Once upon a time, long ago, in a faraway fictitious land, in a village called Mahajanapath, there lived a young boy with his grandmother. She was a kind-hearted woman who cared for everyone in her village, offering advice on raising crops, cattle, chickens, and children. All the children affectionately called her "Ajji," meaning grandma.
The little boy grew into a handsome young man. He was called ‘Raja’ for his noble thoughts, generous nature, and willingness to help others, especially those in need of protection from exploitation.
Sara, from a neighboring village, was preparing to move to the city where her friends were studying while residing in a hostel. On her journey to Mahanagar city, Sara stayed with Grandma along with other students, as they had been good friends before moving into Grandma’s homeschooling.
Many years passed, and Grandma was nearing retirement. Other grandma homes were opening up, but typically, a grandma home only ran for two months at a time for each resident. Visitors stayed anywhere from a weekend to three weekends, and at most, up to 12 weekends. They had to return after four or five months at the earliest. If they were facing exams or assignment deadlines and their mothers were unavailable, they could extend their stay by two more months, but no longer.
Most of the time, Grandma was healthy, but occasionally, she fell unwell. During those times, other grandmas stepped in to help. Just as the children spent time at different grandma homes, grandmas also took on roles for short- or long-term stays depending on their interest. There were entire blocks of grandma quarters, each home blessed with a resident grandma.
Children who had passed through different grandma homes at various times would, by chance, meet others who had also stayed there. Some even found friendships that eventually helped them find their soulmates. Raja, in particular, was a permanent resident of the grandma homes since no one knew when his parents would return. They had gone on an assignment with the Maharaja to advise on projects related to welfare, research, and development.
Fortunately, while Raja was primarily cared for by his own grandmother, he had the opportunity to attend classes from different grandmas, learning about ethics, aesthetics, science, art, and even cryptocurrency. He reconnected with old friends and made new ones during these times, but he knew he would soon have to return to Maharaja’s staff quarters as an employee.
One day, while horseback riding, he suddenly heard the terrified screams of a young girl. To his shock, he saw Sara riding a wild, untamed horse from the stables. The horse was behaving erratically, clearly disturbed by something. Raja called out, “Attaboy!” in an attempt to calm it. Slowly, the horse began to relax, stopping as Raja helped Sara climb onto his own horse instead.
Their eyes met, and for a moment, they felt a deep connection. Just then, the horse jerked again—or so Raja thought.
Sprinkles of raindrops touched his face. He opened his eyes.
Grandma stood before him, smiling. "Today, you need to pick up Sara from the train station. Have you forgotten?" she reminded him.
Looking around, Raja saw that the house was decorated. Wedding decorators from Chennai were working in front of the home.
"Sara is arriving to attend her friend’s wedding. Go and pick her up," Grandma said again.
Raja smiled. ‘Oh my, problems are nothing more than bubbles—now you see them, now you don't! Thank God Sara is safe and far away from trouble!’ Good God grandma stop pouring water over me! Cried Raja as the dream bubble is popped away!
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