk and made signs to me asking whether I had breakfast and whether I am doing good. I almost broke down but kept my morale up hoping and praying to God that this shouldn’t be the last time I saw him.
That was the last time I saw him. I should say he was snatched away from near and dear ones by death!! But Uncle, you have certainly left behind a loving memory … and I would meet you on the other side of the river down the years along with our Lord.
Pastor Isaac
I am actually not sure why I clubbed these two persons together and certainly wish that this dear pastor is still alive and is passing his loving wishes to dear ones as usual. He used to be a pastor in CSI church and would frequent our home for prayers and fellow ship. He never forgot my birth days till I got married.. He would come, with the promises of God and would wish me early in the morning. He is one of those gentlemen who can make any trivial person feel so special in life.
Dear Pastor, my birth day has come once again and I am looking up to God in this heart less, meaning less world that is driven by power and is running behind money. Will you tell God that he shouldn’t leave my hand alone in this rat race but hold this trivial worm close to his heart? Ask him to make me strong so that I pass on the same love that you showered to me to people around me!!
Scribble 