Small Story 646.

 Small Story 646

Encounter with Gratitude

After retiring from the Railway Department as a Station Master, Ramiah settled in his native town of Channapatna. One day, he traveled to Pandavapura to attend the wedding of his friend's daughter. While there, he decided to visit the current Station Master, Nagaraj.

Nagaraj warmly welcomed Ramiah and offered him a cup of tea. As they sat together, they reminisced about their old days in the railway service. After some time, Nagaraj said, "A friend of mine is driving to Bangalore. He can drop you at Channapatna on the way."

About fifteen minutes later, Nagaraj's friend arrived and greeted Ramiah respectfully. Ramiah returned the greeting. The friend, Somasekhar, invited him to join the journey.

Both of them got into the car. Meanwhile, the driver returned from the restroom. He was a well-mannered young man of about twenty-seven, with a pleasant personality. He greeted Ramiah politely.

Soon, they started their journey, and Nagaraj wished them a safe trip.

As they drove along, the driver suddenly asked, "Sir, do you recognize me?"

Ramiah looked carefully but could not remember him.

The driver smiled and said, "Sir, I am Manickam, the son of your maid Muniamma, who worked in your house when you were posted at Mysore Station. You helped pay my school fees and encouraged me to study well."

Ramiah's face brightened with recognition.

"Now I remember! You are Muniamma's son. I am very happy to see you," he said.

Manickam continued, "Today I work as a foreman in a factory in Bangalore. Somasekhar sir knows me well, and that is why I came to help him today."

Ramiah nodded with satisfaction. He remembered helping Manickam with his studies because Muniamma had been a loyal and hardworking woman.

After a brief silence, Manickam said softly, "Sir, my mother passed away recently due to cancer. Before she died, she often said that she wanted to meet you one day and thank you for helping me build my future."

Ramiah felt saddened.

"I am very sorry to hear that," he replied. "Your mother was a wonderful woman."

Manickam smiled gently and said, "Though my mother could not thank you personally, I had the good fortune of meeting you today. In a way, I am fulfilling her wish."

By then, they had reached Channapatna. As Ramiah got down from the car, he gave Manickam his phone number and invited him to visit whenever possible.

As he watched the car drive away, Ramiah felt deeply touched. The gratitude shown by Muniamma's son reminded him that even a small act of kindness can leave a lasting impact on someone's life.

Moral: Kindness may be forgotten by the giver, but it is often remembered with gratitude by the receiver for a lifetime.

K.Ragavan

19-6-26