Small Story 134 PharmaMagic.

Small Story 134. Pharma Magic** Prem, a 24-year-old, handsome and well-behaved young man, entered the main gate of the building for an interview with a top software company in Annanagar. He had taken the metro from Thirumangalam, and was excited about the opportunity. As he walked into the hall, the security asked for his name and informed him that his turn would be number 6. Prem sat on the neatly arranged sofa, waiting for his interview to begin. When his turn came, he entered the room, where the interview panel awaited. The person interviewing him was Shalini, a woman in her mid-thirties. She looked at his credentials and said, "Prem, you have all the qualities we need for this role. Your posting will be in Bengaluru for one year, after which you might be posted to the US or Singapore. Are you okay with that?" Prem replied, "Thank you. But if the posting is in Chennai, I will be much happier. My dad, who has health problems, needs my presence. I lost my mother when I was 12, and my dad is everything to me." Shalini, a bit surprised, responded, "I understand, but at the moment, the requirement is only for Bengaluru. I can't promise anything for Chennai, but it will take a few more months." Prem shook his head gently, "I appreciate the offer, but I cannot accept the posting in Bengaluru." Shalini suggested, "You can take your dad to Bengaluru; our package is very good." Prem replied, "No, my dad is a consultant for pharmaceutical companies. Most of his clients are here in Chennai, even though the companies are based in various locations." With that, Prem was about to leave. Shalini paused, "Wait, I have your CV. Can you write down your dad's name here? I will try my best to fulfill your request." Prem left the office and returned home. His father, Ram, was eager to hear about the interview. "How was the interview?" asked Ram. "They offered me a posting in Bengaluru, but I refused it," Prem replied. "Why?" Ram asked, surprised. "I will manage here, Dad. You know your prostate condition, and the recent scan showed higher results," Prem explained. Ram reassured him, "It will be alright in the coming days. I don’t have any pain or difficulty urinating. It’s nothing to worry about." "No, Dad," Prem insisted. "You know how important it is for me to be here with you, especially after Mum passed away. I don’t want to leave you alone." Ram listened quietly but didn't argue. "Alright, let’s hope things will be fine." The next day, Prem took Ram to see his doctor friend, Dr. Swamy, who had come from the US. After examining Ram, Dr. Swamy said, "No need to worry. There is no difficulty in passing urine. You can take a scan tomorrow, as the last one was five months ago." Both left the clinic after the consultation. Later that day, Prem received a call from Shalini. "Hello, Prem. Do you have a few minutes?" she asked. "Yes, Madam," Prem replied. "After you left last week, I discussed your case with our CEO, Ramnath. He saw your dad’s name, and told he is well-known in the pharmaceutical consultancy field. He has a lot of respect from one of our major clients and asked to take you. If you’re willing to join, we can offer you the same terms and conditions, and you can join on Friday." Prem was thrilled. "Thank you so much, Shalini!" The next day, Ram went for his scan, and the results showed a drastic improvement. His condition had returned to normal. Dr. Swamy was very pleased with the results and reassured him that there was no need for further worry. To celebrate, Prem, Ram, and Dr. Swamy went to the famous Woodlands Hotel for lunch. The next Friday, Prem joined his new job, and Shalini greeted him with a warm compliment, "We’re lucky to have you in our team, the son of the brilliant pharma consultant, Ram." Prem was overjoyed to be working in a place where his father's expertise was so well-respected. It seemed like the beginning of a wonderful new chapter for both of them. K.Ragavan 23-1-25