There are certain stories that need to be told as there are certain relationships, which are more than bold. This little story defies boundaries of relationships like no other and has in its essence untold grit, determination and stoicism to boot. It was while I was posted at a senior position in Mumbai, sometime in 2015 that I got a call one fine morning from a lady who wanted to purchase a Dishwasher from the Unit Canteen. With my curiosity aroused, I had a chat with the lady in question who was an octogenarian having had an association with the Indian Air Force, albeit short lived. Her husband passed away in a fatal crash, just a few years into their marriage, leaving her alone to care for their young daughter who was just a child at that time in 1955.

Our acquaintance turned into a friendship and a deep rooted bond that seamlessly segued her back to the Indian Air Force, the organisation with which she had many pleasant memories, notwithstanding the tragic and untimely demise of her spouse. Even though there were many willing suitors from the fraternity in the blues seeking her hand, after the the sad demise of her husband, she had probably made up her mind, once bitten twice shy, that she did not want to get married to an Air Force officer again. She met her partner, who was a gentleman to the core, scripting another chapter of her life that led to contended marital bliss with another baby girl joining the family. Her life continued with the girls growing up, doted upon by their parents and well wishers while the family continued to prosper and enjoy life like any other upper middle class family of Sobo or South Mumbai. The elder girl got married and settled in the US while the younger one after finishing her studies, also emigrated to the US, settling down with a good job over there.

The first signs of tragedy struck the family when the elder daughter, diagnosed with cancer in the US passed away. As the years went by the lady's husband suffered a stroke, restricting his mobility independently. The family continued to live life to the fullest, travelling as and when feasible, socialising, going to the club and mingling with friends. The younger daughter by now well settled in the US continued to visit her parents more than a couple of times a year while they also made occasional trips across the continent, their health permitting. The spirit of the lady, always immaculately clad in a sari, with nail polish and lipstick and an unmatched joie de vivre and zest for life, would definitely put many youngsters to shame. While our friendship and association grew, we moved on from Mumbai, to Wellington and then to Delhi, where we finally dropped anchor. I happened to ask her once whether she was getting any pension from the Ministry of Defence to which she said that she did get pension after her husband's death, though for a short while as it had to stop as per extant rules, when she re married. The Government of India having changed this policy a few years ago ensured that the widow of a government servant was entitled to admissible family pension even on remarriage. I thought to myself that I need to make efforts to see whether I could accomplish this for my friend. The exercise began in earnest with tracing the service records of the deceased husband to the bank account details where the pension was last credited more than six decades ago. The process was arduous, with a lot of paper work and affidavits, observations from the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions) and the Directorate of Air Veterans at Air Headquarters. With genuine help forthcoming from mutual friends and unknown well wishers who pitched in, the Pension Payment Order was finally issued after a year's struggle.

There were however many twists in the tale, as even before the pension orders were issued the lady was widowed for the second time as her husband passed away in his sleep one night. The death having occurred during Covid times and knowing the attachment of the daughter with her father, the lady decided not to reveal this news to her daughter as she wouldn't be able to travel due Covid restrictions. International fights to the US remained suspended during the period and as the daughter would talk to her parents only on the landline or a basic mobile phone without Whats App or video calling facilities, the mother managed to keep this sad news from her daughter. Left alone by herself, life dealt another terrible blow when her daughter in the US suffered a paralytic stroke. The travails of the lady did not seem to end as one could only empathise with her helplessness in the situation. The efforts to bring her daughter back from the US, with wheelchair support and a Business Class ticket failed the first time as the airline refused to accept her responsibility for travel with the Covid restrictions in place at that time. She was sent back from the airport to the hospital with a four hour painful drive and another Covid test before they could re admit her. Finally a grand nephew of her late husband travelled to the US and escorted her back to India. The mother and daughter, in each other's company are finally happy to be together and living their life to the fullest, with the daughter convalescing slowly with the active help and support of a physiotherapist.

Pain, trauma, agony, helplessness and loneliness are mere words that cannot describe what the lady has gone through in her life. In her ninety first year, her zest for life with an impressively concealed stoicism, is contagious. The laughter, humour and the equanimity with which one needs to live is indeed infectious and something that we can all learn from. From an innocuous phone call, to meeting and speaking every now and then with a warmth that is difficult to define, some relationships certainly transcend all boundaries.