Janet…ACHES & PAINS

One fine morning, I was waiting on the bus stop, close to my home. My eyes were searching for the thin location of the bus, at the end of the street…Oh! God…. its not visible. I sat on the black welded metal bench . To my surprise an old lady, white hairs, not dyed?? with the wrinkles on her face and a black bag approached me.
‘Honey, are you waiting for the bus?” I said “yes”. She immediately said, “You just missed the one, 2 minutes ago, and the next will be after 45 minutes.” She sat beside me, on the same black bench.

She then told me, ‘I stay down the street, near the tunnel, usually I take a walk, but on Monday I prefer the bus, so I know the timings’. I said, ‘Oh! Then I have to walk all the way down the street for another bus.’ But then I was too lazy to leave the black bench. I sat beside her, she immediately said, ‘You know….I have a pacemaker and seven stents in my heart. My doctor is very nice and I get a call every 2 months from my hospital regarding my wellbeing. I visit her every six months .’ I just wondered, ‘what might be her age?’ as if , she read my mind, she said ‘I am 88yrs and my husband is 92 yrs, he is a Diabetiologist. When we have to go together I leave early and he leaves later, and catches me at the same time, I have to run with him, when he walks……so I prefer walking alone at my pace.’

She continued, ‘I have lots of grandchildren and great grandchildren too, I have their pictures with me,’ She opened an album from her black purse, showed, ‘Look she is Alice…a chatterbox, she is…he is the baby…on and on,’ I could see the happiest moments of her life, with them all.

A couple of old ladies came across, Janet’s friends from the hospital. She introduced me to them, they appreciated my patience to sit and listen to her..! They then left exchanging warm wishes.

Janet said, ‘My parents were from Poland, but am raised in USA, My husband is from Italy, so my children are half Polish and half Italian.’ I asked her, ‘Did they ever visit their countries? She was sad, said, ‘whenever I planned ,Poland always had some political issues, so couldn’t, my husband always planned to take me to Italy, but it was never put in action….so am here all the time.’ She continued telling, ‘My husband drives a lot and we go to Florida, Virginia…and a lot of places on long drive.’ I was spellbound to know the efficiency of a 92 yrs man!!!!

I asked her, ‘Where you working, when you were young?’ She answered, ‘Ya, I was working as a caretaker for sick, I retired when I was 80yrs…as I suffered stroke, while on work.’ I just wondered, why do we have retirement age??? A healthy mind and body doesn’t retire till last spirit!

She continued, ‘I was like a live wire, when young never took rest, had lot of friends, active in the church, and now I am like a turtle…hahahh!! My son has made a well equipped kitchen for me, where I enjoy cooking and my husband does all the grocery and laundry. I have a nice pool in my backyard too, where I can bask in sun!’

I asked her, ‘Have you tried Indian food?’ She thought a bit and said, ‘Oh! I love that flat bread (Chappati),’ and inquired about an Indian Restaurant nearby. I was glad as a new restaurant named ‘Amrut-The taste of India’ had recently opened a few blocks away. She immediately said , ‘Oh! I saw it, a couple of days back, when I went to my parlour. Will surely have a lunch there with my husband.’

Suddenly, the door of my bus opened infront of me, and I had to just board it, without a second thought. I wanted to hug Janet and bid here goodbye, but couldn’t do, it in hurry. I was just thinking all the way in my journey to college. What a lady, Janet is!! Really an inspiring life, there was not a single form of negativity in her act. She is living life fullest, with lot of love. I was surprised about her visits to parlour at this age!! One should really care for external beauty, but she has a beautiful mind too. I was mesmerized by this lady JANET—all my aches and pain!!!


July 8, 2009