Small Story 487.

Small Story 487. “A Fortunate Meeting: From Biscuit Factory Talks to a Star Encounter” Rewritten Story Kemparaj arrived at the Jayanagar Metro Station and waited outside to receive his friend Mahesh, who was coming from Majestic. After ten minutes, Mahesh arrived, and the two friends greeted each other warmly. Both Kemparaj and Mahesh had served abroad in the consumer industry and had retired after long careers in the quality control department of a leading biscuit manufacturing company producing a wide variety of products. After retirement, Kemparaj settled in Jayanagar, while Mahesh lived in Malleswaram. That day, a businessman from Bengaluru had approached them to discuss starting a biscuit factory on Kanakapura Road. The discussion was scheduled at a leading hotel in Jayanagar. After a fruitful meeting, the friends headed to Kemparaj’s residence in BTM Layout. Kemparaj’s independent house was beautifully constructed and surrounded by a well-maintained garden filled with roses of different varieties. His two daughters, Vennila and Ambika, greeted Mahesh politely. Kemparaj’s wife, Lalitha, served tea and snacks. Mahesh admired the orderly arrangement of the house and praised the thoughtful design, crediting the architect and engineers for the elegant structure. After spending an hour reminiscing about their old days, Lalitha invited them to the dining hall. The delicious lunch and dessert left Mahesh both happy and pleasantly sleepy. Just then, Kemparaj received a phone call from his old classmate, Ramesh Bhat, who wanted to meet him. Mahesh was delighted to hear this, as Ramesh Bhat was his favorite actor. Within five minutes, the stalwart arrived and was warmly welcomed by both friends. Ramesh Bhat quietly explained that one of his friend’s sons had completed a catering course and was looking for work in a biscuit factory. He had come seeking Kemparaj’s guidance. Kemparaj was pleased that he could help, mentioning that the new factory project would become operational within a month, as the machinery was soon to be installed. Ramesh Bhat was happy that his friend’s son would get an opportunity to work under Kemparaj, whom he regarded as a legend in the field. Mahesh was equally thrilled—not only had he come for a factory discussion, but he also got to meet his favorite star. As he later sat in the metro on his way back, Mahesh smiled to himself and whispered, “Today is truly a good day.” K.Ragavan 11-1-26