Subansiri was from Assam and had been named after the tributary of the Brahmaputra that flows through that state. She had just appeared for her final year medical examinations some time back and was excited about the results that were due today. She had no doubt about her results, though the question papers were of a quality that professional courses needed to have to ensure that their alumni were up to international standards. As always, she had performed well and would surely be among the top three ranks at the college. The question was which of the those three places she would get.
She knew she would be competing with two young men from her batch – Aashish and Aakash. Both had similar backgrounds. Both came from families with three generations of doctors, in contrast to her family where she would be the first. Both obviously had parents who subscribed to a common Indian thought that their child's name had to be the first in the alphabetically arranged college rolls and had named their son with names starting with a pair of 'A's. However, in Aashish's case, their precaution had not been abundant enough – he had been outstripped by Aakash's parents, at least in that department.
They met in the lobby and approached the results displayed on the notice board. As foreseen, they had indeed shared the top three spots. Aakash headed the list, followed by her and Aashish, all separated by just one mark each. They decided to retire to the cafeteria to celebrate and discuss their future plans. Their future academic plans had been discussed long back, for all the three of them had decided to pursue further studies in surgery and if possible, at the same college abroad, for the trio were truly inseparable.
The future plans they were discussing in the cafeteria, however, pertained to their immediate future. Siri, as she was called by them, had decided to take a break by going home to Lakhimpur. Aakash and Aashish, being locals, had decided to take a bike tour of the neighbouring states. However, fate had some other plans.
Copyright notice: The contents of this blog may not be used in any form without the express written consent of the blog owner, who may be contacted at kishoremrao@hotmail.com.
She knew she would be competing with two young men from her batch – Aashish and Aakash. Both had similar backgrounds. Both came from families with three generations of doctors, in contrast to her family where she would be the first. Both obviously had parents who subscribed to a common Indian thought that their child's name had to be the first in the alphabetically arranged college rolls and had named their son with names starting with a pair of 'A's. However, in Aashish's case, their precaution had not been abundant enough – he had been outstripped by Aakash's parents, at least in that department.
**
The future plans they were discussing in the cafeteria, however, pertained to their immediate future. Siri, as she was called by them, had decided to take a break by going home to Lakhimpur. Aakash and Aashish, being locals, had decided to take a bike tour of the neighbouring states. However, fate had some other plans.
**
Aakash, riding on the exhilaration of having topped the course, decided to propose to Siri, then and there. Actually, he had already decided to do so before coming to college, irrespective of the position he would get. The results had only strengthened his resolve. He was a practical and no non-sense type of young man. He did not believe in the necessity of a romantic environment for proposing. Nor did he believe in getting down on his knees or proffering a rose.
But he was flabbergasted when Siri turned down his proposal. Worse, as if to insult him – in his opinion – she went on to admit that her heart beat for Aashish. Aakash was thunderstruck and could not understand how she could prefer the third ranker who had scored even less than her marks.
His rage was uncontrollable. He had been worried that she might reject his offer and had brought along a dagger to stage a drama that he would kill himself if she spurned him. He drew the dagger from his bag and in a fit of jealousy, stabbed Aashish in the left side of his chest, going straight for his heart, with the precision which only a student of anatomy can muster.
Aashish doubled over, falling on the table, as blood gushed out his wound. Everyone around screamed. Luckily they were surrounded by doctors-in-waiting and the college's hospital was next door. As other students pulled Aakash away, someone called Emergency and within minutes an ambulance arrived.
Siri was in shock, but her professional training had dictated her behaviour. She had stemmed the bloodflow with a pad made out a towel. She had already noted that the blood loss was not as substantial as it would have been if Aakash had damaged the heart. But her knowledge of anatomy told her that there was no way Aakash had missed Aashish's heart, the wound being where it was.
As she accompanied the stretcher to the ambulance, Aashish grimaced at first and then grinned at her.
He said just three words, as he winked, which made a world of difference to her, and brought a smile to her face and hope in her heart.
"Situs inversus totalis."
***
Copyright notice: The contents of this blog may not be used in any form without the express written consent of the blog owner, who may be contacted at kishoremrao@hotmail.com.
