Small Story 458.

Small Story 458 The Credit Card Encounter Prahalad had entered the shopping mall and gone to the cash counter, asking the cashier whether his card was kept there after paying his bill. When the cashier checked, Prahalad was shocked by the reply. It was a renewal credit card, and the limit had also been increased to one lakh rupees. Prahalad, who worked as a Manager in a private company, was 55 years old—smart and careful, never one to lose any of his belongings. Just then, a lady arrived at the counter and asked the cashier whether anyone had left behind a credit card in the name of Prahalad. Prahalad immediately introduced himself and showed his Aadhaar ID. The lady handed him the card. She introduced herself as Vasanthy, explaining that her father’s name was also Prahalad, and he had mistakenly taken the card after the cashier asked, “Are you Prahalad?” After reaching home, her father realised that he had used the other bank card by mistake, simply because the name on it matched his own. Understanding the confusion, Prahalad thanked Vasanthy and gave her his number, inviting her to visit his home with her parents. When Prahalad reached home and narrated the incident, his wife Manjula thanked their deity, as the new card had arrived only the previous day. The next day, Prahalad and Vasanthy visited Prahalad’s home. Vasanthy’s father narrated the incident in detail—how he had paid in cash, how the cashier removed the card from the machine, asked if he was Prahalad, and he took it without noticing the bank name. Realising the mix-up later, Vasanthy had rushed back to the mall and luckily found the real Prahalad just in time. Because of this strange yet fortunate incident, both families became close, and their bond continued to grow. K.Ragavan 13-12-25