Customs & Rituals

The family wasn't supportive of the procedure, they pushed GK Sir aside when he tried to enter the room. The young man, probably the younger son I think, was cursing under his breath. It is not that I can't understand the customs and traditions but now here, I'm on duty and I can't compromise on it. I tell GK Sir to wait as I head towards the hospital MD's room. He looked like an introvert but I'm damn sure, my face isn't the first thing he looked at when I entered the room. He stood up when I flashed my badge to him, he heard me without interruption and finally followed down the building. When we were back outside the room GK Sir was waiting along with the family. The MD tried explaining the situation, the father wouldn't listen, the mother was standing aside crying her heart out and so couldn't tell her too; finally the MD tried persuading they young boy, he wouldn't listen anything and also he eyed the MD that really gave the guy a scare. I sat down near GK Sir, he was sitting motionless, probably because he has seen enough of this, the long career might've given him the lesson already. He watched as the MD turned from person to person trying to explain the situation but in vain but of course they weren't being told the whole story. I asked GK Sir if we should spill the beans but he resisted that and advised a little further. A few minutes and more of their relatives came, they insisted they leave as the rituals are ready to begin. The door opened, GK Sir stood and me too, we tried to go in with the others but the young chap wouldn't let us inside; the cold air of the mortuary hit against my face and send shivers down my spine. The young chap shoved us aside as the body was carried out, I watched as it was taken away, there draped in white cloth was a lot of joy, happiness, dreams, excitements and success, everything put into a single log bundle as in it was life no more. I wanted to go forward and demand our duty be done but as long as GK Sir was around, none of that was going to happen by any means. I tried telling that once the bodies goes out of this building nothing more can be done but he wouldn't heed. And then I lost it, I went forth not giving ear to anymore of his advices, duty first is what I believed. I rushed down the flight of stairs, overtook them and forcefully took aside the father to tell him everything.

I could see the tears dry up as the father heard every bit of the truth, he stopped shaking, he didn't shed anymore tears and then when I made an end of speaking, he thanked me for telling him and promised to co-operate, I informed the doctor and gave instructions for the preparations to be made. Satisfied with my achievement, I raced back to GK Sir to give him the news, without any emotion, he just nodded to what I said and went back to his seat.

Several hours have passed, I didn't care to look at my watch or glance at the clock above, my eyes were trained on the door which hoped would open soon. When the door finally opened, the silence was killed by the commotion, within the blink of an eye as it felt, the whole thing died down as the body was rushed away before it was too late. I got up and went towards the doctor to thank him, he promised he would give me the reports as soon as possible. Thanking him again, I went back to sit with GK Sir, he was silent all the while and even now. After a few minutes, breaking the silence, he spoke to me, his voice sounded he was dead serious about whatever he was going to tell me,

"Do you know, I had a son" he said, his eyes moving as he spoke, "he was seven when he died in the fire accident along with my wife. With my very own hands I signed all the papers including the FIR and other documents which stated it was all just a fire accident, but it was not...."

I don't why, when broke off his talk, I had a shiver in my spine; he continued speaking from where he had left off,

"Seventeen days before that, I had a similar situation as like today, I put duty first and just gave no shit about their customs and rituals. As like today I was forced to spill the beans, but it was too much, I wasn't aware of the consequences when I unknowingly told it loud enough for the family to be disgraced. I paid the price, seventeen days later; they are all a group of madmen who wouldn't compromise for anything that meddles with their customs, and practices. You've a son Tanya, I held you back today because I didn't want history to repeat. Now that everything's over, let's pray that nothing bad happens. I'm leaving, call me if there's any need."

He stood up and walked away, he didn't turn back to look and I knew he was praying for me, no, for my family. In that moment I realized fear had seized me after a long time in my life. I recounted the last few words he said,

they are all a group of madmen who wouldn't compromise for anything that meddles with their customs, and practices.