Laya hadn’t seen Raagesh in over ten years before today. But if it wasn’t for the resume he had given her, she might not have recognized him. The man in front of her didn’t feel like the confident, charming Raagesh she had been friends with in college. The brown eyes had lost the smile they usually had. Even his voice earlier had betrayed a lack of belief.
As she went through the questions for the interview, his answers were on the money. She hadn’t doubted that ability. He had been one of the highest ranked in the college.
“Thank you, Mr. Das,” she said, keeping to the formal tone expected of her from the other interviewers beside her. “I think I can speak for my colleagues and say we’re impressed with your technical ability. When can you join?”
She saw that old smile return to his eyes, as he thanked the team for their decision. The market had been hard on even the best that year. The loss of his old job had been hard on him.
“I haven’t forgotten how you helped me to not give up on myself back in college,” she thought, now giving him the chance he truly deserved.
My theme for this April is something I call ON SHORT NOTICE. The topic for the letter K is Karma, suggested by Dhivya, in the previous post. I request you, my readers, to suggest a word with L that might inspire my post for L. I’ll choose one from the options I get, and write on that. I won’t choose the same reader for successive days. Thanks in advance!
(© Vinay Leo R. @ I Rhyme Without Reason,
13th April, 2017)
I can totally relate to the characters in the story…I’m like Laya too in noticing the smile in the eye first…Davies fan remember? “Lips can enrich the smile that her eyes began” ?
A good take on Karma..Loved it Vinu ..My suggestion for L would be Love, luck, luxury and of course Lion ?
Yeah. There are such moments one can relate to, Janie. It’s good too, to notice the smile in the eyes first.
Glad you liked the take on Karma. 😀
Indeed that’s Karma! Loved the story!
My choice for L would be Luxury, Lovelorn. 🙂
(Shalini recently posted… Kaapi | South Indian Filter Coffee)
Glad you loved the story, Shalzzz. 🙂 Thank you.
Karma, indeed. And I feel it transcends one-on-one links. Sometimes someone from a community shows gratitude for an act of kindness from years before, finding his/ her purpose in that.
It does transcend one on one links too, yes. 🙂 But it’s good when karma comes back in a good way rather than a bad way (which is usually more prominently portrayed or thought of). Thank you, Lalita.
This has to be the sweetest Karma payback ever. This story left a smile on my face, Vinay:)
Glad it brought a smile, Mayuri. That was the intention. Too many horrid Karma stories around.
Another nice one, Vinay. Help others as much as you can – you never know when you need one and someone will hopefully be around to help you out.
(Sreedeep recently posted… #AtoZChallenge – Letter M – Megh Malhar)
Yes. That return of favor comes unexpectedly, and when we badly want it, I think. Thank you, Sreedeep. 🙂