Small Story 353.

Small Story 353 A Surveyor’s Advice Athmarao received a call from his close relative, Vaibhav, asking him to come home for an important discussion. Promptly at 5 PM, Athmarao reached Vaibhav’s apartment, where he was warmly greeted by Vaibhav and his wife, Sulochana. After a few minutes, Sulochana brought in tea and banana chips—both friends’ favorite snack. Once they settled, Vaibhav began the conversation. "Athma, you must be wondering why I called you so suddenly. You're not just a close relative but also a dear friend for decades. You know our son Keshav has been working in London for the past seven years. Whenever we brought up the topic of marriage, he always refused. But yesterday, he called and told us something unexpected—he wants to marry his office colleague, who is a British national. They like each other and are serious about it. I was shocked. We never thought he'd make such a decision on his own. Sulochana has been deeply upset since last night, wondering how we’ll face our relatives.” Vaibhav paused, looking visibly troubled. “I know you're a retired surveyor who has helped many people with their problems. That’s why I wanted to take you into confidence on this.” Athmarao leaned forward and whispered, “Vaibhav, thank you for trusting me with such a personal matter. As your friend, I’ll only suggest what I believe is good for your family. When Keshav wanted to study Electronics and Computer Science, you supported him without hesitation. You didn’t interfere then—why now? He has chosen his life partner thoughtfully, just as he chose his career. Today’s children are intelligent. They understand their lives and make their own decisions. If both Keshav and his partner respect each other's culture, values, and habits, and truly care for one another, I see no reason to object. After all, he’s your son—and his future happiness is what matters most. Don’t worry about what relatives will say.” Sulochana, hearing Athmarao’s thoughtful words, turned to him and said, “You’re right, Anna .You've made things much clearer.” After spending another half hour with them, Athmarao left. Vaibhav and Sulochana felt relieved and grateful to have such a wise and understanding friend. A big issue had been resolved, thanks to the perspective of a great surveyor—not just of land, but of life K.Ragavan 30-8-25.