Invisible hand

I have a conviction now that there is an

invisible hand that always protects me
secretly from danger , embarrassment &
loss. I always ignored it but there are times I
simply could not understand how it was
possible without such an hand in action.

Sure enough I can pass them as luck or sixth

sense but in the deep of my mind I see
myself as a very impromptu stupid man for
such intelligence.

Couple of months back my little daughter was suffering from fever. On the second day
we took her to doctor who after checking told us to wait for another three days as it could
be a simple viral fever.

Another two days passed and the severity of fever went on increasing. The fever used to
appear in every 4 /5 hours. Doctor asked for blood check but malaria or dengue appeared
negative on her report. The high fever kept coming back with shivering. She was
gradually loosing strength & body weight.

On fifth day the medic man came home for another round of blood sample collection this
time I was discussing my daughter's fever with my next door neighbor and he told me
that the fever could be typhoid even. Then he narrated some typhoid story his relative had
suffered.

I opened Internet and found that typhoid has got some similarity with my daughter's case
as the typhoid invariably enters through the root of tongue and during puja she took lots
of foods & beverages outside and she also complained about stomach pain at the
beginning of fever , 5 days back.

Immediately I rang doctor and asked him why not take sample for typhoid test also.
Hearing typhoid and my doubts with some typical observations he too became skeptical
and told me that it could be typhoid too if not a malaria.

He told us to bring her to the hospital , get her admitted and start the treatment after a
blood culture report. Meanwhile he also instructed us to continue the malaria drug.

In the afternoon the fever came with much vigor & pain. The high fever was not getting
down despite medicine , water wash & sponging of her little body. Her pale face was
bearing the sign of extreme ache and pain.
We took her to the hospital, she was admitted and the doctor started her on antibiotic. The
blood culture report was to come next day but the doctor continued the antibiotic
treatment.

Fever got reduced in the evening. Her face first showed the precious little smile. She
clung her face to my hand and said , “Daddy , when my fever will reduce ?”

That night the fever did not come for the first time. The next day report confirmed it was
typhoid and the antibiotic treatment continued. For next 3 days her fever wane further
finally it was completely vanished. On fifth day she was released from the hospital.

The post care treatment continued for another ten days with complete restriction of the
outside food.

Later doctor told me that my hunch & typical observation has helped the diagnosis much
easier. At least a couple of days were saved in early diagnosis and making the recovery
faster.

It was the invisible hand which helped me to talk to my neighbor & got curious about
typhoid .

…......... …...........

During Durga puja some of my friends always visit us . I usually book them two guest
house rooms with the Ratna Giri Power Project Limited (RGPPL) . I have a few good
friends there. The guest house was located at the neighboring Lake homes housing
society.

This time too I booked two rooms. Mr Gulati who looks after guest bookings wanted to
tell me something but I cut him short and told any two rooms would just suffice my
purpose. My friends have very few requirements like mine.

So the bookings were done well in advance and two of my friends along with their family
& kids arrived in the evening.

That day in the morning Mr Gulati called me and asked if I could substitute one guest
room with another guest room in Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL)
guest house as he has to accommodate two high profile guests in the adjacent rooms in
his guest house.

In that case I will have one guest room at RGPPL and other one will be at the PGCIL . In
fact the PGCIL guest house is located at the same building where my flat is located. I said
that I won't mind to that readjustment.
In the afternoon I went to the PGCIL guest house and got the room. The room was quite
big and spacious. I also thought of going to the RGPPL guest house to collect the room. I
took the road to the lake homes but the road was under repairing ,my car could not go
that way. I called the guest house and asked how to reach there. They called me to come
to the MIDC SEEPZ first....

'SEEPZ, how come ? It's in lake homes isn't it ? '

' Sir, we have shifted to MIDC five months back '

'OH my god, How can I drive my friends to a guest house 5 km away at MIDC '

Had I known this earlier I should not have booked rooms with RGPPL at all. Now I
understand why Sh Gulati was trying to dissuade me when I booked the rooms month
back.

But the twist in the requirements of adjacent rooms for Gulati's high profile guests had
resulted me getting a big room here in this PGCIL guest house which is located in the
same building.

That turned out to be a great boon for me tonight. I dared not to tell my wife that in
reality we had only one guest room for all our guests tonight.

That night after dinner we had a long 'adda' in the hall till late night. All the kids went to
sleep in one of our two bed rooms. The ladies captured the other bedroom.

At 2 AM I was ready to take my friends to the guest house. While leaving , my wife told
me to get three of us adjusted in the two guest rooms as the ladies would be distributed in
the hall and the other bed room.

We went to the PGCIL guest room . Seeing three of us the attendant Sh Pradeep quickly
unfolded one small sliding type bed in the same room.

Oh! great . what a surprise !

We were little high on couple of whiskey. My friends hit the bed and I laid on the small
bed.

We woke up at 8'O clock in the morning. Sh Pradeep brought us morning tea. After tea I
came back to my flat. My friends continued their precious sleep for some more time.

I know the same invisible hand has saved me from embarrassment. It was his hand which
caused the problem of adjacent rooms and landed me in getting a bigger room here , so
near.
…............. …....
My transfer was due since last six month. But in the month of August all of a sudden I
was told to join the Mumbai office immediately. All the schools are in mid session
now how can I get my daughter admitted in school at this time of year ?

Coming to Mumbai I started visiting all the schools, the Shetty school , the Gopal
Sharma, the KV Powai , the Bombay Scottish all told that it was impossible to get
admission in the middle of the session.

My wife told me that she would stay back at Korba, Chhattisgarh till our daughter
completes her class – VI session. But that would be a huge hardship for her as well for
my little daughter .

Heavy hearted I was passing through the LBS Marg , because of heavy jam I got off
from the bas and started walking by the side of the road when I saw the KV Bhandup
school. The KVs are very particular rather finicky about admission. Still I thought to
meet the Principle once.

The principle Shri Mani was as tall as my hight. He greeted me and after knowing my
problem he said – 'Mr Bera you are very lucky , we have just received an instruction
from the authority to add one more section for class VI. The 'go-ahead' has arrived today.
We will plan for admission test within next fortnight. You submit admission form and get
your daughter ready for the admission test'.

So it happened in a click. After collecting the admission form I went to the Bhandup
railway station for booking tickets. The next week was gone in a breeze. I went to korba ,
brought my wife & daughter to Mumbai for the admission test . After test she was offered
admission in the mid session of class VI . With the help of my friends at Korba I arranged
transfer letter from my daughter's school. It was all completed neatly.

Now I see it was the same invisible hand which dropped me at the KV Bhandup school
for collecting the admission form. It was the same invisible hand which created the
additional section in class VI in the middle of the session. It was perhaps the same
invisible hand which helped me to get the reservations as well for my journey to korba
and back.

When I look back my carrier I see many such situations where I was saved so
miraculously yet so simply. The invisible hand guards me all the time. It is perhaps
guarding me at this moment too.

Whoever it is I salute him for his generosity and kindness. Please keep your hands for
ever on me.

Thanks in advance.

S. Bera
Powai