Small Story 95.Suspense Cleared

Small Story 95: Suspense Cleared Ram was once again rejected by the Selection Committee for the National Carom Championship. He had been practicing for over a decade, playing in many tournaments and winning, yet this highly influential committee did not select him. Ram worked as a manager at a small private firm. His father, Desikan, worked at a bank, and his mother, Ambujam, was a high school teacher. Ram’s dream was to play at the national level, but he also had a secret passion for writing. Under the pen name Avittam, his comic and romantic stories were very popular among young readers. No one else knew about his writing. One day, while traveling to work on a bus (his car was in for service), Ram sat by the window, enjoying the view of the tall buildings outside. A young woman boarded the bus and sat next to him. As the bus moved along, she received a phone call from a friend. "Hey, I was so disappointed today... the story had such a twist! Avittam really knows how to keep the suspense going! I don’t know how he does it every week." Ram smiled to himself. He knew exactly who she was talking about. Avittam, that was his pen name. The bus conductor came around to collect fare, and the lady showed him a 500-rupee note. The conductor refused, as he didn’t have change. "Excuse me, if you don't mind, I can pay for your ticket," Ram offered gently. The lady, Ranjitha, was grateful. "Thanks, today’s been such a bad day for me... I forgot my wallet, and I was hoping for some good news from my favorite author. At least Avittam keeps the suspense alive every week." Ram smiled. "I see, which author are you talking about?" "Sorry, I should’ve introduced myself. I’m Ranjitha, I work at a bank. Avittam is his pen name, a very versatile writer. His language is so captivating... have you read his stories?" "No," Ram responded softly. "You should! His stories are published in Stories World magazine every week." "Alright, I will." Ram’s stop came, and as he stood up to leave, Ranjitha handed him her business card. "This is my card," she said. "If I miss you tomorrow, I’ll message you to repay the three rupees." Ram took the card with a smile, and got off the bus. Later that day, while having lunch at the office, Ram couldn’t stop thinking about the pleasant encounter with Ranjitha. Her smile, her kind words, and her introduction made him feel a strong connection to her. For the next couple of days, Ram didn’t take the bus. Meanwhile, Ranjitha, not knowing his phone number, waited patiently. Then, one evening, Ram’s father, Desikan, came home with Ranjitha. Ambujam, his mother, was surprised to see her. "She’s our front-line manager at the office, recently joined. Ranjitha is also a friend of my colleague, Raghunathan’s daughter explained her recent experience of three rupeesticket money to return waiting in her hands. I invited her over today because Raghunathan was busy," Desikan explained. Ranjitha was stunned when she saw Ram walk in. Ambujam, noticing the look on Ranjitha’s face, smiled knowingly. "Ranjitha, thank you for the three rupees you’ve been holding onto for the last few days. Here, Ram, take it." Ram took the money, but before he could speak, he handed her a book. "You’ll love this week’s story," he said. Ranjitha’s face lit up with joy as she looked at the book in her hands. Ambujam, now feeling more comfortable, spoke openly. "Ranjitha, you’re a modern girl, and our friend’s daughter. You like our son, Ram, don’t you?" Ranjitha was taken aback by the unexpected question, feeling shy. "Mummy," Ram began, "I’ve been keeping a suspense from you and Dad. I am the writer Avittam." Everyone was delighted by this revelation. Desikan and Ambujam were overjoyed, and Ranjitha was thrilled to discover that the man she admired for his writing was right in front of her. Ram, too, was happy that his mother had opened the door for a discussion about his relationship with Ranjitha. With two suspenses cleared, everything seemed to be falling into place. K.Ragavan 2-12-24