Three of 'em are surprised to see the fourth one walking towards 'em, suddenly looking aged 'n unrecognizable, all frail 'n bald now.
"What happened to ya dude?", the three query, a bit sarcastically, but in sync. "At the previous reunion two years ago, ya still were this tough nut who everyone had celebrated in the college... Seems like ya gave up, huh?"
"Sometime ago I was diagnosed with malignant tumor 'n underwent chemotherapy, thankfully now the biopsy shows that I am negative 'n given a chance by God's grace, I will slowly but steadily recuperate to good health... But as is visible to ya all 'n everyone who interacts with me, my body along with my soul has taken its share of toll since initially the good cells are made to perish too along with the cancerous cells but that's how this treatment works... That's the reason for the apparent weakness... 'n yeah, the hair is gone too but all this is a small price to pay for life...", the 'once strong now frail' explained with an even frailer smile.
"Whoa... What... Don't be silly, why did ya allow doctors for chemotherapy, so not done man... Last year I had a bout of cold, I simply took loads of steam, 'n for good measure, I added few drops of eucalyptus oil to it every single time, that's all that ya should've done...", the first one said in a tone full of wisdom.
At this moment the second mate chipped in with his intelligence, "Nah, don't listen to him, he's talking shit. I had a bout of fever last year so I know what I am talking about. No chemotherapy, no steam, only few dosages of paracetamol at every few hours coupled with showering in lukewarm water 'n lots of fluids intake if ya please 'n ya would do just fine... I have been there, done that..."
"What absolute rubbish... Don't listen to these two jerks. Everyone knows I am an investment banker, I make money even as we speak, so I know what I am saying... Last year I accidentally broke my middle finger... Oh man, can't tell ya how much that hurt, ya guys have no fuckin' clue, it hurt like hell man... But seriously, no chemotherapy, no steam, no paracetamol, no lukewarm showers, but only a x-ray 'n bandage the finger in a cast for 4 weeks 'n the finger comes out as new as it gets... check this out... ", the third sane voice showed his middle finger to everyone in the earshot, pun unintended...
Hearing all this sanity, the frail insane smiled with a nervous confidence 'n nodded to the other three, "Yup, sure, ya guys are absolutely right... Maybe my bad but guess what, it's my life 'n I just did what I thought was the par for course... Anyhow, ya guys take care, God bless ya all"...
He walked again, but this time away from the crowd... Since walking is all that he ever knew...
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Postscript...
C'est la vie... Such is life... Remedial measures are free 'n plenty, especially when the diagnosis is not even vaguely similar... Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinched 'n when it turned into a gone sore wound...
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