The Donor -- A short Story

By: Aadil Omer
Also published by pakteahouse.wordpress.com
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It was a prominent private hospital where people from every nook and corner of the country would come to seek a cure to their ailments. The news of Mr. Abdullah’s kidney transplant surgery spread in the area like a wild fire.

On the day of the operation the hospital was filled by a multitude of people, notwithstanding the efforts of the security personnel to check their inflow. Complete disorder prevailed in the hospital. Relatives, intimate friends, acquaintances and business colleagues of Mr. Abdullah rushed towards him to embrace, hug and encourage him not to lose heart just when he was heading from ward towards the operation theater.

“Don’t worry man! It’ll be a matter of minutes and Dr. Tariq’s genius in such cases is known the world over,” a friend tried to encourage a paling Mr. Abdullah who was further disturbed by a paging voice coming out of the roof right above his head.

“Patient Abdullah and the donor Ghulam Akber are requested to report to the operation room.”

Hearing his name the donor Ghulam Akber; a young man of around 40 bolted into the operation theater while Mr. Abdullah was still engaged with a throng of his near ones. The repeated announcements made Mr. Abdullah move towards the operation theater albeit unwillingly.

It was a long operation. Most of the visitors left, some rambled in front of the operation theater while the others divided into groups sat outside in the lawn busy in conversations and the topic of their conversations being Mr. Abdullah.

“Alas! Such a serious ailment at such a tender age!” exclaimed one, and the other responded, ” I’m really worried about his business!”

Another group comprising mostly his employees was awestruck by the architecture of the hospital. “Look at this building! How beautiful it is! I don’t feeling like going back home!”

“Arey Bewaqoof! Pray you never fall ill, lest you’d be lying rotting in a stinking government hospital, for its only people like Mr. Abdullah who can afford to come here!” ridiculed the other.

In an elderly group, a bearded man with prayer beads held in his hand was giving a sermon of sorts to the rest ” This world’s surviving just because of a handful of people who sacrifice their lives to save those of their fellow beings. Look at this gentleman who’s prepared to save Mr. Abdullah’s life by donating him one of his kidneys just for the sake of humanity”

Hearing this a youngster in another group rose and silenced all by saying, ” Strange are the ways of life where one could come across people losing their kidneys through excessive adulteration while others are left with no option but to sell their kidneys out of poverty”

” Poor over here are given strange names like a miserable hotel waiter is given the name of a ‘donor’ whom we all knew up till now as Ghulam Akber” complained a laborer.

Someone informed the lot that Ghulam Akber would be given an amount of Rs. 20,000 as a reward of his sacrifice.

” The deal is actually brokered by an agent who’d retain an amount of Rs.10,000 out of the sum” furthered another.

A youngster asked whether the doctors knew of the deal and that how come they called Ghulam Akber a doner if they were aware about him selling the kidney.

” yaar! it all actually was the suggestion of Dr. Tariq who happens to be a close friend of Mr. Abdullah” the information moved everyone to sigh and murmur prayers for the poor of the land.

In the meanwhile there appeared two stretchers out of the operation room. One was pushed quietly towards the ward by a hospital aide while the other was swarmed by the throng of visitors.

Footnote: Inspired from a pushto short story by Sardar Jamal