Small Story 173.

Small Story 173 A Peaceful Night Athiseshan returned from his evening walk. The weather outside was chilly. His wife, Padma, was waiting to serve his dinner. For years, his night meal had always been the same— buttermilk rice or curd rice, a habit he had continued since his working days. Their only daughter, Sumitra, lived in Mumbai but visited once a year for a month. Their grandson, Ajay, worked at Siemens in Germany and was married to an English woman. Athiseshan, though conservative, was open-minded, believing that if a girl and boy truly liked each other, they should marry. Ajay loved his grandparents deeply. Padma brought the plate of curd rice and pickles to the table. Athiseshan washed his hands and began eating. "Have you finished?" he asked Padma. "Just now," she replied. "You asked me to take because you were going to Murthy's house." After dinner, Athiseshan switched on the TV to watch the news. His friend, Murthy, called. "Thanks, buddy, for suggesting I see a specialist for my dry skin problem. In ten days, I've noticed a lot of improvement. Just wanted to tell you, good night." After Murthy hung up, Athiseshan felt happy. Every person he had recommended to his homeopathic doctor, Sanjay, had experienced good results. Athiseshan believed in the power of guiding others, and he always told his friends, "If you do what you love and help others, you'll sleep peacefully without any worries." He had learned this from over two and a half decades of experience. He was convinced that stress, anxiety, and tension were the root causes of most sleep problems among senior citizens. Athiseshan’s principles and soft nature were appreciated by everyone in his apartment. That evening, he retired to bed at 9:30 p.m., happy and content. Padma, his better half, joined him as they drifted off to sleep together. K.Ragavan 3-3-25