Ramu Uncle
"What is it about gratitude?" said my husband looking a little dazed. He was reacting to a phone call that we had received from a friend, Ramu uncle.
Ramu uncle was thin, short, friendly, with a mickey mouse like face and a lively smile. He wore spectacles and his curly hair was soaked in oil. His face looked sharp and kind. It was in a marriage function around three years back we had chanced to meet him. I and my husband were drawn to him instantly. As it happens in marriage functions, we got talking. He told us that he came from a small village in Tamil Nadu and worked as an accountant in a private limited nearby for the past twenty years. His family comprised of his wife who was a home maker and his twenty five year old daughter.
As we were talking to him about his family, his face set into a gloom for a few seconds. We gently probed him. Apparently about two years back, his daughter had run away from home to marry a guy with whom she was in love. He had not approved of the guy and had felt betrayed. He had been really angry with her and had snubbed her off when she had tried to get back in touch.
It was painful to see him. It was clear that he was very angry - but beneath that anger was a deep hurt. We let him share his heart out and when he was done with telling us his life story, very gently asked him to call his daughter. But all the hurt of the past days was not about to fall off so easily and he very stubbornly refused. We left it at that at that moment.
We went and had our lunch. We implored him again to call his daughter. He showed the first signs of relenting in the evening, when with a stern face he told us that he did not have his daughter's number.
I smiled back at him.
I went home with hope in my heart.
The next day we went to the reception a little early. One look at Ramu uncle, showed that something was different. The stiffness on his face was gone and there was love there. I knew something had happened.
Uncle had got his daughter's number from her best friend and they had had a tearful reunion on the phone. By the time we left the marriage reception, uncle had managed to thank me a thousand times. I felt overwhelmed with his love and gratitude. But that was three years back. I had not known Ramu uncle before that marriage and even though we had exchanged our phone numbers, I had not expected to hear about him any more.
But I was in for a surprise. For next three years or so, be it holi or diwali, and even our birthdays, Ramu uncle would be one of the first ones to wish. I guess for him, we had changed his life and it was his way of blessing us.
On the new year this year, we got a missed call from an unknown number. The whole of last year had been about our new born daughter and friends and acquaintances had taken a temporary backseat in our life. When I called back the number, I was surprised. It was Ramu uncle wishing us for the new year.
I had forgotten Ramu uncle, but he had not forgotten us.
He wished me a 'happy new year', blessed our little daughter and wished luck and prosperity to my husband.
Ramu uncle's love overwhelmed me again and my husband was really touched. It was at that point, he sat back on his chair, put the phone aside, looked at me in disbelief and said, "What is it about gratitude?"
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Ramu uncle was thin, short, friendly, with a mickey mouse like face and a lively smile. He wore spectacles and his curly hair was soaked in oil. His face looked sharp and kind. It was in a marriage function around three years back we had chanced to meet him. I and my husband were drawn to him instantly. As it happens in marriage functions, we got talking. He told us that he came from a small village in Tamil Nadu and worked as an accountant in a private limited nearby for the past twenty years. His family comprised of his wife who was a home maker and his twenty five year old daughter.
As we were talking to him about his family, his face set into a gloom for a few seconds. We gently probed him. Apparently about two years back, his daughter had run away from home to marry a guy with whom she was in love. He had not approved of the guy and had felt betrayed. He had been really angry with her and had snubbed her off when she had tried to get back in touch.
It was painful to see him. It was clear that he was very angry - but beneath that anger was a deep hurt. We let him share his heart out and when he was done with telling us his life story, very gently asked him to call his daughter. But all the hurt of the past days was not about to fall off so easily and he very stubbornly refused. We left it at that at that moment.
We went and had our lunch. We implored him again to call his daughter. He showed the first signs of relenting in the evening, when with a stern face he told us that he did not have his daughter's number.
I smiled back at him.
I went home with hope in my heart.
The next day we went to the reception a little early. One look at Ramu uncle, showed that something was different. The stiffness on his face was gone and there was love there. I knew something had happened.
Uncle had got his daughter's number from her best friend and they had had a tearful reunion on the phone. By the time we left the marriage reception, uncle had managed to thank me a thousand times. I felt overwhelmed with his love and gratitude. But that was three years back. I had not known Ramu uncle before that marriage and even though we had exchanged our phone numbers, I had not expected to hear about him any more.
But I was in for a surprise. For next three years or so, be it holi or diwali, and even our birthdays, Ramu uncle would be one of the first ones to wish. I guess for him, we had changed his life and it was his way of blessing us.
On the new year this year, we got a missed call from an unknown number. The whole of last year had been about our new born daughter and friends and acquaintances had taken a temporary backseat in our life. When I called back the number, I was surprised. It was Ramu uncle wishing us for the new year.
I had forgotten Ramu uncle, but he had not forgotten us.
He wished me a 'happy new year', blessed our little daughter and wished luck and prosperity to my husband.
Ramu uncle's love overwhelmed me again and my husband was really touched. It was at that point, he sat back on his chair, put the phone aside, looked at me in disbelief and said, "What is it about gratitude?"
