GANDHIJI WAS A FIRST CLASS NURSE TO YHE SICK . WHERE HE
PICKED UP NURSING WAS A MYSTERY . HE CERTAINLY DID NOT PASS THROUGH A NURSING
SCHOOL . AS IN MANY OTHER THINGS , WHEN
NURSING BECAME NECESSARY TO HIM IN LIFE , HE LEARNED IT THROUGH THE HARD
WAY OF EXPERIENCE .
In the asharam at Sabarmati , all sick persons come
directly under his eye and care .
Doctors were, of course , consulted ; but the
care of the sick , Gandhiji arranged in person . it was a joke , especially among young people in the ashram
that if you wanted to see Gandhiji everyday and talk to him and hear him crack
jokes , you had only to be ill and get into bed !for Gandhiji visited the sick
everyday , spent a few minutes at every
bed side , himself saw to things carefully and never failed to crack a joke or
two with the patient . there was no day to busy for Gandhiji to attend sick person
There was once a young lad who went down with dysentery. He
had done his best to accustom himself to Ashram
food . but failed He had a great liking for coffee . But in the Ashram ,
there was no coffee for him nor was coffee allowed . in good time, he got rid
of his dysentery.and was now recovering . Gandhiji visited him for a few
minutes every day during his usual rounds Those few minutes was a tonic for the
young lad .
He pined for a cup of good coffee . One day , he was lying
on his back dreaming of it when he heard the welcome sound of the wooden
sandals of Gandhiji. A minute later , Gandhiji entered with his never failing
smile and cheering words /
He looked at the lad and said ; ‘Now you are decidedly better. You must
have recovered your appetite. What would you like to eat?AH! some good , uppuma
or thosai?’
Gandhiji evidently knew all about the Lad ‘s partiality
for these two good old south Indian dishes . Gandhiji was lauhing . the
youngster had a sudden brainwave .
“could I have a cup of coffee , please” he blurted out .
Gandhiji answered with a peal of laughter , ‘OH, you old sinner
, that is what you want’ And seeing the look on the lad’s face, he added
, ‘you certainly shall have your cup of
coffee. . Yes , light coffee will soothe your stomach . And what will you have with the coffee? I don’t think
, we can make uppuma or Thosai , but warm toast would go well with coffee . I shall send you a tray .”
With that , and a kind parting word , Gandhiji left the room
. The lad lay waiting he could not believe his good luck . Coffee in Sabarmati
Asharam!and gandhiji himself offering to
send it in to him!
Gandhiji ‘s cottage was at the other end of the Ashram, a good way across
the road The lad could well imagine what
would happen Gandhiji would go to Kasturba in her kitchen and ask for coffee
and toast . But it was an untimely hour . the kitchen was would be closed . Ba
herself would be taking rest . Had he
caused Gandhiji too much botheration? Some twenty minutes
passed . Hark !what was that sound ?The click- click of Gandhiji ‘s wooden
sandals again . Had the coffee been called off ?His heart sank within him . But
there was Gandhiji carrying a tray covered with a white Khadi napkin . The lad was dazed . What had really
happened ?
Gandhiji was speaking .
“Now , here is your coffee and toast. And mind you, I made the coffee
myself . Now , like a good south Indian , will you certify I can make good
coffee? “
‘But “ ,
whispered the lad , ‘ why did you not
ask to someone else to bring this for me? I am very sorry I put you to this trouble .’
‘Now, now’ , said Gandhiji , do not ruin your coffee . Cold
coffee is bad coffee You see Ba was
resting and I did not dare to disturb her.’ And then he said suddenly “Well , I shall leave you now . Someone will come for the tray.”With that off he went
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