A Man

My first posting was two years ago in a small town as a doctor. It was a small but beautiful government hospital. There was only one doctor at a time. My duty was in the morning, and another doctor would come in the evening.  

It was my third day in the hospital when I noticed him. He was a man in his early sixties, distributing flowers and gifts to various patients. He was clean-shaven, of normal height, and slightly overweight. His hair was black, but on both sides, up to the ears, it had turned white. He was a good-looking man. A smile always lived on his face. He met with all the patients very cheerfully and attentively, asked them about their health conditions and their families, told jokes, and made them laugh. I wondered about this strange personality. Every week he came and did the same. I never tried to talk to him. I just saw him from a distance. After meeting adult patients, he headed toward the children's ward, gave them toys, chocolates, and other gifts, played with them, and made them laugh. He used to talk for hours with them. He would spend the whole day with them and seemed to feel happier with the kids than with adults.

Children who remained in the hospital for a long time waited for him, and of course, I included the children. I waited for him every week, impatiently. I didn't try to meet him even once, but I inquired about him and his family from my staff. His name was Hashim. He lived with his family, children, and grandchildren happily. His wife had died a few years back. He ran a factory that manufactured fans in the city and was considered one of the city's largest businessmen. Every week, when he came, the hospital's environment changed. All the patients felt happy to see him. The kids enjoyed being with him a lot. He played with them like a kid. Whenever he entered the hospital, I quickly left my work and began watching him from a distance. He was so engrossed in the activities that he had no idea anyone was watching him. It was not only I who saw him, but many others did. I have never seen such a man in my life who came to the hospital every week for no reason, only to see patients who had nothing to do with him. He loved and cared for all the patients and treated the children as if they were his own.

 

One day, when he was in the hospital, one kid's condition worsened, so I ordered him moved to the operating theater quickly. The kid's parents were very worried. He stayed in the hospital the whole day and night, comforting them. He worried himself, too. The operation was finally successful. He was as happy as if his child had come out of danger. After that, he declared a little party in the hospital for all patients and staff. Certainly, the next day, he was there in the hospital with a large amount of party supplies. He offered food, gifts, and chocolates for the kids with his own hands. When he offered me, I thanked him, and that was just a single word that I said to him. I didn't ever try to converse with him. I thought maybe he did this as worship, so it's not good to interfere in someone's worship.

One day, a patient died. He stayed at the funeral all day and comforted the family. Similarly, whenever a patient, especially a kid, was discharged, he would offer him a gift and give blessings to him and his family.

 

Then he didn't come one day. All the patients were waiting for him, and of course, me too. He also didn't come the next week. Just the news came that he would not come ever again. He went forever from where no one can come.

 

After him, the hospital's environment would remain the same throughout the whole week and never change again.