Grief

I was driving upto my office. It was about 8.30 early morning. Lazy sun and cool wind made traffic negotiation bearable. I was appreciating the majesty of two imposing structures, one on the right and other on the left side of the road. On the left stood the Southern Railway HQ building, built with grey sandstone during the colonial era. On my right stood Government General Hospital and Madras Medical College estabilished in 1664 and 1835 respectively. The Govt. Hospital is one of largest in South Asia and the Medical College was where one of the first European women student , Mary Scharlib was admitted in the year 1878. With these thoughts in my mind I stopped my car for the signal. Suddenly a shrill wailing sound jolted all the motorists. Those who regularly use the road know that the Hospital mortuary's outgates are right on at the signal intersection. I turned to see and was instantly agrieved to see two teenage girls inconsolably wailing. Their relatives' efforts could not calm them down. I felt heaviness in my heart and tears welled in my eyes. Long after arriving at my office I felt sad at a person's death whom I did not know, the gender, age, occupation, family, nothing was known. My sadness perhaps was only for the two wailing frail children who lost their dear one and not for the dead person, for whom all the worries have ceased to exist.