When Friendship Overcomes Fear

Google Image. and of course stolen from Ron's FB profile. 

Once upon a time there was a girl. Happy, vivacious and care to hoots about life. I met her through my brother. They had worked together in the multinational company, Dell. She came across as a simpleton with a zest of life.

I remember once I had a convo with her, 

Me: "What are your plans for the future, Renu?"

Renu: "What di? You want me to think now? While I a am eating such a delicious fish curry and rice?" 

She joked; and I threw at my bro a superior look. Of course, he quickly looked away, suppressing a grin. 

Later I tackled him, not being able to give up on my rare 'I am superior to you' moments. "So? Isn't she a bit frivolous for you?"

He laughed aloud and said, "Coming from your that's rich! Aren't you an advocate of a Bohemian lifestyle? No family and no ties?"

"Shuddup!" 

But now Ron was after my case, "Mark my words. Friends like Renu are thicker than blood ties."

I pooh-pahed it away and life continued.. Until that fateful day.....

4 years Later....

As I held his hands tight, the doctor patiently repeated to me, "Mam, we need 20 bottles of blood urgently."

My mind was racing. How do I arrange for 20 bottles of blood in the middle of the night. That too 0-. I was A+ and even if I do go for exchange of blood donations, I can do maximum 3 -6. Without any relative and no one by my side, I really did not know what I could do. So I did what I was best at. Ask the patient himself. 

"So Ron, how do we come out of this now? Any suggestions?"

He threw me one of his best bored looks and said, "Why the heck are you worried? If my date with God is not today, I will survive this day too."

"Ya sure. What is God's blood group any idea."

As we both burst out laughing, the doctor continued to look at us- I think he was contemplating whether to call the Nephrologist or the Psychologist. He probably thought we needed both. 

But then Renu dropped in - in her usual breezy way. 

"Hey Ron. Whats up?"

My bro cheered up, much to my irritation. For now, I knew he would look at me and telepathically tell me to get a cup of coffee from the vending machine. Before he said it, I went out muttering about Bimbo's dropping in. 

I came back with the cuppa and they both were grinning away like some joke had just been shared.

"Di, why did you not call me? I could have arranged blood for him."

I told her patiently that this was not a party but asking for blood donation.

She looked at me steadily and said, "Ho gaya." (Done!)

As I gasped, the door opened and around 30 young people walked in. All Dell employees. Within minutes they went to the blood donation room and did the needful. All but one. Renu. 

Though I did not ask her why, she told me she is scared. 'Damn scared of needles.' I smiled and let it go. To each their own I thought. 

But my bro was saved - for a few more years. And that is all that mattered to me. I was thankful to Renu for her contacts and it kept on saving my bro for many years. But she never gave her blood. And we never asked her of it. 

6 years Later..

I was in the USA. and my bro was in India. The doctors told me over the phone that he will not make through the night. While my world started diminishing and I could barely hold onto him I heard much later that the 5 days my bro waited for me to reach him - he was on blood transfusion. Few of the bottles were  Renu's. 

Before leaving India for good. I asked her why. She said, 

"My love for my friend was more than  my fear for a needle."

Donating blood is Saving Lives. The youth of India today are very brave and humanitarian. This post of mine is in recognition to all the employees of Dell Bangalore who have always been a family to him. Thank you. 

P.S.: BloodConnect is a group of motivated individuals working towards a single goal – “To solve the problem of blood shortage in India”. When you donate blood, you can save a life. Please donate and encourage others to do too.

This post is in response to Sonia Rao who tagged me as part of the #IBloodConnected_DidYou Initiative of BloodConnect.