A brilliant scientist and an excellent teacher of Chemistry, Prof Sasanka Sekhar was losing his eyesight fast due to macular degeneration on the left eye. On the other eye, the visibility was only thirty per cent. Sekhar was thinking how the world would be if he loses the other eye too.
Gradually, things became worse. He was a voracious reader of scientific magazines, novels in Bengali and English and loved to watch films both in cinema halls and on TV screen. He now finds himself in a lonely dark world of his own. During his childhood days, he would cling to his mother’s saree if the power went off, mortally afraid of the darkness. There is no mother for a moral support except faithful old partner Charulata, his wife. Sasanka did not dare go for a second surgery on the good eye for the fear of becoming completely blind. He had a passion for car driving, sightseeing, reading, computer and repair work of electronic goods of friends for free but all that gradually came to a standstill with the fast progressive cataract and macular degeneration. He was left with only one eye through which he could see and watch the world partially. He was a depressed and a dejected man.
But due to his positive attitude in life, no one could know, not even his dear Charulata the inner sufferings of a man who would become blind. Charulata used to read letters, emails and newspapers for her husband, her eyes reflections were his.
When Charulata would go out for her Kitty Party leaving behind her husband alone, she would be a much worried person to return as early as possible. The professor was like a toddler to her, needed constant care.
When Sasanka would be looking blankly at a distance his pet dog Sophie could know the feelings of her master and would quietly come to him and lie down near his feet. Sasanka would talk and shed tears with her as if she understood what he said and what he felt like in the lonely dark night with a power cut. Gradually, lights or no lights became immaterial for him. At times Sophie would go inside the house to fetch the ball and request her master to throw the ball so that she could fetch it without realising that her master has grown fifteen years older. After all, she was with him for last eighty-five years of a dog’s life!
One day, Sophie left the elderly couple in a state of shock. They became lonelier, still then the news paper boy, the electrician and the driver all would request Charulata to tie a huge Alsatian. With children and grand children staying far and wide, life became more difficult and emotional for the two senior citizens. The eye sight deteriorated further. With a shoe string budget Professor Sasanka decided to take a risk and consulted an ophthalmologist, the best available in the town. He did not want to be a financial burden on his children and used up all of Charulata's savings. The doctor assured him that with newer technology chances are bright that he may be able to have a good vision on that eye. The other eye was as bad as dead only serving as a cosmetic part on the face.
Finally, the cataract was removed. No one not even his near and dear ones were near his bed side except the old lady Charulata, ‘this is a selfish world Sekhar’, she would say.
Sasanka was very sceptical about getting back his eye sight following surgery. At times in the darkness of nights, he would repent for his smoking habits and tobacco chewing habits which contributed to his macular degeneration. Every one told him about the bad effect of tobacco on lungs, mouth and throat but no one said a word about the dangerous effect on the eye. Millions of people who are addicted to smoking and tobacco chewing fall a prey to this macular injury and need medical help as they become older. These points of injurious effects on eyes are not highlighted to the young, even in the twenty first century. He would speak out his bad habits of youth to his wife Charulata who would console him with nonstop dialogues and advice: “What has happened is past no point in brooding over it. Thank God, it’s your good luck that your other systems are in good shape for a person of your age. I am your eyes, you could see through them. There is nothing more to see or watch in this world for you. No good movies like Mencken’s Gold, Fistful of dollars, Cleopatra or Where Eagles Dare nor Madhumati, Devdas or Pother panchali. You have seen the best of the world in your youth time so also me. The photographs and memories are all in safe custody of your hard disk, close your eyes and you see them all for free. Do not think too much about what would happen if the surgery fails?”
Meanwhile, Sasanka had lapsed to a deep sleep. Charulata could not know how much her husband heard what she said. The surgery was over and the bandage has been removed and the final verdict would be known after the ‘Hud-Hud’ cyclonic fear slowly disappears in the minds of Professor Sasanka Sekhar.