I owe a lot to my father when it comes to making a career in the German language. From assisting me with the preparations for my first trip to Germany on a scholarship in 2002, to assisting me in relocating to Bangalore for a job as a German translator at Hewlett Packard, to assisting me in relocating three houses in Bangalore and caring for my son while I was working, to accepting the fact that we would be away for some time in Germany beginning in 2017, my father has been a solid rock in my life, supporting me in everything I have ever wanted to do.
But sadly, till now he hadn't visited or seen Germany, and I was very desperate to show him this part of the world, which is so different yet enchanting. During COVID, my parents' flights got cancelled twice. They had everything ready, but the flight did not fly owing to restrictions. The plan to get him to Germany got postponed regularly; we didn't understand why, but finally, after postponing the ticket twice in the year 2022, they were finally set to fly on the 6th of November to Germany. The season was not great, I know. But I was determined to get him here, at least for a few days, so I could show him around and spend time with both of them.
T and I were both overjoyed. I had planned all the weekends to take them to nearby cities like Heidelberg, Stuttgart, etc. T was beaming with joy because he was going to take his Aaba in the tram to all possible places, go shopping with him, and buy stuff that otherwise I wouldn't have allowed. But with Aaba, there is never a "no policy." It's always yes to everything.
My husband picked up my parents from the Stuttgart airport. They flew with Lot Airways from Mumbai to Warschau and then to Stuttgart. They were very tired, and it was also very cold. We talked a little. The luggage could be unpacked tomorrow, we thought. It was like a treasure hunt for me because there were so many goodies that had come from India, and I was eagerly waiting for them. We had dinner, and I made their beds. I showed my father the light switch in the hall, kept water for him on the dining table, and we all went to sleep around 10 p.m.
I awoke from my sleep around 3 a.m. to find the lights in the hall turned on. I assumed my father had gotten up to drink water or use the restroom. I went out and saw my father lying on the floor on the carpet, where he was definitely not supposed to be, and my mother sitting beside him trying to apply an ointment and make him stand up. My god! I thought, "What's wrong?" When he said he fell down and couldn't move his right leg, the strength of my feet left me, and there was a blackout before my eyes. I gathered my strength, went to the bathroom, and came back to talk to him. He had gotten up to go to the toilet; he didn't find the lights, I suppose, as it was a new room and a new environment, and he tripped on something and possibly fell down. He couldn't remember what exactly had happened, and we had no clue how to lift him up and make him sit on the sofa or bed.
To be continued...
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