Small Story 656

 Small Story  656 .

 Life Is Beautiful

A New Story

Chapter 1

This story is entirely fictional. All the characters appearing in it are products of my imagination. I begin this story today.

It was 7:00 a.m. The city of Mysuru was calm and peaceful. A light drizzle was falling. Men and women were taking their morning walks in a roadside park. The park was one of the well-known landmarks of Yadavagiri, one of Mysuru's most beautiful neighborhoods.

The hero of our story, Professor Ram, a retired academic, was taking a leisurely morning walk with his beloved pet dog, Tommy. Walking with Tommy every morning had become part of his daily routine.

At exactly 8:00 a.m., as he had done unfailingly for the past fifteen years, he stopped at his favorite bakery to buy a loaf of bread for breakfast.

Ram's life had been filled with adventure and sacrifice. At 57 years of age, he had never married. He was a man of high ideals and strong principles. He was also a deeply devoted follower of Sri Ramanuja, whom he revered as the great spiritual teacher who established and upheld the philosophy of the Sri Vaishnava tradition.

After finishing his walk and buying the bread, Ram returned to the modest apartment building that he had built twenty years earlier.

Just then, his neighbor, Moorthy, saw him and greeted him with a warm smile.

Moorthy: "Good morning, Professor! Have you finished your morning walk?"

Ram: "Yes."

Moorthy: "What's your plan for today?"

Ram: "I haven't decided anything yet."

Moorthy: "In that case, come over and join me for lunch today."

Ram: "Not today. I'll come another day."

(To be continued...)

— K. Ragavan

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