A True life story

They were in love. I would call them eternal lovers, George and Elsy. More than two scores of years of togetherness later,they set themselves as an example for the new generation,as to how two people can live, love and at the same time be happy. It is not a mean achievement. Happiness comes to those who choose to go after it. The price is acceptance, adjustment, and unconditional love.

Today as I write this,Elsy is alone. George has left her to a happier place called heaven. God chose to separate them one day. But then even this was accepted by Elsy, gracefully and I remained a mute witness. George was taken to the ICU that day as his condition worsened, and like a true soldier, Elsy sent him off, with her good bye. I think she knew that it was the last time she was going to see him alive. But sadly she could not hear his response as he was in a partial coma.

Elsy waited patiently in the room for news from ICU. I stayed with her holding her hand. By afternoon she heard that he was put in the ventilator when she held my hand more tightly, fully accepting the situation.The end came at 6.25pm and she put her head down amd silently wept. She didnt even want to meet him then for she said she would wait till her daughters arrived.

George was like RAJESH KHANNA, the eternal lover of the seventies and early eighties. He had a style of his own, and always used to hum the popular romantic hindi songs of that era with expressions.Elsy was his better-half in every sense of the word.The Chundadan house was always full of guests. One would find Elsy cooking the most delicious food effortlessly feeding the loved ones with much fervor.George and Elsy were much loved by their relatives and friends and they in turn did the same.

George was paralysed on his right side, and needed help from his wife for everything, even for being heard.His speech was affected when he was first struck with paralysis. I always used to wonder how Elsy alone understood his speech. The love and life that they shared helped her understand his mind too well. Even till the day he was hospitalised before the end came he was conducting his business of manufacturing foundry chemicals with the help of his wife, Elsy.

He was unable to sit or stand without help,but his mind was always very active. I used to see him looking for new avenues of business. I even told him that one day I would write his story of successful living and he beamed at me.
He was an enigma and I used to wonder where he was getting this enthusiasm for life from. Everytime he was hospitalised,we would find all his loved ones around him for days on end, giving him the much needed impetus to keep breathing.

We see all around us people vexed with the way life treated them, and here was a man who had everything going against him, but he wanted to live for ever. LOVE was fuelling his drive for life. He invested in love all his life and that alone proved to be the elixir of his life.

The day of the funeral, saw multitudes of friends and relatives thronging the house and church to bid goodbye to their old friend. The tearful farewell, was captured by the photographer to be stored as memories for Elsy to see when she was shedding a silent tear, alone, grieving in the Chundadan House.

I am sure they will meet around the bend and will continue their journey together in their coming lives.