In this rat race called life , did he forget her completely

In this rat  race called life , did  he forget her completely

By

P.R.Ramachander

(I read this moving  story  in a whatsapp  message .I have   translated and put it my own words .Thanks to the  original author)

After  running   and running  ,

After   working   and working  ,

The  retirement day    came  , he was sixty ,

And  the next   day , he did not go to work,

He had   never   sat   without work  before,

And never   had    time to   talk with his  fifty   year old wife ,

And so  he called  his wife   and  requested  her  ,

To sit  by  his side  and took   her hand in his

He was shocked  to see that  her hand was  rough,

And asked her , “Darling  , what  happened  to your hand,

I remember  holding it   after   the day  of our marriage ,

And  at that  time  , it was shining    and it was   soft.”

With a pretty  smile   she told , “What shall I say,

It might be due to knife injuries   while i cut vegetables,

And also  it could be due  to  drops of  boiling oil falling on my hand,

When I was cooking or it may be  due to  my catching hot  vessels in a hurry.”

Then  he saw   there   was a big   burning   injury on her hand ,

And he was  taken aback    and asked  her , “What  is this due to?’

And she said, “One day   you asked me to bring an office  file  ,

Which  you had kept in  your vehicle and the  hot silencer  burnt my hand.”

“Hey   darling  ,”Why did you not tell   me at   that time , “

She again smiled , “Had I told you at that time  you would have ,

Shouted   at me  for my irresponsibility  and I thought  it was Okay.”

“How come darling  , I did not notice    all  these ?” he  asked,

She again smiled”The few  minutes  that  you ever  touched  me,

Was in the dark   and how could you ever    see all these   wounds.”

Tears   rushed from  his   eyes , “ True  , I was  running all the time,”

“Running so that  I can  educate  our children  and  send them abroad,

Running so that i could    give our  daughter  in marriage  in a rich house ,

And running so that you were   kept  without  any   wants”

Her smile was  pretty and tinged    with   sorrow of utmost pain.

She said , “Now only you  are able   to see the wounds outside me,

I am sure   you would never  be able to  see the wounds deep in my mind.”

“Pardon me darling  , I was running   to earn more and more money,

And I now realize   that more than a man, I was a machine.”She again  smiled,.

“Can I ask you   for something  at least now “, in a low tone she asked,

“Sure “ he  said , Then she with  shyness   and joy  in her  old  face asked,

“Immediately after  marriage , I used to keep  my head on your lap  and sleep.

Soon    after  that , you left   that  and we  both  kept our heads on pillows, Can I now ?”

He simply cried   and  she peacefully kept   her  head on his   lap and dreamt.