I Dream Of Jennie

Once upon a time I read the story of “Aladdin” who had a Jennie who could fulfill any wish. I used to wonder how it would be when I’ll have Jennie with me fulfilling all my wishes. My father always told me to have faith on yourself; it’s only you who can fulfill your own wish. You’re the Jennie in the bottle.

8th January 2008 my birthday, I finished replying all the calls pouring in from India and across the US of my friends but was still anticipating call from my home. Finally I got it; a whisper went into my ears but I believe due to the network problem call didn’t last long. I called back home talked to everyone and at last to my father. I could very easily read from his voice that was slurring into the speech; there is something wrong but still in his trademark style (I’ll miss this forever) he congratulated me for the occasion and asked my plans for the day. As always I detailed my plans of my big party tonight and he started laughing and said enjoy your day son. I never knew that this is going to be the last time I am going to hear it………

There was a sudden blank in front of my eyes when my sister detailed me about why dad is hospitalized; I could never accept and believe it. I could hear the pain in my mother’s voice when I called her before talking to my sister, I guess she couldn’t have gathered enough courage to tell me what actually went wrong and asked me to call at home and talk to sister. First time I felt like having a Jennie with me who can just with a finger click turn the thing around…I wished!

11th January 2008 I was standing in hospital in front of my father’s bed, in complete disbelief of what I was seeing; I could never imagine seeing him like this. He was looking in real bad shape and I knew what’s on the cards. I could feel the weight on my heart which had also started beating faster after seeing him. I think my physical presence made him recover quickly, I was on the moon when I saw him back at home just in one week! I felt like my Jennie has fullfilled my wish; what a fabulous birthday gift!

20th January 2008 one more shock when heard from doctor about his condition, I couldn’t believe this, how could I? Once on the moon was again back on the earth and the scene in front was again the same sudden blank but this time I could see my mother looking at me with her tearful eyes in disbelief on what we heard from doctor. I was praying for my Jennie to turn up again..

3rd February 2008, for the first time doctors declared him out of danger and I could breathe fresh air again. This was the moment I was waiting from so long after seeing all the downfalls, and the feeling got even bolder on 11th February 2008 when finally doctors said he can be discharged from hospital. I never reacted so childish I realized in last few years after hearing this news. I was really feeling being on cloud number 9.

17th March 2008 I planned to buy tickets tonight for the month end to celebrate my father’s b’day when suddenly my phone rang. It was my sister who again sounded the same as she sounded on 8th January 2008.


23rd March 2008, it’s been two days and he is still on ventilator. I promised him he will be off from it within two days. When I went in to see him he looked lifeless, a cheerful person who was always known for his vibrant nature was miles away from that look which made me feel happy all the time. He looked at me and showed two fingers, tears were falling from his eyes constantly, I knew he was counting days and I guess today I also started, I knew the end is near but he would not give up so easily. He is a tough man and always made out from the difficult circumstances. I wished last time to get him back from this but…….

28th March 2008 early morning I heard an announcement in hospital and I knew this is the moment everyone was avoiding from so long to come. It had reached and undesirably I went to see what I feared the most in last three months but today there was no sudden blackout in front of my eyes, not even a single tear.

In last three months this sinusoidal wave of events had put me sometime on the moon with joy and smashed me with the ground reality the very next moment, In real life there is no Jennie, I never wished to have a Jennie so much ever in my life before this moment, when I saw something I could never forget, “Last glimpse of my father”.