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Excerpt – A Plate of White Marble

Excerpt - A Plate of White Marble
Niyogi Books
November 5, 2024

Excerpt – A Plate of White Marble

After putting her son to sleep by patting his back as she used to do when he was a baby, she finally came out. Nowhere could anyone be seen or heard. The house was unnaturally quiet. In spite of housing so many living human beings, it felt like a graveyard. From some room far away, only the rhythmic sound of circulating fan blades could be heard. Bandana thought that everyone had gone to sleep. She was the only one awake. It was quite late in the day. The sun was on the decline. The meals were over. Or maybe, that routine had not been followed today. Bandana returned to her room and lay down listlessly next to Roop. She was feeling slightly cold. So she pulled a sheet over herself. Towards the evening, when she tried to wake her son up, her fingers were scorched on touching his body. He was burning with fever. It was rising every minute. The moment she placed the thermometer under his arm, the temperature indicator crossed 104 degrees.

Koli entered with some tea, and asked, ‘Why the thermometer, Boumoni?’
‘Roop has high fever Koli, would ask for the Doctor to be called?’
Bandana felt that she too must be feverish. She was kind of nauseous. She was shivering. The entire morning has been spent in wet clothes. As it is, it was the time for a season change. And after all, she was not exactly very fit right now, so, it was not strange that she should be running a fever herself.
At that moment itself, Roop began to contort. His limbs began knocking together in a terrible way. He was foaming at the mouth and groaning. Screaming at the top of her voice, Koli ran out of the room. The mother-in-law rushed in.
‘Bouma, hold a spoon in his mouth. Chhoto Ginni, quicky get the large fish knife and place it against him. Koli, bring some water, bring some water.’
Bandana was like a block of wood, holding her son’s head on her lap.
Kakima said, Pour lots of ice water over the crown of his head, Bandana. The fever has reached his brain. It’s a spasmodic fit, a convulsion. Do not be afraid, Ma.’
After the doctor came and heard all the details, he sat quietly for long time – a pen and prescription pad in his hands.
After examining the boy thoroughly, he said, ‘There is nothing wrong now. The fever is a result of shock, I think. I will prescribe some medicines, the fever will subside. However, if you want your son to survive, grow up and lead a normal and healthy life, Ma. Make sure you don’t do anything to hurt him. He is a sensitive boy, and has lost his father at this age.I myself have seen him being carried around all the time by his father! That boy has not once uttered his father’s name since. How come none of you gauged what a deep sorrow he is suffering from? In your present clothes, he does not recognise you either, and it frightens him. There is a feeling of insecurity.’
At that moment, the boy was going through bouts of shivering with the effect of high fever. His grandma sat near his head, at his feet was his grandpa.
Turning to them, the Doctor said, Kashi da, so far it seems only to a convulsion. But from this, if it develops into something more serious, epilepsy etc., it will not be surprising. In that case, nothing will stop him from becoming as good as dead. Boudi, in future, please do not ever let Bandana Bouma wear white clothes. Do you understand?’
There was no response from the other side. After waiting for a while, the doctor picked up his bag and left.
However, whether she was given permission or not, Bandana never ever wore that black-bordeded white sari again. She wore the bangles which she had wore earlier, with a thin chain around her neck. She wore pearls in her ears, and the diamond ring that Abhimanyu had first gifted her. Roop was not successful in making his mother wear his favorite red sari, true, but his drawing book was filled with only one picture, in wax crayon and pastels. Tall green grass all around…a swing, lots of boys and girls around, like dots. Only two people could be clearly recognised. a small boy holding his mother’s hand. On the boy’s head was a crop of curly hair. Next to him was his mother, with a big bun, a flower tucked into it. She wore a red sari. The picture was titled, ‘Ma and Noop’.
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