My Wanderings - 45 Short Story No. 27. How People Live by

Manmohan Nath Dhar and Preduman Krishen Warikoo hereinafter referred as  MM and PK  respectively were good old friends and neighbours living together since many generations in two separate houses sharing a common compound   and a  single small  gate opening beneath the house of MM called pilav in Kashmiri  . It was most congested area near   Purshyar   Habbakadal locality Srinagar. Both MM and PK had same schooling and they  graduated through same college in Srinagar in year 1963. But MM joined AG's office and PK joined some scheduled  Bank. They were  even married in the same year. They had very good family relations and had shared all the ethos and pathos of life characterising spirit of culture and era as manifested in  community aspirations ,cheerfulness and gloom  with each other . At the time of mass migration of community from Srinagar both friends had not finished  their domestic obligations fully. Pk had married only one of his daughter and Mm had not married any of his children comprising of a son and a daughter . In the early months of Year 1990, they decided to leave Srinagar for Jammu in view of ongoing turmoil in the valley. After reaching Jammu and remaining there as tenents for some time , both friends had to  separate  as Mm was transferred to Jaipur and Pk to Chandigarh. In the mean time both the friends settled themselves at respective places,  retired and married their children. Therefore, they were not able to  meet each other for a quarter of  a century.
It was quite recently Pk visited Jaipur to meet his old friend Mm who had become bed ridden because of orthopaedic and other health related problems. After exchanging pleasantries  and greeting each other they started reminiscing about the college days.
"Pk, do you remember Sheela  our class mate", said Mm
"Yes why not, she was so beautiful that you were drawn towards  her from head to heals", replied Pk. "Do you  remember,   once our Biology teacher defined   Protoplasm as the physical basis of life ". said Mm.
Yes absolutely , and how teacher reprimanded you when you added  Love to it. You defined Protoplasm as the physical basis of life as well as love, retorted back Pk.
"Those were really the days of fun and frolic even though our families were not so economically well off. We were living from hand to mouth.but now we are living from mouth to the end of alimentary canal. As we are very much precarious about our food habits and suffer from chronic constipation.", said Mm
Not only constipation, blood pressure blood sugar and prostrates is so rampant in this age, replied Pk.
Mm had become virtually immobile due to health problems which had perhaps developed because he was living  with his son,  who was caring his father and whole of family.Mm had left all the responsibilities on his son. His son would take him to Doctor, if required. Some times his son would  help his father in taking  a bath. Perhaps nature conspired against Mm by  giving  him  diseases keeping in mind that there was somebody to look after him.
On the other hand Pk was living all alone with his wife as his daughters were living in respective homes. Pk had full responsibility of a  householder. He could not afford to skip the duty as a housekeeper  and looking after his wife. He was always on move. Sometimes he had to drive himself to take his wife to a Doctor.There was no one other than himself in his home,  who could shoulder his responsibilities . Therefore, Pk was bestowed with a good health by nature.
Either a person can remain fit and healthy in this world by involving himself into various jobs or it is the work of nature that takes care of How people live by in this world.