The shelter

What would you have done, if one telephone call can cause a lot of confusion; and on top of it , if the caller declined to identify himself and as a teaser promised to call you up in person, by noon that very day? Imaginch did exactly what you would have done. He dropped his jaws, newspaper and in the process spilled some hot coffee on the newspaper. Usually, he ended such calls from unknown numbers without second guessing. But this time he did not do so, as the voice on the other end sounded friendlier and familiar. Everything happened before he could decide to end the call as per his usual practice. 

He looked at the clock and it was not even seven in the morning. Letting his mind do its homework, of identifying the face from the voice of the caller. Albums gathering dust got a chance to breath some fresh air. He went about his routines regretting that a photographic memory was never his strong point. During the identification parade his mind tripped on its overload relay and dark for a considerable time. This worried Imaginch furthermore, as noon was fast approaching. 

Oblivious to the master's frustration, the wall-clock dutifully chimed in sync with the buzzer fixed on the opposite wall. Imaginch's mind stopped the photo identification process as though it was eagerly waiting for the buzzer to ring to end its misery! For all his frustrations and wasted efforts, he came face to face with the person who stood at the doorstep - a total stranger. Seeing the questioning look, the visitor said, “Can I come in and explain?” 

Feeling a little relief, Imaginch nodded his head and said,” Sorry, I had trouble in identifying you, when you called in the morning. Come on in and have a seat”. Before explaining the purpose of your visit, can you tell me how you got my number?  Why did he not call me directly instead of making you do it? How and where did you meet him? 

Who else could have? I got it from your childhood friend! To avoid embarrassment, he thought this would be a better way! I have been visiting old age homes to engage with the inmates. And in one such place I met him. 

“OK, did my friend tell you why the need for seeing me? Though bothered to know the whereabouts of his friend, Imaginch could not refrain from asking the visitor, “In what capacity did you meet him? Are you a trained counsellor?” 

The visitor held up his hands with a smile indicating a brief summary is on the way. “No, sir. I do it on my own as sort of a social responsibility. I am a professional who travels a lot. During these trips I get to meet many people. Some share a bit of their broken life. Over months I had collected a lot of bits and pieces of information. I started to assemble them to make sense out of it all. From the collected information, the inmates fell into (1) some found it inconvenient to adjust (2) some were looked upon as burdens and (3) some had none to take care. Hope this answers your first question on my capacity!

Without sounding like a lecturer, he explained that in everyday life, all of us have to make a little compromise. Sometimes, looking at things with a different perspective might solve many adjustment problems. When near and dear feel that you have become a burden, then think of ways to lessen their worries. Set priorities and preferences are two ends of a twine that always falls short to meet. On a narrow bridge, giving the other person a choice to traverse first will invariably get you the green signal to cross over first. If you consider the pressure factor of today’s working atmosphere, you will readily agree to revisit and compromise. There is nothing called permanent, everything is dynamic, including mutual likes and dislikes. This is how I ended up doing these rounds. Hope you are satisfied on the counseling part?

This absorbing narrative took Imaginch by total surprise. He never thought about the issues of old and young, in a family to this day. No need to - because he himself has declared time and again about his selfishness. With genuine admiration, he decided to at least inquire with the visitor – “did anything positive happen because of your efforts?”  Imaginch felt tht this question sounded more like first aid medication to appease his bruised conscience. 

The visitor again smiled and said,” Initially all were skeptical. As my visits became periodical, the inmates hesitantly asked for assistance. We carefully planned the approach with family members of senior citizens. This took some doing, to overcome resistance and guilt. In good time, some of the inmates went back into their family fold. Those who had none got assurance that they will have regular visitors from their former inmates". With admiration overflowing in his eyes, Imaginch looked at the visitor in awe! As usual he grappled with the twin horns of dilemma – to ask or not! 

Sensing this, the visitor came to the point- why had he come to him? Your friend wants to meet with you in person, and would consider it as a favour, if a visit is planned. Again, Imaginch had to jostle with the horns of dilemma. But on this occasion, he came to a decisive conclusion. Imaginch looked at the clock and it stood still at 30 minutes past noon. Maybe it too had been deeply affected by the narration or run out of power. Imaginch changed the battery cells and his dress to go and visit with his friend. 

The good-natured visitor volunteered to drop him off at the old age home. The visitor and the visited went silent with their own thoughts: How will the meeting go? Will it bring happiness or bring up sad feelings? If help is needed, how could it be extended? Or will it be something totally unexpected? Why did not I keep in touch with him, all these days? What happened to his family? what circumstance forced him to move into a home? How did he manage to get hold of my contact number, since I had not given it to him? Only the hum of the tyres, on the road to the old age home, kept company with their thoughts!