GANDHIJI AND A COFFEE DRINKER

                                GANDHIJI AND A COFFEE DRINKER

About the lesson 

Mahatma Gandhi was the father of the nation . He was very kind and considerate . He took in nursing the sick . In this lesson, we would see how he served coffee to a patient in the Ashram at Sasbarmati.

Gandhi was a first class nurse to the sick. Where he picked up nursing was a mystery . He certainly did not pass through a nursing school. As in many other things, when nursing became necessary to him  in life, he learned it through the hard way of experience. In  the Ashram at Sabarmati, all sick persons came directly under  his eyes and care. Doctors were of course,  counslted; but the care of the sick, Gandhiji arranged in person. It was a joke, espically among young people in the Ashram, that if you wanted to see Gandhiji every day and talk to him and hear him crack jokes, you had only to be ill and get into bed ! For Gandhiji visited the sick everyday, spent a few minuts at every-bed side, himself saw to things carefully and never failed to crack a jokor two with the paitent . There was no day to busy for Gandhiji to attend sick person .
There was once a young lad who went down with dysentry. He had done his best to accustom himself  to Ashram food, but he failed. He had a great liking for coffee . But in the Ashram, there was no coffee for him nor was  coffee was allowed. In good time, he got rid of his dysentrty and was now recovering. Gandhiji visited him for a few minuts during his usual rounds. Those few minuts were like a tonic to the poor lad,
He pined for a cup of good coffee. One day, he was lying on his back dreaming of it when he heared the welcome sound of the wooden sandals of Gandhiji. A minute later,  Gandhiji entered with his never failing smile and cheering words.
He looked the lad and said : "Now you are decidedly better. You must have recorved your apptite, What would you like to eat ? Ah ! some good , uppuma or thosai ?"
Gandhiji evidently knew all about lad's partiality fot these two good old South Indian dishes. Gandhiji was laughing .The youngester had a sudden brain - wave.
"Could I have a cup of coffee, please"he blurted out.
Gandhiji answered with a peal of laughter, "Oh, you old sinner, that is what you want !" And then seeing the look on the lad's face, he added ,"You certainly shall have your cup of coffee . Yes light coffee wil soothe your stomach. And what will you have with your coffee ? I don't think, we can make Uppuna or thsai, but warm toast would go well with coffee. I  shall send you a tray."
With that, and a kind parting word, Ganhiji lefty room . The lad lay waiting, he could not believe his good luck. Coffee in Sabarmati Ashram ! and Gandhiji himself offering to send it in to him!
Gandhiji's cottage was at the other end of the Ashram, a good way across the road. teh lad could well imagine what would happen. Gandhiji would go to Kasturbain her kitchen and ask for coffee and toast. But it was  an untimely hour. The kitchen would be closed . Ba herself would be taking rest. Had he caused Gandhiji too much botheration? Some twenty minuts passed. Hark! What was that sound? The click-click of Gandhiji,s wodden sandels again. Had the coffee been called off? His heart sank within him. But there was Gandhiji carrying a tray covered with a white khadi napkin. The lad was dazed. What had really happened?
 Gandhiji was speaking. " Now, here is your coffee ans toast. And. mind you, I made the coffee myself. Npow like a good south Indian, will you certify I can make good coffee?"
"but "whispered the lad, " why did you not ask someone else to bring this for me? I am very sorry I  put you to this trouble."
"Now,now" , said Gandhiji , "do not ruin your coffee. Cold coffee is bad coffee. You see Ba was resting and I did not dare to disturb her ."And then he said suddenly, "well, I shall leave you now. Someone will come for the tray." With that off he went.
The coffee was light, but excellent. The lad saipped as if it were necta. But he was troubled. His mind 's eye saw Gandhiji opening the kitchen, lighting the stove, amking the coffee and toast and carrying it to him, all in order not to disturb others at that untimely hour. He was overwhelmed.

                                                                                                 by C. Ramchandran