Sometimes dead can teach you a lot than the living.
My uncle died a few weeks ago. His demise came as a shock. He was not that old. No afflictions were ailing him. I was informed about his death about 4 am in the morning. He passed away at 3 am. As I was working in another district and it was early morning, I had to wait a few hours before I boarded a bus to his place. He was my father's second brother – in – law. Out of the three uncles ( aunts' husbands) , I liked him the most. For several years, owing to many circumstances, we drifted away from from my father's family and the ties tightened only very recently. Till then, the gap of 17 years had already wreaked its damage.
He married my aunt when I was about 6 or 7 years old. Memories about him were all pleasant- a calm and collected man who brings us children, sweet smelling perfumes from Dubai. Last time, when I saw him, he was shrunk – both mentally and physically. But the smile which he always had for us did not fade from his face. He was holding a glass of Johnnie Walker, his eyes lowered but the smile lingered. Helplessness was written all over his face. Something was gnawing at him. I still do not know what is it ? Why did not I ask him that ? He would have responded to me.
Uncle's funeral was scheduled at 11.30 am. I reached there at 9 am. There was no wailing (whenever a relative or a near one enters to see the body, the near ones already present wail, rant and rave even if they feel no emotions) which is the usual characteristics of a house where a death takes place. His wife was sitting a bit far away from him ( I do not want to describe him as a body ). Some of the relatives were sitting at a corner talking about many other things as if nothing happened. I could hardly see tears welling down in any of the eyes watching him. He lay there unwanted. He deserved much and was a good man. If anything to dread in this life, it is this isolation.
But his face seemed unusually calm. It felt as if his loneliness and helplessness finally ended. I am happy that his end came without troubling him much. It might be the fruit for all those helplessness and loneliness. He developed a cough and was brought to the hospital when it intensified. But the doctors said he was brought dead.