Saturday, August 22, 2009

On phone calls

One lesson I learned atleast last weekend is to always return phone calls. You may not know the person or may even dislike the person. But, it may make difference in someone's life.


Nida went with me to medical school in Pakistan. One day while we were in second year, she left medical school forever without any notice. That left a bitter taste for everyone in the group. Somehow, her signed transcript of anatomy rotations (called "stages" in Pakistani medical schools) stayed in my dissection manual. She never appeared in exam so this was the only valid transcript available.

Years later, when I was in residency, I received a call from a person named Badar Ali to call back. I could not recognise the person and just ignored it, thinking some Pakistani may be looking for a free prescription.

This weekend I bumped a familiar girl in a desi restaurant. She was sitting there with her family. We both looked at each other and I realized its Nida. I introduced myself. She was surprised too. Her father was there. He said: "I tried to contact you few years ago, when Nida went to Pakistan and could not locate her transcript there. She found your number there and asked me to contact you. If she would have it, it would have saved many credit hours and money for her PA (physician assistant) program. I guess, it was a wrong number ".

I kept quiet.

Guess what ! I came home and open my file from medical school. Nida's transcript was lying there along with my rotations. I am still thinking - should I call her and return it or just move on with my life till I find enough courage to face her and her father!


P.S: She left medical school overnight as her father received threats from a business rival to pay either good amount of money or loose daughters.

6 comments:

beyond said...

what happened has happened.and it seems like she is having a good time so why bother her by bringing up past issues.i am sure she will be upset if you gave her the documents.

mystic-soul said...

That was a pretty quick comment! I am still updating this post and saw the comment....

I don't know....after all, I think, its her 'amanat"

bsc said...

I disagree with beyond
agree with you. Amanat is amanat, if you feel you made a mistake (a clearly understandable one) there is no harm in apologizing even if she or her father may not need it.
dosti ka bhi taqaza hay
apna zamir saf rakhna zruri hay
Yeh kehnay main koi hrj nahin keh choonkeh naam pehchna nahin giya that is liyay phone na kia.
BTW Ramzan mubarak. aaj pehla roza hay NC main (balkeh amrika mainbhi)

mystic said...

Ramzan Mubarak to you too uncle....

I do understand i need to return her stuff but do i have courage?

Anonymous said...

lolll...I love calls from random people and other stuff. It's this weird idea of leaving one's identity in random places and others getting in touch with you. I donno maybe its just a novely fascination.

Speaking or returning phone calls :p..the system of caller id is horrribleee at times. I called a friend from uni to ask about an assignment I go heyy *name* and the girl goes hello? and I go what's up and the person goes who is this and I go it's me *anony* who elseee...and I have a brilliant convo of come on yaar main houn I go to school with u. The girl goes but I donno anyone by that name...now I began to doubt myself and the voice ..and in mid excitement I hang up. She calls back :p lol. Her caller id showed her name to be similiar to my friends hence the confusion in thinking I was refering to her. I did not pick up..I was too embarrased...

mystic said...

lol.....

I remember my childhood days - when any phone call was just a mystry like kaun hoga? kaun hoga?....true, it was novely thingy.

Actually, now we are so use to caller id that - if any pvt. or restricted call - i feel like killing that person....lol