Small Story 144.

Small Story 144. The Seven-Year Gap Sethu received a call from his old friend Meiappan, who he hadn't heard from in a long time. "Hey, how are you, Sethu? How's your Mrs. and daughter.?" Meiappan asked warmly. "All are fine, buddy! How about you? Why the long silence from you?" Sethu responded, intrigued by the sudden call. "I’ve been busy with my dad's institutional business and frequently traveling to Malaysia and Singapore. I know, it's been seven years since we last spoke. That’s why I’m calling now.How about of visiting Myplace nodded Sethu. "Of course, I’ll be happy to. Give me two days," Meyappan replied. After two days, Meiappan and his wife Deivanai arrived at Sethu’s sprawling house in Yadavagiri, a posh locality in Mysuru. Sethu’s wife, Lakshmi, and Deivanai enjoyed reminiscing about their old get-togethers in Bengaluru, where both families had once lived close by. Later that evening, both families visited the Ramakrishna Ashram for a peaceful 15-minute meditation session. They then took a leisurely stroll through Chaluvamba Park and visited the Venkateswara Temple on KRS Road. Meiappan was particularly impressed by the tall statue of Lord Venkateswara and admired the temple’s immaculate upkeep. Back home, Lakshmi prepared a delicious dinner, including Semiya Payasam and Gulab Jamun. During the meal, Sethu’s daughter, Shweta, who was studying AI in Singapore, called to wish Meiappan and his family. Meiappan’s daughter, Abhirami, was studying Communication and Media in Los Angeles. The next morning, both families went to Srirangapatna to visit Lord Ranganatha's temple, and later they spent some time at the zoo and Palace Anjaneyar temple, before having dinner at Dasa Prakash Paradise. As they were heading back, Meiappan turned to Sethu and asked, "Do you have any contact in OO1’s office?" Sethu smiled. "You mean the famous Investigating Chief Paramanand’s office? Why, are you interested?" "I’ve heard a lot about his brilliant investigations, and I’m especially curious about his assistant Ranjitha. I would love to meet them both," Meiappan replied. "I’m lucky," Sethu said. "I met Paramanand during my early morning walks, and we became good friends. He even likes my pharmaceutical background. I’ll check if he’s available tomorrow; we can visit his academy." The next day, both families visited OO1’s impressive academy campus on KRS Road. Meiappan was astounded by the brilliance of the investigative program, which was training 250 international students under Chief Paramanand’s guidance. As Meiappan prepared to depart the next day, he told Sethu, "This visit will stay in my memory forever. Despite not being in touch for seven years, this trip more than made up for it. And Lakshmi’s wonderful cooking was the cherry on top!" Sethu nodded in agreement. "You did a good thing, Meiappan, visiting after so many years. It’s been a pleasure having you here." With a warm hug, the two friends parted ways, their seven-year gap now bridged by the unforgettable memories of their time together. K.Ragavan 2-2-25