Doctor I was, Doctor I am. Doctor I shall always be.

Doctor I was. Doctor I am. I heard their complaints ,. I understood their pain,. In my brain , I deduced their illness. I treated them right, I got them well. They were happy and so was I . Contended was I .

Doctor I was. Doctor I am. The ques at my OPD room was always unending. The bigger the que, the more vigor I worked with. The night duties were tiresome,. I assisted them in delivering their children,. I monitored them sincerely ,. I knew no sleep ,. The nurses and ayas assisted me,. I held crying vermin coated babies in my hands. I watched as the mothers cried with joy,. My heart missed a beat if the baby didn’t cry.

Doctor I was.                                       Doctor I am.    Years went by and I rose up the ladder,. As destined perhaps ,I became the chief medical officer,. Now the whole medical department was under me. I missed those nights, the wails of mothers, the cries of babies. Yet I was happy, manoeuvering my department to newer heights and perfections .

Doctor I was.                                       Doctor I am.    I managed to get permission to open up a Post graduate institute,. My happiness knew no bounds. My colleagues and fellow doctors were my life. Happiness they say can never last for ever ,. Same with me. The bureaucrats and politicians connived to throw me out. Three decades of life as a doctor was gone.

Doctor I was.                                       Doctor I am.    I found myself transferred to the sanitation department. Gone were the patients and doctor colleagues and friends.

Doctor I was.                                       Doctor I am.    Three and a half years before I retire,. I am supervising the cleaning of streets,. Door to door garbage collection, Clearing rivers of hyacinth,. Cleaning naalas and gutters,.

Doctor I was.                             Doctor I am.    Now those three and half years are coming to an end,. I still am here, garbage and garbage clearing is my forte,. No more curing the ill,. No more babies cry in my hands ,. No more mothers pleading with me for help.

Doctor I was.                                       Doctor I am.    No more doctors are my friends now,. They have distanced themselves from me, it hurts a lot , my heart bleeds,. Have to accept what life is giving me. Forty five days now before I retire, A doctor I was ,. A doctor I am,. A doctor I shall always be.