Last but not Least

Particia, the youngest of the super seven, was born seven years after the sixth Joseph child, Gerard. To most people, her birth may be considered an accident, but to us, her loving parents and siblings, she is most definitely, God’s great gift.

Patty, as she is affectionately called, was a Miracle right from the time she was conceived! Well into the fourth month of pregnancy (of which she had no clue), mother felt that all was not well with her tummy. Unable to see his darling wife in the least of discomfort, Daddy marched her off to the doctor. After an external exam, the doctor said that it could be a tumor and recommended an Xray. Not having experienced any of the usual symptoms of a pregnancy, Mum and Dad were worried, but placed everything in God’s hands as they usually do.

The Xray technician came up to daddy with a broad smile and congratulated Dad saying, ‘Sir, you are going to be a father”. Daddy, without missing a beat, in his equally joyful and inimitable style replied, ‘and for the seventh time!” That that dear technician was utterly flabbergasted is to say the least. And that signaled the start of the brat of the pack, Patty’s journey into life. Six-year-old Gerard was the youngest till Patty showed up unannounced as it were, and like all little brothers, was he glad!

At delivery time too, it appeared that Patty had a mind of her own. As the team was getting mummy ready for a cesarian, she surprised the doctor and nurses by showing up, and naturally at that!  When she was but a year old, Patty contracted a severe bout of dysentery but was miraculously saved from death’s door in the nick of time! And how do you think that happened? A group of Nuns, visiting our hometown for the first time had requested our reverend Sisters to take them to the home of one Bernie Joseph, whose baby girl was born in their hospital a year ago! Imagine their horror when, instead of a beaming Bernie and a bonny baby, they were greeted with wails from Bernie holding the almost lifeless body of her baby! They lost no time in seeing that mother and child were taken back to their hospital. Bernard, our eldest, in his calm and responsible manner saw to it that Patty was in hospital ready for immediate treatment as Daddy was on line (in Railway parlance meaning working).

Cured and back to her cheerful, cherubic self, Patty grew sweetly, her impish charm a total knock out. When Christine and I went visiting friends, Patty would plead to join us and she did, but much to our embarrassment. At one friend’s house she kept gobbling up the Marie biscuits placed before us. So, on our way back home when we accosted her about her behaviour, she quipped in all four-year old innocence, “how long since I tasted Marie biscuits!” And to think she never even glanced at those biscuits at home! On another day, when we had hardly stepped into our friend, Rose Mary’s house, Patty proclaimed loud and clear, “now when are they going to bring us something! We always give them when they come to our home.” And dear Rose Mary hastened to bring us some sweetmeats. Even our little pinches failed to work her into silence.

To make things easy for us, we used to feed Patty from a bowl. But at our paternal grandparents’ home, Nana always served Patty in a plate, to which she stated, “at least here they serve me in a plate.” Quick witted, a ready repartee and an innocent five-year-old face can be quite a deadly combination to teenage siblings who have to suffer in silence! But the unkindest cut of all was when we wanted to go to the movies and set up Patty to ask mummy in the hope that she would relent when the request came from the youngest. We’d push the little cat in front of mother and hide behind the door. Know what she’d say in her angelic lisp? “Mama, Shirley-ga, Betty-ga, Kitty-ga (ga in baby language is girl) and Margie want to go for pictures”, and that’s as far as we waited to hear before bolting it from behind the door, for we know what’s in store! 

This little Brat of our pack, Patty now Heads the Global Center of Excellence of Corporate Communications in an MNC giant.  Her strength of character, hard work and faith leaves no stone unturned in her pursuit for near perfection in whatever she undertakes. Patty’s is definitely a wise head on young shoulders. Strong yet vulnerable, persevering and patient, respectful and tactful and kind, Patty’s lovely family is the wind under her wings! From her darling husband, Sridhar, the first ever Vice Principal of a one of-a-kind institution of higher education in Chennai, to her marvellous mother-in-law, Vita Bai, to her brilliant yet unassuming son, Rohan, it is their strong support of one another that inspires Patty to give off her best, be it at home, in her career, or in her “making” the time to take good care of our octogenarian mother. Our baby sister’s life is evidence that no one comes into this world by accident, but by Divine Design!