LONELINESS IS THE BITTER ENEMY OF MAN …..a true story of Philoo & Grace.( PART FIVE )

PART FIVE :………..

It was a rainy day & because of the heavy rains Grace took a leave from her office & preferred to stay at home . That day for the first time Grace asked Philoo to relax & Grace on her own cooked the food for both. To Philoo’s surprise , Grace even cleaned the house & the biggest thing was she asked Philoo about her students & how she was doing with them . Grace even enjoyed watching children playing football in the rains. Philoo was amazed because Grace hated children & she never liked children playing outside her house. Grace also told Philoo that in this vacation she will take Philoo to Goa . On hearing this Philoo hugged grace tightly because since the day Philoo has come to Bombay she had not gone back to Goa & in fact she has not gone to any where out of Bombay. Philoo looking at the drastic changes in Grace thanked God & said , ” Oh ! Jesus please keep Grace always smiling. Since Philoo’s student were about to come for the tuitions , Philoo went to dress properly & grace went in her own room for an afternoon nap. Philoo’s students came & as usual she thought them for 2 hours. When the students left for the day , Philoo got up & went inside the kitchen to prepare tea . She than took a cup of tea for grace & asked grace to have her tea but Grace did not replied . Than Philoo, ” grace please have your tea it is getting cold “. Grace did to replied . Finally Philoo kept the cup on the side table & pulled Grace’s blanket from her face , Philoo screamed loudly as she saw Grace eyes were open & they were looking upwards. Grace body was cold, without wasting any time she called one of her neighbours.Mr. Patil looking at Grace said that you should call you relatives as soon as possible because grace is no more. On hearing this Grace turned pale , she never thought of this moment in her life , although Grace & Philoo argue but Grace was the only person in Philoo’s life.

Philoo did not had telephone in her house , she called her brother in Goa from a neighbours house & told about the tragic end of Grace . Philoo’s brother on hearing this said that for him Grace & Philoo are dead from the day when they left Goa & he shut down the phone. Philoo broke completely , she was unable to think for a while & did not believe that her brother Victor can say so. Philoo than thought to contact Jennifer ( Grace’s colleague ) . Jennifer too did not give much importance to Philoo she said that , she will inform in the office about sudden Grace’s death. Philoo was left all alone , She than called up in the Church & after an hour the church people came . Accept for few building people there was no one present during the crimination of Grace. Philoo came back to home , she was totally blank because every thing happen all of sudden . Foe days Philoo went without food , she was missing Grace. At times she felt that Grace has come back & some times she felt that Grace was arguing with her. Philoo stopped teaching , her students used to come but she used to send them back , after a month they stopped coming on their own .Philoo got a letter from Grace’s office . Since Grace had worked for several years in the office after her death Philoo started getting Grace’s pension . She used to get around 400 Rs per month as pension . Philoo now remained at home she felt very very isolated in the world . She did not had money & what ever she has earned got over in 3 months. Through out the day she cried & went without food . As a result of which Philoo’s eyesight became weak. She became very thin & as she was very tall because of loss weight she appeared like a skeleton . Her eyes had sunk , her cheek bones came out , her hairs became sparse . Within a year Philoo looked more than 60 years. Actually her brother , Victor’s words broke her more tan Grace’s death. For Philoo life was burden . In the night she did not on the light but just lit few candles & used to sit all alone with that. Since she was not eating properly she developed some brain problems . Philoo had hallucinations. She started imaging her self as a married pregnant woman. Philoo behaved like a pregnant woman & she asked people to give her food to eat . She at times put a pillow on her stomach & ask people to take her to hospital for the delivery . Day by day Philoo’s mental heath was deteriorating . She used to ask neighbours for a glass of milk , an egg etc & when people used to refuse her , she became angry & used to curse them.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART SIX………………………………