Small Story 71 The Story of Derpak and the Calender

Small Story 71. The Story of Deepak and the Calendar Narasimhan had retired from his government job a few years ago and devoted his time to community service. He was well-known for his dedication to conducting Hindu rituals in his hometown and even extending his services online to Hindus living overseas. His life was peaceful and content with his family: his wife, Vedha; his son, Dinesh; his daughter-in-law, Pankajam; and their only grandson, Deepak. It was a close-knit family, thriving on the income from Narasimhan’s previous job and the contributions from Dinesh, who had also left his private-sector job to help his father with his community service. Deepak, a bright student studying engineering, had recently been ranked among the top students and had received an offer to study abroad on a scholarship. His parents, Dinesh and Pankajam, were excited about the opportunity, but Narasimhan and Vedha were hesitant. While Narasimhan believed that family ties and staying close to home were important, Vedha had always dreamed that Deepak would go abroad, not out of greed, but for the opportunities and experiences it would provide him. For years, Narasimhan had followed a strict morning routine: he would change the date on the family calendar and adjust the time on the clock. This ritual was important to him, as it gave him a sense of order in his day. One day, Vedha decided to take over this small task, thinking it would ease Narasimhan’s burden. At first, she performed the task diligently, but over time, she began to forget. The calendar dates were often torn late at night, as Vedha struggled to get everything done before retiring for bed. The night before Deepak's scheduled flight, on the 10th of the month, Vedha tore off the calendar date for the next day, unaware of the impact it would have. Deepak had been preparing for his flight, double-checking his bags and documents. When he glanced at the calendar, he saw the date was the 11th and assumed he had missed his flight. Panicked, he whispered to himself, thinking it was already too late. He quietly went to bed, assuming he had missed his chance. The next morning, when everyone woke up, Narasimhan noticed that Deepak was still home. Surprised, he asked, "Why haven't you left yet, Deepak?" Deepak explained, "I checked the calendar last night and saw that today was the 11th, so I thought I missed my flight. I didn’t want to wake anyone." Dinesh was shocked. "We expected you to leave at 4:30 AM for the airport!" Narasimhan, always the calm figure in the family, reassured Deepak. "It’s okay, son. Don’t worry. There must have been some confusion." When Vedha realized what had happened, she felt guilty for tearing off the date too early and causing the mix-up. She apologized to Deepak, who was grateful for the understanding, though still upset by the moment of panic. But fate had a different plan for Deepak. The very next day, he received an email from Google, offering him an incredible starting salary for a position in his hometown. The company had reviewed his credentials and decided to offer him a job locally instead of abroad. Deepak, initially set on leaving, began to reconsider. Pankajam, too, felt that staying close to family was a better choice for them at this point in life. Narasimhan, always believing in the strength of family, was content with this change of heart. Not only did Deepak choose to stay in the country, but he also agreed to spend more time with his family, joining them for community service activities with his grandfather. Narasimhan was overjoyed that his family was staying together, united by love and respect. As for Vedha, her small mistake had led to a big change. She was thankful that Deepak had decided to stay, and Narasimhan gave his blessings, thanking the family god, Lakshminarasimhan, for bringing everything to its rightful place. The family’s bond grew stronger, and Deepak’s decision to stay home, pursue his career locally, and spend more time with his grandfather and father on community service projects brought them even closer. Narasimhan was content that his values had been respected, and he was proud of the unity that had come from the small mishap with the calendar. K.Ragavan 8-11-24