Small Story 558.

 Small Story 558

The Late Invitation

Radhika reluctantly went to her friend Vanitha’s son Ritish’s birthday party. Vanitha was a good friend, and they even lived in the same apartment on the same floor. Still, the fact that Vanitha had invited her only at 4 p.m. left a small itch in Radhika’s mind. She kept thinking that if she had been invited earlier, she could have gone out and bought a nicer gift for Ritish.

The reason for the delay, however, was something only Vanitha knew.

Her mother had been admitted to the hospital, and Vanitha had been worried all day. Only after the doctor reassured her that everything was under control did she go ahead with the birthday celebration. Her mother was even expected to come home by 6 p.m.

When Radhika arrived, Vanitha greeted her warmly and soon explained everything. By then, Vanitha’s mother, father, and brother also arrived, bringing relief and joy to the gathering.

The party turned out to be lively and memorable. A young singer named Kishore entertained the guests with beautiful old Kannada songs and popular Bollywood numbers. The melodies of Dr. Rajkumar and Vishnuvardhan filled the room, creating a nostalgic and cheerful atmosphere.

Radhika enjoyed the delicious sweets and snacks. She softly mentioned that her husband had missed the celebration because he was on an official tour to Australia. Kishore was introduced to the twenty guests as one of the good party singers in Bengaluru, and Radhika even thought of inviting him to perform at her home for a future occasion.

As she received her return gift and prepared to leave, Radhika reflected on her earlier thoughts. She realized she had misunderstood Vanitha. Despite her difficult situation, Vanitha had organized the party beautifully and treated every guest with warmth.

Radhika learned an important lesson that day: never judge or underestimate others without knowing the reason behind their actions.

K.Ragavan

23-3-26