Small Story 84 The Surprise at the Door

Small Story 84 The Surprise at the Door Ramaswamy was waiting for his turn to give a blood sample for a sugar test when an elderly lady came and sat next to him. She smiled at him and said, "Sir, I’m in a bit of a hurry. If you could kindly allow me to go next, I would be very grateful." Normally, Ramaswamy would have declined, but today he had to finish his appointment quickly to attend to some urgent work. "I'm sorry, Madam, I also have some urgent work. Please excuse me," he replied. "No problem, Sir," she said politely. Her calm and respectful tone made Ramaswamy rethink. He was convinced by her gentle response and decided to let her go ahead. When his turn came, Ramaswamy asked the nurse to let the lady go next. She was visibly relieved and thanked him warmly. After she finished, he went in for his blood test. Once done, he stopped by a nearby Jayanagar hotel for a masala dosa and tea before heading home. The reason Ramaswamy was in a hurry was that his grandson was leaving for higher studies in the U.S. via Delhi at 12 pm that very day. He wanted to finish his work so he could be there on time to send him off. That’s why he initially hesitated to let the lady go ahead. But now, reflecting on her thoughtful manner, he was glad he had made the decision to help her. When Ramaswamy got home, he shared the story with his wife, Ambujam. “I don’t know what made her in such a hurry,” he said. “But in the end, her humble reply made me feel I had done the right thing.” At 11:30 am, just as Ramaswamy was preparing to leave for the airport, his surprise came: the same lady, Janaki, appeared at his door. "Namaskara, Sir," she greeted him warmly. "My grandson and your grandson are classmates. He’s in Colorado, Denver, and will be hosting your grandson, Sreeram, during his stay. I brought some sweets, pickles, and snacks for them." Janaki continued, "I didn’t realize you were his grandfather. Now I understand why you seemed restless this morning. I’m sorry if I disturbed you." She handed over a large parcel and another smaller one for Ramaswamy's family. Just then, Sreeram arrived home and greeted her, "Namaskara, Grandmother. My blessings to you for a safe journey." Ramaswamy was deeply moved by the kindness and thoughtfulness of Janaki. His decision to help her that morning had turned out to be a rewarding experience, reminding him of the goodness in the world. K.Ragavan 21-11-24