Small story 147.

Small Story 147 A Journey with Understanding Shekar checked his name in the reservation compartment and settled into his seat. With the train about to start in 20 minutes, he had arrived early at the station. It had been three years since his last visit to Vijayawada, and he was excited to return after his transfer to Chennai. As a bank manager, he had grown used to moving every few years. He had set up a home in Chennai but had not brought his children with him, as they were focused on their studies. His wife, Ragini, was accompanying him, while their children—Ramesh and Vandhana—were in college. During his absence, Ragini's parents, Ramaseshan and Mathuram, stayed upstairs in their spacious house to look after the children. Suddenly, the train’s announcement echoed, signalling that it would depart soon. A senior man came and sat in the seat opposite Shekar. He introduced himself as Vaidyanathan, saying he was headed to Vijayawada to attend his friend's daughter's wedding and worked for the Customs department. Shekar introduced himself in return, and they began chatting. The conversation turned to books, and Shekar was surprised to learn that Vaidyanathan loved the same authors—Sujatha, Shivashankari, and R.K. Narayan, with Malgudi Days being a particular favourite. As they spoke, Vaidyanathan offered Shekar a box of sweets, and Shekar took a piece of sonpapdi. Vaidyanathan also offered his neighbour, Roshani, a sweet. She happily took a piece of Mysorepak since the box contained a variety of treats. Roshani, who worked in the telecommunications industry, explained she was also travelling to attend a friend’s cousin’s wedding in Vijayawada. The trio enjoyed discussing everything from books to the recent tax changes, finding joy in simple things. As middle-class individuals who had worked hard to get where they were, they appreciated the progress in their lives. Shekar shared, “If you look at the step-by-step growth, the happiness is immeasurable.” Vaidyanathan agreed, adding, “We’ve seen how things have evolved—from the old two-tier trains to the super-fast trains, and now the trains almost feel like flights!” Roshani nodded in agreement and reflected on how she had witnessed the evolution of technology, from ordinary Nokia mobile phones to today’s smartphones. “We value everything because we’ve worked hard for it,” Shekar said. “We’re middle class, and we enjoy life’s simple pleasures.” The conversation felt like an insightful TV debate, as they all appreciated the beauty of life’s growth. After two hours, the train arrived in Vijayawada, a vibrant business hub in Andhra Pradesh known for its fresh fruits and vegetables. As they stepped off the train, a few people came up to them and called out their names. Surprised, the trio soon realized that they had all come to attend the same wedding, despite not knowing the venue. They laughed, realizing how much they had shared during their journey without even knowing they were headed to the same place. The trio happily attended the wedding and returned on the same train the next evening. What began with sweet exchanges ended with ajoyful understanding a joyful understanding of the value of growth , attitude, and shared experiences K.Ragavan 5-2-25