I had just arrived from the city to my home village upon an emergence call from the village elders. Yes, to perform last rites on my dying grand father.

He was 85, and he had been sick for over 6 months. Always complaining of general body pains, but no hospital could diagnose any specific disease on him. And thus, after 4 months in hospital, my mother and my aunties requested to have the old man get nursed at home.

“We’ve lost any hope.” My mother didn’t mince words at describing his condition when I called her. I couldn’t go to see my ailing grand father myself as I was outside the country for work then.

Since they got him home out of the hospital, he had gone one whole month without eating. No one could manage moving his jaws to open up his mouth and feed him. I mean no food, no water nor anything to enter his mouth! Besides, no movement for four weeks – except strong powerful breathing as an only indication of life.

I couldn’t recognise the once giant strong man upon entering his bedroom. He appeared so lifeless to me! Illness had completely eroded him off in just 6 months. He was all bones! Besides, the whole bedroom was engulfed in some nasty smell. The man was rotting alive!

Three times during the last four weeks of his life, it had been rumoured that the old man is gone. But he kept coming back to life. That is what had actually prompted the village elders to request for my immediate visit to the village.

“Well, I hope you now understand why we called you.” one of the elders finally said to me after they had let me into the bedroom to see the old man.

But I couldn’t filter out any meaning from his words. For sure it couldn’t be about any financial help here. Already, I had financially dedicated myself to helping my grand father acquire the best of medical assistance I could afford.

“I don’t understand you please!” I finally managed to tell him.

The old man looked at me appearing surprised with my response. He turned back to look at my grand father on the bed. Then back again at me. At that instant, I thought I had uttered some obscenity and that I should rush in to withdraw my words.

“Ok! Young man, your grand father has in fact been dead for over four weeks now.” Chipped in the second elderly man without minding how piercing his words might sound to me.