Dead Ends: Episode 8

(This is a lengthy story based on actual facts. Episodes will be posted over a span of a few weeks.There are going to be NINE episodes in total. For Episode 7 click here. Enjoy!)

Episode 8

Two years and a few months months later.

Maheen is standing in a huge graveyard. She appears very thin and gaunt. She is staring at a small grave that is located under a very old Neem Tree. Her hands are cupped in front of her; the duppatta is on her head. She is praying. She closes her eyes; a tear escapes and falls on the grave.

“Happy birthday my sweet girl.” She whispers.

She bends and places a birthday card on the grave and a long stemmed red rose.

She turns and walks away.

Maheen sits behind her desk and types on her computer. She picks her phone.

“Saima please come in my room.”

Saima enters with a notepad in her hand. Maheen looks up.

“I want the latest updates on the Transsexual AIDS project by this afternoon.” Maheen instructs, “I want to know everything from the room that was hired, the supplies that are required and the doctor’s who are treating the patients. I want to survey the area today. I’ll be going there personally.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“And tell one of our drivers to be ready by four to take me there. Inform Mr. Nauman that he’ll be accompanying me.”

“Alright. Anything else that I can do for you Ma’am?

“No that’s it for now.”

The secretary leaves. Maheen takes out a bottle of pills and gulps down two of them. She suddenly gets a coughing fit. She covers her mouth with a tissue. After the fit subsides she looks at the tissue. There is blood on it. She throws it angrily in the trash can which is filled with similar blood stained tissue papers.

She is sitting in the back seat of a car with her colleague Mr. Nauman. Mr. Nauman is a man in his thirties.

“This place always looks strangely familiar to me.” She says more to herself than to her colleague.

They cross the Lyari Nadi and approach a crowded market. The car stops in front of a clinic. There are many patients waiting for their turn. The queue is so long that people are standing outside the clinic as well.

“We need to expand.” Maheen observes out loud.

“Yes.” Mr. Nauman agrees, “We are getting more patients than we expected.”

Maheen walks into the clinic and looks around. In front of her are two small rooms. Each occupied by a doctor and a patient. A child wails as the doctor administers an injection. Maheen notices a frail looking girl covered with a blanket even though it’s very hot. She approaches the girl and takes her hand. The girl opens her eyes.

“What’s your name beta?”

“Rukhsaana.”

A fat woman sitting next to her arranges the blanket around the girl.

“I’m her mother.” The woman informs.

“How did she get AIDS?” Maheen asks the women.

“She was a dancing girl. I don’t know who gave it to her.”

“When did you first come for treatment here?”

“About two weeks back.” Says the woman.

“Are you satisfied? Do the doctors treat you well?”

“Han Ji! They are very nice people. May Allah bless them. Rukhsaana is feeling better than before.”

“How did you find out she had AIDS?”

“I did not know about it until I came here. My neighbor told me about this clinic that they were treating for free. So I came. I was very worried about Rukhsaana she has been very ill since a year. Ever since she was not able to do her job and it has been very hard to make ends meet.”

“I understand.”

Maheen stands up. A doctor greets her. They go into one of the two rooms.

“You are doing a good job!” Maheen beams at the doctor, “everything is going much better than I expected.”

“Thank you.” The doctor smiles back, “the number of patients’ increases everyday. We do need more supplies.”

“What about the hooligans who thrashed the place a month ago?” Mr. Nauman inquires.

“We lodged a complaint in the police. They sent two constables as guards.”

“Why weren’t they apprehended?” Maheen asks.

“The police couldn’t find them,” the doctor replies, “or may be they did not want to find them.”

“This clinic was opened specially for Hijras as you all know they are in the high risk group. But I don’t see anyone of them here.” Says Maheen.

“Only a few came for treatment.” The doctor informs, “One of them said that their Guru has told them not to come here. According to him they will become more infected with HIV/AIDS if they come here. They think that a person can contract AIDS just by sitting next to a patient.”

“That’s not good. Nauman we must go and talk to this Guru.” Maheen says.

“With all due respect Ma’am,” Mr. Nauman says, “I don’t think we should go in their community. If they get a grudge against us that will only bring us trouble. And just look how well the clinic is running. We will only deprive-”

“Mr. Nauman, you and I both know that the Hijra community has the most cases of AIDS. And if we don’t do something about it than they will only worsen the situation by transmitting the disease to their customer’s! Doctor, do you know any one who can lead us to the Guru?”

Maheen walks briskly with Mr. Nauman, her driver and a plain clothes police constable. A boy is leading them through a narrow alley.

The poverty around her is over whelming. So is the filth. The boy signals them to stop in front of a house. The boy goes in through the red drape hanging from the door. They hear voices arguing. The boy comes out again.

“The Guru will see you.” He announces.

Maheen enters first. The Guru is sitting on a chair combing his long hair. His back is towards Maheen. He looks at her reflection at the mirror.

“We are sorry to disturb you.” Maheen apologizes, “but we need to talk to you.”

“Sit down.”

Maheen sits on the bed.

“Mr. Nauman and I work for an NGO,” she continues, “it’s a Non – Government Organization that is fighting to eradicate AIDS. We opened the clinic in the market especially for that purpose. Earlier on today, I visited the clinic to see its progress. I am very happy that it’s running effectively, treating many HIV/AIDS patients. Umm Miss…”  

“Laila. Call me Laila.” The Guru smiles.

“Laila this clinic was meant to treat particularly your community. But the doctor there told me that hardly anyone comes for treatment.”

“That’s because we don’t have AIDS.”

“Well that cannot be true. These communities rank the first in AIDS/HIV infection, the second being drug abusers.”

“We only want to help you,” persuades Mr. Nauman.

“What’s the use of treatment when people ultimately have to die in the end?” The Guru asks.  

“You can minimize the pain that they have to endure during their lifetime.” Maheen replies earnestly, “not only that, but people can live longer if they take their medicines. Plus our doctor’s will tell you how HIV/AIDS is transmitted and how to prevent it. And I must clarify that sitting close to or shaking hands of a person with AIDS does not mean that you’ll get AIDS too.”

“I still cannot trust the word of just two people. I am responsible for all my girls well being. I cannot risk their lives.”

“You are risking their lives by stopping them from coming to our clinic. Laila please, talk to some of the patients that come for treatment there. Then you can make up your mind about what to do.” Maheen sighs resignedly, “well I have said what I wanted to. This is my card.” She hands it to the Guru, “if you need to contact me, it has my number and office address.”

Maheen stands up. The Guru is deep in thought.

“You yourself have AIDS haven’t you?” The Guru says.

Maheen is startled and caught unawares, “yes. How did you know?”

“You told me yourself long ago, when you hit me with your car Maheen.”  

(Stay tuned for episode 9)