Like me, both of my sons are doctors in defence service, posted at Military Hospital Amritsar (elder son) and at Command Hospital Udhampur (younger son) now under posting order to Command Hospital Bangalore. My grandson from elderson is in USA and keeps visiting his parents as often as he affords and can manage. He does not inform about his visits and ensures to keep them as surprises. Of course he is in constant contact with grandmother and tells her not to inform anyone including me.

A few days back, my wife asked me for going to Amritsar without telling me about grandson having already arrived there. I had somehow got the hint of that. I did try and found some berths available in Dadar-Amritsar train, which meant long sitting hours, too inconvenient for her after her angioplasty operation requiring 3 stents in one of her coronary arteries. The other alternative was catching Shatabdi express from Bhopal to Delhi, staying overnight there and taking another Shatabdi express to Amritsar on the next day. This was both costly and inconvenient from my point of view.

When my wife suggested to grandson to visit Bhopal while returning from Amritsar to USA, his reply was that it would cost him extra Rs.40000/-, which he would not afford and it would also shorten his stay with parents. Hence he insisted on our visiting Amritsar.

Obviously our age, inconvenience and cost did not reach his pleasant surprise consideration. No wonder the adage "Be reasonable, do it my way".