Author Unknown

He was a busy executive. In the rush of his busy life, he had even no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

One such busy day, he received a call from his mother, "Ramu Kaka died last night. The funeral is tomorrow."

He remained silent. Memories flashed through his mind as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days. After his father’s death, Ramu Kaka stepped in to make sure he had a man's influence in his life. "He's the one who taught me the basic things in life," he thought. "I wouldn't be in this position if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important.” He remembered that he loved that old house that kaka lived in.

But honestly he thought that Ramu kaka died years ago.

"Ramesh, did you hear me?"

"Oh sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry," he said.

"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd recollect about the old days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.

“Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," he said.

As busy as he was, he kept his word. He caught the next flight to his hometown. Ramu kaka’s funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, he stopped by the old house next door one more time. The house was exactly as he remembered. He stopped suddenly.

"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was the thing he valued the most. The box is gone," he thought.

He figured someone from Kaka’s family had taken it.

"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," he told himself.

Returning home one day he received a parcel by post.

He ripped open the parcel. There inside was the gold box that he was searching for in Ramu kaka’s house and an envelope.

The letter in the envelope was addressed to him. “It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, he carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful GOLD POCKET WATCH.

Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved:

"Ramesh, Thanks for your time! –Ramu Kaka."

"The thing he valued most...was...my time," he realized with shock.

He held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" his assistant Suzy asked.

"I need some time to spend with my wife and son," he said. "Oh, by the way Suzy... thanks for your time!"