During summer, I usually spend two months at Ranong visiting my grandfather. At his large home in countryside, I can stay with a different life from city life at my home. I live simply there such as wandering leisurely in a natural environment, dressing as plainly as I want, and having many spicy local dishes. Moreover, my kind grandfather takes care of me well. Not only does he usually go out with me, but he also gives me lots money. Therefore, I always look forward to staying with him during summer. However, my last memories about my grandfather were different.
I was called to be in hurry from Bangkok to Ranong. It was not a visit at his home in summer, but it was an emergency at the hospital at urgent night. At peaceful night, on the quiet roads stands the big old shadowy government hospital. At the top of the building was the square label ‘Ranong hospital’ brightened vaguely by the dim green light. Around the hospital was a car park which had few cars left. One ambulance with sparkling red and blue light and angry siren interrupted the calmness of this hospital.
I saw it passing my car which just arrived to the front of the hospital that made me more depressed. Getting off the car, I felt the groaning wind touching my face and then I rushed into the hospital. Inside the hospital was busily contrastive to the outside. The patients were sitting on every unoccupied sofa while the troop of nurse in identical white uniform was moving tightly. The front section was the information center with wearily nurse informing me unwillingly about the direction of my grandfather’s room. Walking through the straight corridor to his room, I passed some unpleasant sections.
First is the waiting room where many patients walked unsteadily like toddler and some were on wheelchairs with bandages and plasters seeping with blood. Next was an emergency room where a man wearing helmet and torn shirt over which had blood held by his frightened wife was screaming. Seeing these miserable scenes, I turned my face away and walked as fast as I could to my destination. Thereafter, in front of me was an exclusive male patients’ room. I nervously walked inside to search for my grandfather. The entire room presented a gloomy look.
It was a medium-sized white room laying four beds in four rows. Every single bed had many patients crying and groaning. The room was so congested that the air conditioner was not cold enough to comfort anyone. At the fourth row on the right side, I hastened to join my arriving cousins gathering around the bed. On that bed hung the name, “Suwit,” and the details, “diabetes and high-blood pressure,” my grandfather lay unconsciously. The smell of the medicine was around him diffusely. Beside him was many medical equipment and ropes suspended disorderly.
The prayer from the radio beside him echoed around us. Also, the slower of the heart rate monitor machine sound was, the louder of my family’s scream and cry were. It was difficult for me to believe that this was my grandfather. He looked totally different from the one I have known. The chubby man with dark complexion in healthy look turned to be boney and pale. His twinkling eyes which were full of warmness shut motionlessly. His sharp natural-colored lips became dry and pale, and they were also covered with a respirator.
His usual smiling face now showed no emotions. As I touched him, I felt the dryness of his skin like a sand paper and the coldness on his body. His wrist was vaccinated for saline solution and fluid food. It looked terribly painful. His inconsistent breath was gradually slower until at once it missed. Suddenly, the heart rate monitor machine beeped like a horn. The wisely doctor and energetic nurse calmly told us that poor grandfather wouldn’t suffer from these painful medical equipment anymore. We moved from the former tragic room to the tranquil one with fresh air.
There was only our family and everyone could control their minds to stop crying. my grandfather who now left medical gadgets penetrating to the body that once tortured him was calm. The last moment I saw him was that he was serene with happiness before he was covered with unbleached cloth and was taken from us. Although my last memories about him was not the same as good old days that he always smiled and played with me, he was always my same generous grandfather who stuck in my mind forever in my good memories.
