A - The Farewell

Mr. Francis D Souza got up from bed very early. As the first rays of
the sun kissed the earth, the dewdrops that lay scattered all around
the grass bed sparkled. They knew they had to pack up their bags for
the sun would soon sweep them clean. As usual Mr. D Souza went to the
toilet brushed his teeth and had a shower. He took out his favourite
suit and dressed up, as he was getting ready for some occasion, the way
he used to dress up twenty years back. The only addition to his attire
after his retirement was a golf cap, which he sported, and since then
people have seldom seen him without his cap. A tall man fair, handsome,
as he was, looked quite young in his late seventies. Though his hair
and beard had grayed he kept them well trimmed and could still attract
beautiful women with his charm.


It was a winter morning the other members of his family were
still fast asleep in their beds. So he straight away went to the
kitchen prepared a cup of tea and carried it out-side with some
biscuits and cookies on a plate. He seated himself on his rocking chair
and put the teacup and the plate on the side tea caddy. The suns ray
was just falling into the porch and he enjoyed its warmth, as it was
rare at this time of the year. The early morning newspaper in his hands
he sipped hot tea and enjoyed the cookies, getting engrossed in
reading.


It was already 6.30 in the morning; the gardener entered
through the front gate and greeted Mr. Francis.


"Good Morning, Sir".


"Good Morning John, you are early to work today", Mr. Francis
greeted back,


John replied, "Didn't get a good nights sleep, Sir" and as
usual started working in the garden.


The milkman came on his rounds with milk bottles. He walked
through the gate and up to Mr. Francis holding two bottles of
milk.


Mr. Francis gave him a smile and said, "hey Tony how re' you
doing?"


"Fine Mr. Francis, here is your milk", Tony replied and took
leave saying, "Good day Mr. Francis".


It was 7.30 a.m. and by that time, his family members had
already got up and were busy in their daily routine. His grand children
got ready for school, but before leaving they kissed their grandpa on
his cheeks said, "Bye, bye grandpa" in a chorus.


An hour and a half had traversed, his son Cedrick had got
ready for his office. He went to the breakfast table but found his
father missing from his chair. It was already nine 'O' clock and has
never happened so. Cedrick had all through seen his father at the
breakfast table sharp at 9 a.m.


He asked his mother, "Mummy where is daddy? He is not at the
breakfast table".


"He must be relaxing in his rocking chair in the porch", was
her reply.


Instantly Cedrick went to the porch looking for his
father.


From a distance called his father and said, "Daddy breakfast
is ready, come on everybody is waiting". However, there was no
answer.


Cedrick thought that his father might have fallen asleep. So
he went closer and put his hand on his father's shoulder, shook him and
said, "Daddy you asleep?"


As Cedrick shook his father, he just tilted to one side
tightly gripping the newspaper in both his hands. He did not respond.
Cedrick felt nervous as to what had happened to his father. He tried to
remove the newspaper off his father's hands, it was gripped so tightly
that the two edges of the newspaper tore, freeing from the
grip.


Cedrick murmured, "What is so important in today mornings
paper that dad is so engrossed in reading forgetting his
breakfast?"


To his utter surprise, he saw his father's photograph printed
at the right hand corner below on the front page and it
read:


Bid farewell to Mr. Francis D Souza


All the near and dear one's
known to Mr. D Souza are
requested to come to
the D Souza Mansion
at 10.00 a.m. today to bid
farewell to Mr. D Souza,
who is leaving.


Mr. Francis D Souza (Colonel Retd.)



Cedrick was shocked while he read the farewell notice. He could not
believe that a farewell notice was in print in the morning newspaper
along with his father's photograph. He said to himself, "Where the hell
dad is leaving for even he has not informed us? Cedrick turned to his
father to say something and looked at his father?? it took sometime for
him to realise that his father was lying dead. When he realised it, he
cried out loudly calling his mother and wife.


Hearing his loud cry both his wife Gloria and mother rushed
out. They saw Cedrick was sobbing sitting beside Mr. Francis.



Cedrick said, "Mom! Dad is no more". His mom and Gloria broke
down immediately by Mr. Francis' body.


John the gardener who was working in the garden heard the
shrill cry of the women ran to the porch and saw Mr. Francis lying
unmoved. He felt the pulse, looked at Mrs. D Souza in tearful eyes
nodding his head, and started comforting her. He immediately shouted
and called Davis the gate watchman and within a few moments, they
carried Mr. Francis' body into the house followed by the family members
crying.


It was already 10 a.m. and people known to Mr. D'souza
started arriving in large numbers having read the notice published in
the newspaper. At Mr. D Souza's mansion, all the visitors were
surprised to find what had happened. The people were shocked and
equally sad for the death of Mr. D Souza. He commanded a lot of respect
in the town. His friends were in tears for they lost a good friend.



The news of Mr. Francis' death spread rapidly, the old and
the young all loved him so much, that, they could not resist coming to
pay their homage. All of them felt that it was sad because Mr. D
Souza's last wish remained unfulfilled, as he about to move to some
other place. (As gathered from the newspaper notice) The funeral took
place at the town cemetery at 3.00 p.m.


Cedrick was completely broken down after returning from the
cemetery. However, the notice printed in the newspaper bothered him at
the back of his mind.


Therefore, he immediately called up the newspaper office over
telephone and queried about the notice in the advertisement department.
On enquiry a gentleman at the other end said, an elderly gentleman in
his late seventies had gone to their office the previous day and handed
that particular notice along with a photograph and insisted it should
be in print the next day, which is 'today'.


Cedrick asked the newspaperman to give detailed description
of the elderly gentleman. The persons description over the telephone
fitted exactly that of his father and it was confirmed when the person
mentioned that the elderly gentleman wore a golf cap.


Cedrick was stunned the telephone receiver slipped and fell
off his hand and he too fell on the chair looking blank and murmured to
himself,


"Did dad know it??"