Small Story 19. Great Better Half.

Raj had always struggled with waking up early, a challenge that had become even more pressing with his new job requiring him to be at the office by 8:30 a.m. His commute from Tambaram meant he had to rely on the train, so getting up at 5:30 a.m. was crucial. On his first day at the new job, Sunita, his wife, was both thrilled about the better package and concerned about Raj's notorious struggle with mornings. Despite her best intentions, the alarm clock rang, and Raj, as usual, hit the snooze button. Fifteen minutes later, he was still asleep, and Sunita, worried about the implications for his first day, gently woke him up. Raj was startled when he checked the time and realized he was already behind schedule. Even if he rushed, taking an Ola or Uber might not guarantee he would arrive on time due to the heavy traffic and numerous signals. He muttered to himself about his habitual lateness as he hurried through his morning routine. The traffic was worse than anticipated, and Raj arrived at the office an hour late. To his dismay, the officials at the new company refused to let him in, citing the need for punctuality. Despite his explanations about the traffic, they told him that if he couldn’t manage his time on his first day, they couldn’t trust him with their work. Feeling disheartened, Raj returned home. Sunita greeted him with a mixture of sympathy and understanding. She revealed that she had anticipated this situation and had kept his resignation notice as an emergency leave request, hoping to provide some buffer. Raj looked at Sunita with deep gratitude and emotion. Her foresight and support meant more than he could express. "At least," he said, "I’m lucky to have you as my better half." Sunita smiled, knowing that while today had been a tough lesson, it was one they could work through together. Raj resolved to tackle his morning habit and improve his punctuality, motivated by the support and understanding of his loving wife K.Ragavan