THE HOT SEAT

P.Krishnamoorthy

It was the evening of a Friday when the summer sun was setting on the western horizon, Sundaram, a retired Government high school teacher, having just finished his private tuition session with students, was ready to go for his evening devotional prayers. He, his loyal and affectionate wife Seetha and their only teen-aged daughter Sruthi lived in their prized ancestral home. He did not possess any valuable savings except the monthly government pension that he received. To supplement this income, he tutored high school students. A strict disciplinarian, he dedicated his life to the teaching profession. He believed that a teacher should be a role model for his students and he lived in that fashion. He’d been given the national award for the Best Teacher during his service. His tenacity to follow the traditional customs and values was remarkable, and his courage and conviction to prevail upon others the values of life was commendable. He never compromised on wrong sentiments, and he lived a simple and contended life. With limited financial resources, adversity always hung close by. 

 Seetha, the wife of Sundaram, was a home maker and a replica of the old mythological ‘Seetha’. She was an ardent believer in divine faith. She came into his life from an orthodox Hindu rural family, and she worshiped the ground he walked on. Having implicit faith in him, she always supported him.
       His adoring daughter, Sruthi, finished her high school studies with the highest marks, and a first rank in the state. Through various foundations and philanthropic resources, she herself initiated and handled all the processes to receive financial help for her studies. No stone was left unturned in her effort to mobilise funds for her intended college education. She even wanted to try her luck by participating in the ‘Crorepathi’ programme. Influenced by her parents, she developed an intense faith in the divinity. She believed that motivation held an important dimension in positive vibration.  Even with financial constraints, unity and harmony prevailed in the family.

           On that evening when Sundaram was tutoring students, he felt an acute pain in his chest that gradually became intense and unbearable. The students in attendance witnessed his discomfort and assisted Sruthi in getting him to a private hospital. As he lay unconscious, the doctors first stabilized his condition. And after a series of tests, it was diagnosed that there was a blockage of the main and other arteries  that had caused a severe heart attack. To restore blood flow, an angioplasty procedure was performed.Later sedatives were administered to induce proper rest. Observing his condition, his loving wife broke down outside the ICU room. In the circumstances, Sruthi tried her best to console her mother. Later the doctor confirmed his condition as stable but complicated and still critical. He would have to be kept under close observation for the next 24 hours and if his condition improved, it would be necessary to do multiple bypass surgeries. Such a procedure might cost Rs.20 to Rs.30 lakhs including medication and other charges, they were informed.

   Seetha’s face had become colorless on hearing the surgical fee. Having observed her mother’s reaction Sruthi became more worried about their financial predicament. How would they meet the cost of surgical treatment? Seetha had already sold her jewellary when Sundaram had the first heart attack some years before. Mother and daughter deliberated for a while and with great reluctance, they arrived at a consensus to sell their only property, the house. Sruthi then remembered that a real estate agent had made an offer to buy the property some months earlier. The ancestral home was situated in prime area and would more than cover the surgical fee. She contacted the agent, and they agreed to meet the next morning at the hospital.

            With medication Sundaram slept well that night. The doctor paid him a visit on his morning rounds and to his surprise, he was able to react and move his fingers slightly. But he could not reply to the doctor’s queries, an impediment hung in his speech. Both Seetha and Sruthi anxiously awaited advice on his condition. Having regained consciousness and moved his fingers, they hoped that the doctor would suggest the bypass would not be necessary, thus canceling the sale of the house. But the doctor reported Sundaram had improved only marginally overnight, and the critical phase had not yet been passed. If he showed any further improvement, he would then become fit to endure bypass surgery. Besides, his survival for a long period of time could not be assured. And, even after bypass surgeries, the chances were only fifty/fifty. While Seetha was pondering over the medical cost and the survival possibilities of Sundaram, Sruthi was firm in arranging the funds for the surgeries. After witing a status report in the chart, the doctor left it on the side of Sundaram’s bed.

            Enmeshed in sorrow, Sruthi awaited the real estate agent at the hospital. He arrived and serious negotiation ensued. The final offer was fixed at Rs.50 lakhs to be settled within one week. Sruthi was partially happy at the conclusion of the deal, but her mother gave her final acceptance only reluctantly for she possessed a sentimental attachment to their ancestral home. It so happened that while they were discussing terms of the sale, Sundaram overheard the entire deliberations from his room; the chairs on which the parties sat to conduct business were close by. Soon, it was time for lunch and Sruthi left her mother at the hospital to return home to bring lunch.

            It was one of those days when the sun stood like an orange ball blazing in the sky. As she rode her scooter, various vendors passed by shouting their merchandise. Memories of the ancestral home weighed heavily on Sruthi’s mind. It was the only home she knew. Built on a huge plot of land with a courtyard preceded the house. The flowers dominated the entrance pathway that led to the garden beyond. Bushes with exotic flowers sprung everywhere. She could not forget the days of merriment in the company of her friends in that house. Proud of his daughter, her father would also give her some money now and then.

            On reaching home, Sruthi was preparing lunch when the door bell rang. Not expecting a visitor, it was the postman who delivered an envelope from a local TV Channel informing her that she had been selected to participate in the ‘Crorepathi’ programme during the next week. Excited and exhilarated, this would solve the family’s fiscal problem if she manages to win the grand prize, she thought. They would be able to meet the surgical and other medical expenses and retain their ancestral home. She rushed back to the hospital to give her mother the good news. Her mother was waiting outside the hospital room. Amidst heavy breathing, Sruthi informed: “Mom we need not sell our home to meet the medical expenses. God has shown an alternative. I just received a letter from the TV Channel that I have been selected to participate in their daily ‘Crorepathi’ programme next week. I am confident to reach the final fifteenth question to win one crore rupees.” Sruthi was very confident and a positive vibration within her impelled her to such an outburst. There was a ray of hope in her mother’s face to retain the ancestral home, but she could not be sure until Sruthi participated and won the contest. There could always be a slip between the cup and the lip.           

            On the appointed day and time Sruthi was in the channel’s assigned studio for the programme. To her surprise, a celebrity, Pradeep, a popular movie star was the conductor of the show. After the introduction of ten contestants, Sruthi was  declared as the first candidate  to go to the ‘The Hot seat’. She was overwhelmed by this result as she credited this initial step to providence to win the required amount for her father’s medical treatment and retain the house. As she sat in the hot seat, the customary greetings of the audience instilled a positive ambiance within her. Pradeep, as the conductor, briefed her on the rules of the game: fifteen questions to be answered to win the maximum amount of one crore of rupees, right answers to  fifth, tenth and fifteenth questions  earn various definite amounts and the three life lines for reference. Sruthi became very emotional to Pradeep’s query about her future plans to handle the prize money if she won. Amidst sobbing and tears in her eyes she confessed that the amount would ‘save my dying father, and retain our ancestral home. It would also restore the old happiness in my mother’s face.’ On hearing this, the whole audience expressed their sympathy in sheer silence.

            Sruthi’sversatile skills in fields like general knowledge, current political and social affairs, geography, history, science, etc. were well exhibited by her instant responses to questions up to the 13th – Rs.25 lakhs after using all the three life lines. The 14^th question - “Who got a job at age four, and forty-nine years later, in 1989  he won the Nobel peace prize”. Choices were a) Dalai Lama b) Martin Luther King c) Albert John Lutuli d) Nelson Mandelsa. Sruthi’s response was the right answer: Dalai Lama. A huge applause erupted as Sruthi was the first candidate to reach the 14th and won Rs.50 lakhs. The last 15^th question for one crore was “In which country in Africa El Azizia weather was as hot as 124 degrees during the day. Choices: a) Benin  b) Angola c) Libya  d) Tunisia. Sruthi took time to think about the answer but could not decide on the correct one. Any wrong response would make her lose Rs.50 lakhs, a very vital amount to her. Fortunately the choice of quitting the game was available with that amount of money and she decided to take the option. Pradeep agreed but still wanted her to guess the answer. Sruthi’s choice was Benin but the correct answer was Libya. Pradeep declared Sruthi the winner of Rs.50 lakhs. He also signed the check for that amount. With the audience’s thunderous ovation, she collected the check. She strongly believed that only with providential support she had won this valuable gift. After all the formalities, she rushed to the hospital to inform her parents about the victory.

            It was late evening when Sruthi reached the hospital. Her mother was sitting in a chair outside, clasping her head in despair and brooding over developments. With tears in her eyes Sruthi said: “Mom! I won Rs.50 lakhs” and hugged her.  Her mother was jubilant. Her sentimental abode would now be saved. They entered Sundaram’s room to convey this vital and happy news but, being sedated, he was fast asleep. Sruthi then cancelled the sale of the house with the real-estate agent.

            The next morning they both came to the hospital and went into Sundaram’s room. Still he was asleep and the attending nurse told them not to disturb him. When the doctor came Sruthi informed him to schedule for her father's surgery as she had arranged for funds. The doctor then checked his pulse. He received a shock. Sundaram died in his sleep. He also found that the nasal and other intravenous connections were tangled up on his body. Sruthi and her mother were perplexed and dazed. They could not even cry. They were choked with grief. The joy they had attained the previous day was gone. Sruthi felt very disappointed mainly because her dear father was not around to share her great victory.

            The chart left by the doctor on the previous evening remained still on the side of the bed, some scribbles on it. It looked more like a suicide note. The doctor immediately inferred that it was written by Sundaram the previous midnight. He sought his end by messing up the vital connections. “Do not sell the house for my operation as you both need a shelter to stay. I am not going to live long even after the operation. Nobody is responsible for my end as voluntarily I have taken on my own this decision. Sundaram”

            With tears in her eyes, Sruthi whispered “Dad! You ended your life just to save the house  for us to live”.