Small Story 602.

 Small Story 602.

Mango Mela Encounter

Radhika received an unexpected afternoon call from her friend Roshani, inviting her and her husband to join a Mango Mela at a popular restaurant on the main road that evening. Radhika gladly agreed, promising they would arrive by 6:30 pm.

When Ram returned home, Radhika shared the news. At 70, Ram was delighted. He and Radhika, 65, were an ideal couple, blessed with a daughter, Vasanthy, who lived in Sydney. After retiring from his long career at Google in the United States, Ram had settled in Bengaluru. A passionate blogger and storyteller since his mid-fifties, he continued to write and enjoyed a loyal readership on social media.

That evening, right on time, Ram and Radhika reached the restaurant, where Roshani and her husband Murali were already waiting. As they settled in, Roshani seemed distracted, scanning the room.

“Who are you looking for?” Radhika asked.

Roshani leaned closer and whispered, “The owner of this restaurant is a well-known writer. She has published several books in Kannada and English. I’ve read her works, and  she knows me personally.”

Just then, a voice called out, “Rashmi! How are you?”

“I’m fine,” Rashmi replied, then turned to introduce her friends. “Meet Radhika and her husband, Ram.”

The woman smiled warmly. “Nice to meet you,” she said softly. Then, looking at Ram, she added with surprise, “Sir, I never expected to see you at my restaurant during this Mango Mela.”

Rashmi looked puzzled. “You know Ram?”

The woman laughed gently. “We’ve been reading each other’s posts regularly and became friends online without ever meeting.”

Ram smiled modestly. “It’s truly a pleasure to meet such a renowned author in person,” he said.

“I’m Swetha,” she said. “And today is a special day for me—to finally meet a storyteller whose writing I admire.”

They all enjoyed the evening, savoring a variety of delicious mango dishes and sharing lively conversations. After more than an hour and a half, the families prepared to leave.

As they departed, Murali nodded toward Ram and said, “You’re quite popular here!”

Ram smiled, pleasantly surprised. He had never imagined that a simple visit to a Mango Mela would turn into such a memorable encounter with a celebrated writer.

It was, indeed, a delightful and unexpected evening.

K.Ragavan