The taar (telegraph) has 'retired' permanently from our lives today. The news brought an incident to my mind from the past

As a boy in mid-teens, I stood for my turn to collect mail at a P&T Office (Daakghar) in a remote place. People had to collect their mail from Post Office as their was no Daakiya (postman) to deliver it.

A telegram from Bombay (in1966 it was) was delivered to a man in 50s who couldn't read and didn't understand English. The clerk at the window, who as a rule read out telegraphic messages to almost all the people, didn't help and told him "I'm too busy, please take help from someone else". 

He showed it to 3 other people. They glanced at it then politely declined to translate for him saying "sorry, I don't know English."

Then he approached me for help.

I read & asked him 'Who is so-and-so in Bombay?" 

He replied, "My son".

I told him the message which was from the Police and which went like this - 

[name] EXPIRED AFTER ROOF FELL ON HIM STOP START IMMEDIATELY

(In telegrams, STOP means end of sentence)

The man went down on his knees and collapsed on the ground crying bitterly.

All the people who didn't help him with the translation rushed towards him - supporting him in their firm grip, holding him close to their chest and consoling him, speaking soothing words softly in his ears.

I felt kinda guilty! 

I still don't know how to announce death to someone without causing the ensuing hurt.