Question -
Answer -
Shahid had gone for scan-test. It was scheduled for 2.30 in the afternoon. The writer got restless and he started calling at his home. He phoned many a times in the afternoon in the evening to have the latest information about the position of the ailment of his dear friend.
Nobody responded. But he couldn’t be hindered and he phoned in the early next morning. This time Shahid responded. Without any preambles he straightway started giving the bad news of his ailment which had already taken a devasting form. He told that the doctors had stopped his all the medicines and treatment like chemotherapy. They just would give him radiation a little later. But they didn’t hope much from that also.
At this writer is dazed and lost the sense of uttering some words of consolation. He could merely ask, “What would you do now, Shahid?” At this Shahid in a quite untroubled a matter of fact manner told that first he would arrange his passport, set his will and then leave for Kashmir to die there. He didn’t want to trouble his children there. Moreover, he wanted to have some moral support from his father, who was still in Srinagar. He wanted to lie in peace in his grave beside his mother’s grave there.
So we see that Shahid wore quite a bold upfront as if he was all prepared to welcome his impending death. He just wanted to complete his all the due responsibilities so that his children have no problems after he is gone. Whereas the writer is too shocked and stunned to react properly according to the occasion.