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“Mr. and Mrs. Sharma , I have heard the entire case from you. But before I give my opinion I have to meet the boy. You should have brought him along with you.”
“He is sitting outside Doctor. We didn’t want to discuss his problems in his presence. Should I bring him?”
“Yes. And after a few minutes, when he settles down, you two leave. I want to talk to him alone.”
Nikhil entered the room a trifle scared. Even though his mother had told him that he wouldn’t be given an injection, he was apprehensive.
“Come, young man, come and sit beside me,” Dr.Nayak said. He was a short completely bald man with a round, podgy face. He had small, bright eyes and was sporting a huge smile. Nikhil had imagined him to be a tall, grave looking man with a stethoscope hanging round his neck who would ask him to stick his tongue out, take a deep breath and at the first opportunity stick a couple of needles into him. He decided he quite liked this fellow, who looked more like an amiable halwai than a doctor.
“So, young man, what is your name?”
“Nikhil Mehrotra.”
“Good. That’s a lovely name. Remind me later I’ll tell you a story about a young chap called Nikhil who was fond of eating pickle. Now I want to have a chat with you alone. Can I ask your Mummy – Papa to go?”
Nikhil nodded.
“You are sure you will not be scared to be alone with this huge, hefty dark and dangerous looking doctor?” Dr. Nayak asked, his eyes twinkling mischievously.
“No, “Nikhil said, smiling.
An hour later Nikhil came out of the room with Dr. Nayak in tow.
“Mr. Mehrotra, I have had a very nice time with Nikhil. He is a very smart boy and we have become good friends. I Would like to meet you tomorrow, same time. You need not bring Nikhil along. Poor fellow I think I have bored him enough today,” Dr. Nayak said with a smile.
Next day Swaroop and Rina both went to Dr. Nayak’s clinic.
“Mr. Mehrotra, the chat I had with Nikhil was very revealing. He is missing your father very much. Apparently he doesn’t stay with you anymore. He left rather abruptly about a year and a half ago and is now staying in, from what I could gather from Nikhil version, in an old age home.”
“Actually Doctor we had some family problems. Father didn’t want to stay with us any longer. He left in a huff and shifted to ‘Home and Hope’.”
“I see. Anyway, Mr. Mehrotra you will have to somehow convince your father to come back and stay with you – atleast for a couple of years. You might not be realising, but the best kind of company a child can get is the company of his grandparents – particularly if they are free from other obligations. Your father had retired. His time and energy were all devoted to Nikhil. And the little fellow was really enjoying all the attention. The sweetest memories Nikhil has are of his grandpa,”
Dr. Nayak paused and peering intently at them continued, “Both of you are working. You simply have no time for him. And a crèche cannot be a substitute for the care , love and affection a grandparent can give. Try asking Nikhil. He simply hates going to the crèche.”
“But Doctor we have our problems. You mean to say Rina should stop working and sit at home to take care of Nikhil.”
“I am not suggesting that. I understand the circumstances are sometimes such that it becomes necessary for both parents to work.. I am not against that at all. I also have nothing against crèches, provided ofcourse they are managed properly. But in your case there is a vital difference. Nikhil was already used to his grandpa’s company – a company he simply adored. That is why he is finding it so difficult to adjust in a crèche. At one stroke he was deprived of his mother’s attention and his grandpa’s love and care and was put in the alien atmosphere of the crèche. These things put together made him feel very insecure and that is the reason he has become withdrawn.”
“But Doctor, suppose my father doesn’t agree to come and stay with us.”
“You have to persuade him for Nikhil’s sake. Mr. Mehrotra this is my advice to all parents – working or otherwise – the greatest blessing any child can receive is the company of his grandparents. There is a saying in Hindi – ‘The interest is always more attractive than the capital’. Similarly a grandparent is far fonder of his grandchild than he is of his son or daughter. If you study the interaction between these two generations you will agree with me. It is believed that old age is nothing but a second childhood. And in this second childhood a grandparent really enjoys being with his grandchild. And between a grandparent and a grandchild all that exists is pure, innocent love. I wouldn’t for anything in the world deprive my child or my parents this pleasure.”
“But Doctor suppose if the grandparents are not alive or are ill or are not able to live with their children for some reason or the other, than what?”
“Mr. Mehrotra, in that case the obvious choice is the crèche. But if you have parents who can stay with you than I think the first thing you should do is to get them to live with you. You cannot give your child a better gift than that company of his grandparents.
