Page 174 - FATE & DESTINY

FATE & DESTINY

“Say it’s not an intestinal obstruction, please,” I whispered. After Dr. John left the ward, I said, “Did he
fart at home, Ama?”
“He farted at home,” she said, “but not here.”
“It may not be an intestinal obstruction.”
“You know what? You should rub his bum.”
“Massage his bum? Why?”
“Dr. John told us,” she said. “Just do it.”
I massaged Rinchen’s scrawny bum. After fifteen minutes of continuous rubbing, Rinchen farted.
“Oh, he farted!” I ejaculated.
Choki giggled, covering her mouth. “Didn’t I tell you?”
“You are right,” I said, overwhelmed. “That’s one lesson I learned from you.”
At 11:00 pm, a nurse came to replace the drip. “What’s stinking?” she said.
“It’s a fart,” I said, giggling.
She twitched her nose. “Pooh!”
“It means my baby doesn’t have an intestinal obstruction, right?”
“No idea,” she said. “Why don’t you ask the surgeon?”
When Dr. John came in the evening, I said, “He farted, doctor.”
“Really? It may not be an intestinal obstruction.”
“Can you irrigate him?”
“Okay. I will instruct the nurse.”
Soon after he left, the nurse irrigated Rinchen. Feces filled the cellophane bag tied at the end of the
tube.
The nurse let out a whimper of disgust. “Eek! Empty the bag, please.”
I put the catheter and bag into the bin. Hours later, the rumbling stopped and Rinchen talked, and he
played that night. One week later, Dr. John discharged him. Upon our request, he also consented to send
us for the baby’s review to CMCH.
This time, I went to Biney Travel Agent in Jaigaon. A dashing man in a black suit greeted me.
I shook his hands. “I came for my train tickets. Mrs. Phuntsho Choden has booked for us.”
“ID card, please?” he demanded.
A young lad with long hair, on the chair beside him, said, “Vellore?”
“Yes,” I said.
“I am headed for my college.”
“Which college?”
“Bangalore.”
“Are we traveling on the same train?”
“Yes.”
“You name, please?”
“Dendup.”
“Six thousand rupees,” interrupted Mr. Biney. “A nun is escorting her patient to Vellore. Can you take
them with you?”
I had no time to ask their details. So, I said, “Okay.”
“Departure time is 11:00 am. You must arrive at Alipur Railway Station half an hour early. I will arrange
a taxi. It’s two thousand.”
“It’s reasonable,” said Dendup.
“Okay.”
“Please tell Aney,” said Mr. Biney.
Outside, I dialed the number. “Um, Mr. Biney gave me your number. Are you Chojey?”
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