Small story 86

Small Story 86 Naveen's Good Deed Jack, a bachelor living in an independent apartment, works as a manager for a sports company. One day, he went to the supermarket to buy some essential items for cooking. The supermarket manager, Naveen, greeted him warmly. "Hey, how are you? I missed seeing you around the past few days. Is everything okay?" "I'm fine, thanks. How about you, buddy?" "I'm doing well. Tomorrow, I'm heading to Tuticorin to see my parents." "That's great! You went last year, and now, after a year, you're going again." "Yes, my parents have been urging me to meet a girl for marriage." "That's interesting. So, why haven't you married yet, Jack?" "I’m not interested in marriage, nor do I have any affairs. My parents passed away a long time ago, and I was brought up by my maternal uncle, who's now bedridden and elderly. I’m not sure if any girl would look after him, so I’ve decided not to marry." "That’s a good reason. But how long do you think you can manage alone?" "By God's grace, I can manage. That's why I started cooking, to be self-sufficient." "Well, I wish you the best. I'll see you after I return from Tuticorin." The next day, Naveen arrived at his native place, Tuticorin. His father was a doctor, and his mother was a school teacher. Naveen was their only son. After leaving college in the middle, his parents encouraged him to be independent. He started a supermarket in Chennai with a friend as a business partner, and it was doing well. Now, however, his parents were urging him to marry. In the afternoon, Naveen went to meet a potential bride, Shobhana. She was smart and good-looking. Naveen said he was okay with her, but after talking to her parents, Shobhana made it clear that she expected her husband to be at least a B.A., since she herself had an M.A. Naveen, who had dropped out in his second year of college, was not qualified to meet this requirement. He politely left, not feeling disappointed. Shobhana's friend, Helen, later advised Shobhana to reconsider, but Shobhana remained firm in her decision. Naveen left and returned home. The following day, Naveen was surprised to hear that Jack's uncle had passed away. Naveen went to Helen’s house, where he introduced himself to her mother, Elizabeth. After tea, Naveen shared his thoughts and explained his idea. Elizabeth was convinced, and the next day, Naveen went back to Chennai. He called Jack to inform him of his uncle's passing and also mentioned that it was time for Jack to consider marriage. He showed Jack a picture of Helen and suggested she might be a suitable match. Jack, seeing the beautiful picture of Helen, was taken aback. After some thought, he agreed. A few days later, in Tuticorin, Jack and Helen married in a church ceremony. Naveen, who had helped Jack find his bride, attended the wedding along with his own parents and Shobhana’s family. Shobhana, impressed by Naveen’s gesture, became a good friend of his. K.Ragavan 23-11-24