Genial Gallant Gerard

The sixth of us seven siblings, Gerard (Gerry Boy as he is affectionately called) was born on the bed we all slept on at home. Those were the days of midwives who came home and helped deliver most babies. Mummy’s home deliveries started with me and ended with our younger brother, Gerard. He was a breech case – so determined to set his ‘foot’ into the world – unlike how babies are usually born. With great deal of difficulty, dear Mrs.Magee, one of the oldest Anglo-Indian midwives in our hometown, Bitragunta, exercised her enormous experience and expertise, to help deliver our parents’ precious baby boy on the 27th of September. Having spent more than the time necessary in his womb-cocoon, our baby brother was born blue but beautiful too! Our neighbour, dear Mrs.Moreira who came home to see mummy and baby that very evening, had a look of consternation as she left. Neither Daddy nor Mummy thought that there was anything wrong with their baby son. Three days later, aunty Moreira came over to visit again and by that time, the colour of baby son’s skin and eyes was back to normal. It was then that she told mummy of her fears regarding ‘blue’ babies, and that such babies usually did not survive (after having ingested amniotic fluid). But thanks be to God, baby son brought with him, right from birth, his brand of survival.

Gerard was a very beautiful baby, with a head full of jet-black pepper curls, chubby and cherubin-like! Anyone who saw him fell in love with him, such a little charmer was he, even from his perambulator days! Gerry Boy took quite some time to start speaking, and when he did, he did it in his own style. He would say ‘Gam’ for jam, but the best of all was hearing him pronounce his name! Let anyone ask the little fellow his name and pat came the proud, ‘Gerraard Gosef’ – all his /dj/ sounds ended up being /g/. He sure brought much laughter to the rest of us each time we heard our baby brother speak. He was as adorable as he was funny! Our dear parents’ faith in God was our shield. Soon our baby son grew into a handsome, tall teenager whose gregarious nature drew friends to him like iron filings to a magnet. He was full of fun and frolic, not to forget mischief in abundance too.

Born one behind the other, siblings Margaret and Gerard were as thick as thieves. Neither would ever let down the other. Margie, the movie buff in the family, insisted that her kid brother, Gerard, carry her like a hero carries the heroine. That done she made him take her to the mirror so that she could enjoy the scene of being carried like the heroine of a movie! And dear Gerry Boy had to bear the brunt of her weight! Watching the two of them was enough to send us, the older ones, into peals of laughter. Such innocent, sibling fun! Then, there was in our hometown, a couple – the husband tall and big built, his wife short and stout. They were about the only ones in our hometown who possessed a motorbike. But it was their terms of endearment, “Bull” and “Bully” that never failed to get us young ones choking with laughter! Now, Margie had the knack of making her younger brother, Gerry Boy dance to her tune. So, sometimes she would make the two of them reprise the roles of Bull and Bully. And guess what they used as their bike? Mummy’s sewing machines(hand) that had hard covers on them, when not in use. One minute they are as close as peas in a pod and the next, well you know how siblings are, don’t you?  They’d be chasing each other around the beds like two fire- breathing dragons! Oh, the joys of sibling-wars! No Star Wars can come even close.

When Patty came on the scene in Gerard’s seventh year, and Margie moved on to junior college, Gerard took on the role of big brother, but God forbid if they had a fight … he would deliberately take little Patty on the bumpiest part of the road on his cycle to school. These two, our youngest, had their own fun at home, driving poor mummy the wall every once in a while.

Time flew by, and soon Gerry Boy too had to leave home for higher studies. Determined, decisive, daring and delightful, Gerard attended the best of institutions – his UG at Andhra Loyola College and PG at Madras Christian College. Gerard met his darling wife, the very beautiful and cheerful Charmaine, at my wedding.  Their teenage friendship blossomed into the warmth of lifelong love, bringing forth three blessed and brilliant children, two hearty, hardworking, handsome boys and a beautiful, Angelic daughter – all of them doing extremely well studying and working in Perth, Australia, where this Fantastic Family of Five now reside!

Gerard’s got a heart that goes out to anyone in distress. Realizing the need to help families separated due to some immigration issues, Gerard underwent a course on immigration laws and went full steam into supporting and reuniting such families. Gerard’s determination to help society, especially the elderly, prompted him to take up Nursing at the age of 50, specializing in geriatrics. Serving in a Home that has his wards well into their 90s, is something Gerard holds close to his heart. And they in turn love him to no end for he does not spare those working with or under him when they mistreat the elders entrusted to their care. Together, Gerard and Charmaine are hoping to start their own Nursing Agency, with the children pitching in with their respective expertise.

Disciplined and strict when needed, and practical and street smart, Gerard is also one who is an epitome of humour and wit. One minute in his company and you’d be in splits! Some people are gifted with a fabulous funny bone; Gerard is definitely one!  At times I think he should go into humour writing for he is blessed with a fluent, free flow of language that makes him equally eloquent and absolutely funny at the same time. A brilliant mind, Gerard constantly strives to reinvent himself in accomplishing all that he sets out to achieve. Never one to shy away from taking risks, my dear brother went from Customs officer to doing an MBA programme in Netherlands, moved to Ireland when his amazing wife, Charmaine, noted for her Nursing skills was placed in a hospital there. Well-settled in their home in Perth, Gerard’s is a family, whom God has brought into the noble profession of Nursing. While his eldest, Steve, is a registered nurse, his daughter, Rachel is studying to be one too, while Jason, the youngest, has branched out into Business Administration, his business acumen much needed when they establish their Nursing Agency.

Thanks to Gerard’s persuasive initiative, we are all looking forward to a glorious get-together in July this year (2025) when we super seven siblings and our darling Mumzie Sweetheart, the ever-loving matriarch of the Joseph family, meet up for a family reunion. Needless to say, my dear baby brother, Gerard, a man of many parts, continues to regard every mountain and valley in life as milestones of learning and growing and giving back to family and society.