It all started on a Sunday morning when I was enjoying the last day of my short 3-day vacation @ home. I was riding my 2 wheeler, coming back home from Uncle's house when something very small hit me in the eye. Tears rolled for a few mins,i thought it to be some dust and left it at that.That Evening,I was in melancholy, the reason for which I understood only later.Finally at Night I bid adieu to my parents and boarded train for bangalore, thinking about the heavy work that is to be done the next day.....omg !!! Back 2 work .... :( Then after half an hour in the train, tears started rolling continually accompanied by pricking sensation in eyes. Oh no, i have already had an experience with Viral conjuctivitis , it cant be happening a second time but I allayed my fears by consoling myself that it was just some dust speck in the eye and it was my body's natural defence mechanisms at work trying to get rid of the foreign particle out from my system which would be proved wrong the next day. Then I saw my left eye turning fiery red in the mirror, gr8 and I went to sleep hoping that a good night's sleep will help. I couldn't sleep normally, waking up now and then, couldn't even see properly with my lens being watery, I was performing the role of a car wiper continually clearing the tears with my kerchief.
The next morning, it had turned from bad 2 worse with both eyes turning red. What a way to start the week !!! A cursed Monday !!! Somehow I managed to reach my PG in an auto , I cursed myself, if only I had seen my eye an hour before boarding the train, I could have avoided the strain and struggling by staying @ home. With help from my room mate, Vijeth, I went to a nearby hospital, Columbia Pacific , 21 st century Health care. I was astonished at the mammoth modern building, Automatic doors, a Posh lounge and was really impressed with its grandeur. I registered in reception and saw the doctor, he confirmed it was conjunctivitis and it will take 2 weeks to get fully cured and 1 week rest. I felt ambivalent about the 1 week's rest ,then proceeded to pay the bills and get the medicines. I had to stand at the billing counter for an hour half-blinded by tears, with only 500 rs in my pocket hoping that they wouldn't charge much for a 5 minute diagnosis. Alas after 60 minutes of painful waiting,I was shocked 2 hear "harish, 750 rs", luckily I had my debit card. There I was standing proud, seeing my card getting swiped which had saved me from potential embarrassment. Later that night, I managed to board a return bus to Madurai,with mental pictures of being taken care at home without straining my half-blinded eyes. With considerable difficulty, I managed to reach home.
Just when i thought all my woes were about to end, I started searching for my cell. i tried calling my no from landline only to find it not reachable.Oh no, then it dawned upon me that I had not taken it out of my overcoat pocket and rushed to the bucket where i found it had got a nice bath,fully drenched and to my dismay it didnt work.There goes my mobile, what next ! The next day, I checked with another doctor in Aravind Eye Hospital, they charged me a paltry sum of 50 Rs, I was not sure at first if I had heard it right since I was comparing it with the 750 I paid in bangalore. There I stood realising, That was one Monday,so unusual that I wont be forgetting it for the rest of my life. If only I had worn a coolers while driving that sunday, If only I had not boarded that train , If only I had got down the next station............ they will only remain as If s. Then I realised a wise saying, There are no If's and But's in life, just experiences.
