Small Story 515.

Small Story 515. Deserving Gift for Friends Ram invited his group of fifteen friends to a tea meeting at his home. None of them knew the reason for the gathering. Ten friends managed to attend, while a few could not make it due to personal commitments. All those who arrived gathered at Ram’s elegant apartment and were warmly welcomed by Ram and his wife, Vasanthy. Ram had retired from a leading architectural company and had settled peacefully in Bengaluru. Ram and Vasanthy had an only daughter, Suganthi, who was settled in the United States and working as a Quality Manager for a leading pharmaceutical company, Merck. Her husband, Shyam, was also working in the same company as a Marketing Head. Vasanthy served delicious snacks along with two varieties of sweets, chocolates, and refreshing tea. The friends thoroughly enjoyed the treat and thanked the couple, though they were still curious about the occasion. Finally, Ram broke the suspense. “My daughter arrived from the US yesterday. My son-in-law and grandson could not come. She wanted to meet all of you, as she has often heard about you from me. This is my daughter, Suganthi.” Suganthi smiled, folded her hands, and said, “Namaskara. I am very proud to see my father’s friends still active and contributing to society even after retirement.” She then added, “My husband, Shyam, has sent a small compliment for all of you.” She distributed silver metal capsule-shaped containers, specially designed to store tablets and carry them conveniently while traveling. The friends happily thanked Suganthi for the thoughtful gift and conveyed their appreciation to her husband, Shyam. After spending some more time together, everyone departed with joy—carrying not only a useful capsule companion but also warm memories of friendship and togetherness. K.Ragavan 8-2-26