Memories, half a century old, set off a stream of consciousness triggered by the sad news of Javed Masood passing away. He was visiting his daughter in Washington and according to a mutual friend was not doing too good. A phone call from us in New Jersey would cheer him. We waited for him to lighten up before dialing him. Now, it’s too late. He is no more. His mortal remains travelled back for burial in Islamabad.
JM, as we used to call him was serving as assistant commissioner in Jhelum way back in the the ’60s. Jhelum was our home, too. Driving down to Mangla was our weekly treat. It was little America, complete with a bowling alley, a pizzeria, a fancy restaurant and a theatre that screened the latest American movies. An Italian-US conglomerate constructing the Mangla dam had built the complex for its staff. Life was on a roll. We were young, carefree and very happy.
Aging is a reality. It descends stealthily. Soon, it’s time to leave. So, what’s a good age to kick the bucket? This is not a sick joke, as many of you may think. Nor is it black comedy that rakes up unpleasant, frightening images of death and decay. It’s a simple fact of life that most of us like to avoid bringing up. But all humans are mortals.
Here’s one man who thinks the ideal time to quit the world is at age 75. Why would Dr Zeke Emanuel, director of the clinical bioethics department at the US National Institutes of Health, exalt death? Because, old age, according to his prognosis, renders “many of us, if not disabled, then faltering and declining, a state that may not be worse than death but is nonetheless deprived.” Most of us would think the doctor to be talking through his head, but here’s what he says about old age: “It robs us of our creativity and ability to contribute to work, society, the world. It transforms how people experience us, relate to us, and most important, remember us. We are no longer remembered as vibrant and engaged but as feeble, ineffectual, even pathetic.”
Are good doctors bad for your health?
‘Dr Death’, as I call Zeke Emanuel, is in a minority in America. Americans want to live, not die! Daily we read of breakthroughs in wellness and beauty. Not only do the wealthy here want to lead an active lifestyle forever but want to look young, fresh and ready to go! Notice the current pack of presidential candidates vying with each other to win the White House next November. Hillary Clinton will be in her 70th year if she wins and will be 78 when she leaves the Oval Office. Her Democrat rival Bernie Sanders is already 74, so you do the math by the time he is done being the president of the most powerful country. Moving on to billionaire Donald Trump, the guy with a weird hairstyle but a darling of the Republican voters is already in his 70th year. He is like a generator who continues to throw up megawatts of energy that keeps his fans entertained and him buzzing wherever he goes.