Small Story 762.

 Small Story 762

A Gesture Never Forgotten

Siddesh boarded the bus and settled into his reserved seat. The bus was about to depart for Hassan via Channarayapatna. He was travelling to attend the birthday celebration of his close friend Mahesh’s son.

Mahesh wanted to celebrate the occasion grandly because his son had been born after five years of waiting. Siddesh and Mahesh had been close friends since their college days. After completing their studies, both had joined a reputed IT company and built successful careers. Mahesh was now working in Bengaluru, while Siddesh was employed in Mysore.

Just as the bus was about to start, an elderly man approached Siddesh’s window.

“Where are you going, young man?” he asked politely.

“To Channarayapatna,” Siddesh replied.

“Could you please do me a small favour? Would you post this cover for me? I have already put a stamp on it,” the old man requested.

Siddesh accepted the cover without hesitation. The bus started moving, and he settled comfortably into his seat.

A little later, he glanced at the cover and noticed that the address was written in Kannada. To his utter surprise, the recipient’s name was Mahesh, his very own friend! He wondered how the elderly man knew Mahesh and decided that, instead of posting the letter, he would hand it over personally. He felt that his friend would be pleased to receive it directly.

After a journey of two and a half hours, the bus reached Channarayapatna. Siddesh went to Mahesh’s house, blessed the birthday boy, and presented him with a battery-operated toy car. Mahesh, his wife, and his parents welcomed Siddesh warmly.

After enjoying a delicious lunch and spending some pleasant time with the family, Siddesh remembered the cover.

“Mahesh, someone at the bus stop gave me this letter to post. When I noticed your name and address on it, I thought I would hand it over to you personally,” he explained.

Mahesh looked puzzled. He did not recognise the handwriting and could not immediately recall anyone who might have sent him a letter.

He opened the cover and began reading. Within moments, tears of joy rolled down his cheeks.

Noticing his friend's emotional reaction, Siddesh asked gently, “Mahesh, what is it? Who has written this letter?”

Mahesh leaned towards him and whispered, “Siddesh, this letter is from my Kannada-medium teacher, who taught me during my secondary school days.

“I met him five years ago. He seemed deeply troubled, so I asked him what was wrong. He told me that he had borrowed money to support his son's business, but the business had failed. He was unable to repay the loan, and his house was about to be sold to settle the debt.

“The amount he needed urgently was only ₹10,000. Without thinking twice, I gave him the money. I had completely forgotten about it over the years.

“Today, five years later, he has returned the entire amount through this bank draft, along with this letter. He must have come to know that today was my son's birthday and wanted to ensure that his letter reached me on this special occasion.”

Siddesh was deeply moved by the story. He looked at the bank draft, which was made out in Mahesh’s name, and understood why his friend had been overwhelmed with emotion.

For Mahesh, the money was not the most important thing. What touched him deeply was his former teacher’s honesty, gratitude, and determination to repay a debt even after five long years.

After returning to Mysore, Siddesh kept thinking about the elderly teacher. He decided that he would visit him one day and express his admiration for his noble character. However, before Siddesh could arrange the visit, he learnt that the teacher had left to stay with his son in Kollegal.

Though he had missed the opportunity to meet the teacher, the incident remained etched in Siddesh’s memory.

What had begun as an ordinary bus journey to attend a birthday celebration had turned into an unforgettable experience.

Siddesh realised that kindness is never wasted, gratitude never loses its value, and honesty shines brightest when no one expects anything in return.

K.Ragavan

13-10-26