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Warrier set up the first pathology lab
in verur village;
for unfamiliar clients an excitement.
the damp, dark clinic,
veiled by trees and shrubs,
tasted of kashayams and arishtams.
on the wooden table lay
a stethoscope,
a thermometer,
some ayurveda books
in malayalam for warrier to
double-check on intution.
a faint bulb blinked from the tiled roof
mornings and evenings;
afternoons, warrier rested.
grandpa was the lab's first client.
early morning,
he packed slabs of stool
in banana leaves;
wrapped a kerosene bottle of urine
in an old newspaper;
placed them on warrier's table.
presuming a breakfast
of puttu and kadalai with coffee
warrier opened the contents.
warrier,
waiting patients,
the clinic,
the lab,
deserted verur,
failing to catch the humour.
a malayalam paper reported
the event.
today the clinic is verur's best.
on its wall hangs a framed copy
of the report.