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envelope with a hand written note. Rich valuable heritage jewellery out of the
as Iman’s family was, none ever bothered collection that Iman family had collected
or remembered the envelope and it was over the decades, with a view to raise some
lying somewhere in one of their many bank monies. As they were rummaging through
lockers and passed down the generations. the lockers and the many jewellery, they
came across an old sealed envelope. Imran
and Aaliya opened the envelope to find a
note in Urdu that his grandfather, Iman,
had written decades ago. As they read
the note, incredulity and smile spread on
their visages and they were visibly moved.
They immediately knew what needed to be
done. They put the old envelope in a sealed
pouch and couriered it to the Iyer’s home.
Subbu and Ranjana received the courier
the next day at lunch. With much
As Subbu and Ranjana were ruminating, curiosity they opened the envelope and
they heard a doorbell and in walks Imran were shocked to see the wad of crisp old
and his wife, Aaliya, with their customary Rs.1, 000 notes from the British India
box of sweets. Truth be told, Imran era and the early Republic India times.
and his family loved the tasty idli and Since Subbu was well versed in Urdu,
sambhar made by Ranjana and welcomed he could understand what Iman’s note
themselves to the Iyer’s spartan home to said. Essentially, it was extolling Subbu’s
partake of the sumptuous breakfast, as grandfather’s integrity and simplicity and
often as possible. It was their way of going attributing his own business empire’s
light once a week and what better than idli success to the good intent and wishes of
on an idle Sunday at their close friend’s Subbu’s grandfather. Iman’s intent was to
home, followed by the aromatic filter keep these notes aside for the Iyer family,
coffee. Subbu’s and Ranjana’s pensiveness should it ever be required by them for
was not lost on Imran or his wife; they any just cause. As it turns out, the Iyer
knew from their own children about family found out that the old numismatic
Raghavan and Ragini’s wish for overseas notes were worth a huge fortune of over
studies and it was not difficult to put Rs. 60 million, many times over the
two and two together to understand and overseas education expenses of Raghavan
empathise with the Iyer’s worries. and Ragini. Subbu and Ranjana could
After a hearty brunch, Imran and Aaliya only wonder and marvel at the divine
left the Iyer’s home and on their way intervention at the right time via the
back home were discussing how to help munificent Iman family. They sauntered
their friends, knowing fully well that out for a visit to the temple and to Imran
the Iyers will be loath to seek any help. and Aaliya’s abode of love for a warm
They went to their bank the very next tete-a-tete over a phirni. God does pay
day and were going through their four unexpected visits to the conscientious
safe deposit lockers to select a few and mortals in immortal ways.
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