LEAVE HIM IN HEAVEN

         LEAVE   HIM     IN      HEAVEN

Prakash  was a  successful    business   entrepreneur. Happily   married  and blessed with a  son,  Prakash  lived  in his own posh bungalow.  

Prakash  had everything that one could  ask   for in life.    

But   Prakash had one  major weakness;  

he used to light  up  and puff   frequently;

It all  started  immediately  after  graduation.  

"How do we celebrate, now that we are through with college," He asked  his friends;  

"Well lets head to a different part of town, and be more free " replied Mohan. 

They did so, and out came a packet of cigarettes;  

"Let's light up; I have been wanting to do this for a long time", said Mohan;  

For Prakash and his pals,  this was a novelty; 

"Not for me"  said Prakash,  "but you all go ahead"

"Come on  Pras - don't  be a sissy"  said  Mohan , as he lit  up and thrust it into  Prakash's  mouth;

Now inhale and blow out the smoke, he told Prakash.

The next time the group met, the cigarettes came out again, 

and to tease Prakash , Mohan said, "Well  since  Prakash isn't going to blow, I will take his  butt   also."

This angered Prakash.

He pulled out one from  the pack, and lit up too .  

As he inhaled the smoke, Prakash  noticed a change in himself ;  

his mind was clearer, he was no longer the diffident  Prakash,  but a confident  person, both in words and deeds. .

Years  rolled by,  and Prakash  was  now married  to his  child sweet heart  Lakshmi; 

after working for a few years, in an Engineering concern, Prakash  had resigned and started his own manufacturing  unit.  

The company  was doing good business  and Prakash  had plans for its expansion.   

Prakash was a busy man these days; 

he would get up in the morning, light up, to clear his mind from a semi slumber mood;  

After  breakfast, he just had time to read the papers, and blow another,  as he had to rush to his factory; 

"I wish  you would cut down on your cigarettes, dear", said Lakshmi but  it was of no avail;  

At the factory,  he talked to his customers, workers, and staff  always  with a lit up  cigarette in his hand.!!  

***   
        

Dr  Patel,   looked at the reports, and spoke:

"The disease  has spread all over the body; We have given you the best  possible treatment;  I am sorry Prakash but now its only a matter of time."

Prakash  returned  home,;  Lakshmi  could  read it all in his face ;

That  night Prakash  could not sleep; his entire life unfolded before him;  

he wondered how Lakshmi would cope with life in future without him;  

For her part  Lakshmi had tried everything humanly possible.

She had consulted family priests, astrologers well wishers and done as per their bidding.

They had also  tried  other cures, Ayurvedam, Homeopathy Siddha, Nature, but to no avail.

  * * *    
  

The  disease has ravaged  Prakash.

He now looked like a  ghost  of his earlier self! 

By now Prakash had  become hysterical; 

He would bawl out  "Yama, come and get me  I dare you !, Where is everybody ?   I want my Carlton , Please let me have one smoke..."

Sedatives had to be given  to  calm him;  

He had to be fed and he would relieve through tubes.

His close family members and neighbours were resigned to his fate; 

One old hag said "Unless he completes his karma, in this world, Yama wont take him"  

Another medico in the making stated, "People are of different constitution, thus the disease, takes more time in some!"

* * *  

One night Prakash was in deep peace with himself; 

After the family slept, Prakash  woke up Lakshmi, " Please read me the Holy Scriptures," Prakash mumbled;    

Lakshmi understood

She did it softly so as not to wake up the family;    

By the time she came to the last line, "Shreemaan  Naaraayano Vishnur  Vaasudevo [a]bhirakshatu",   Prakash  had slept in eternal peace !!

0

G.Venkatesh









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