Page 40 - Seniorstoday November 2023 Issue
P. 40
Alaimentary - A Story of a Tale - 8
The Child Births a Mother
Subha had just not birthed Shailaja, but made her life, writes Nagesh Alai
Shailaja Satyam, a successful corporate and ensure that the home fire stays lit and
executive and a divorcee, was sitting on warm. Though occasionally despondent at
the floor, at the feet of her septuagenarian his bankruptcy, Satyam managed to stay
mother, her face resting on the lap of her balanced and keep his outlook towards
mother, sobbing uncontrollably and the life positive, aided in no small measure by
tears drenching the folds of the nine yard faith, self-belief and supportive Subha and
saree. Her mother, Subha, did not say a Shailaja. They were resilient and used to
word except keeping her left hand palm make do with what was put on the table
on Shailaja’s head and patting her gently by the conscientious Satyam. Subha, for as
like only a mother can and her silence long as Shailaja could remember, had only
resounded with compassion and emotions been using her left arm, having been left
pregnant with terms of endearment and with a non-functional right arm due to an
empathy, clearly audible to Shailaja. In unfortunate accident when Shailaja was
their silence, they were having a rending just a tiny tot. Neither Subha nor Satyam
heart speak, no words were needed. ever spoke about it with Shailaja nor did
Shailaja was the only daughter of Subha Subha let it come in the way of being a
and Satyam and had been brought up with doting mother and a caring home maker.
loving care by them. Satyam, once a well- Travails aplenty they were beset with, but
heeled and successful businessman had had life was beautiful indeed. Every knock was
misfortune weighing on him and eventually taken on the chin by the parents-daughter
dissipated into bankruptcy. A never- trio, bringing them closer nary the many
say-die attitude and sense of immense knock-out punches thrown at them by
responsibility towards his family had seen destiny.
him take up a job at a mid-sized company Backed by a sound school education, a
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