Ritvik walked half a step ahead of Dada. Every morning, before breakfast, they went for a walk together. And every morning, Ritvik wished Dada could walk just a little faster.

Today Dada stopped at the corner near the old peepal tree. Mr. Verma, who sold vegetables from his blue cart, waved. “Namaste, Kaka!” he called out. Dada stopped completely and waved back.

“How is your knee, Verma?” Dada asked.

“Much better, thanks to your oil,” Mr. Verma smiled, and for a moment he looked ten years younger.

Ritvik sighed and kicked a small stone down the road.

A little further on, Mrs. Kulkarni was watering her tulsi plant. She looked up and smiled. “Dada! You remembered my grandson’s exam is today?”

“How could I forget, Kulkarni-tai? Tell him good luck from me.”

Mrs. Kulkarni’s smile grew wider as she waved them on.

Ritvik counted in his head. Two stops already. At this rate, they would never reach the park before the sun got too hot.

Near the small temple, an old dog lay in the shade. Dada crouched down slowly and scratched behind its ears. The dog’s tail thumped against the ground, happy.

“Dada, we’re going to be late,” Ritvik said.

“Late for what, beta?” Dada asked, still smiling at the dog.

Ritvik didn’t have an answer.

They passed the tea stall, where young Rohan was wiping down the counter, looking tired. Dada stopped there too. “Rohan, how did your interview go yesterday?”

Rohan’s whole face changed. “I got the job, Dada-ji! I wanted to tell you myself.”

Dada patted his shoulder. “I knew you would. You always work hard.”

Rohan’s tired look was gone. He almost forgot to hand them their tea.

By the fifth stop, near the gate, Auntie Meera was struggling with a heavy bag of groceries. Dada took it from her without being asked and carried it all the way to her door.

“You didn’t have to, Dinesh-ji,” she said.

“What are neighbours for?” Dada replied.

When they finally reached the park, the sun was already high, and Ritvik’s shoes were dusty from all the extra steps. But something in him had changed too.

He thought about Mr. Verma’s smile, Mrs. Kulkarni’s proud eyes, the dog’s happy tail, Rohan’s good news, and Auntie Meera’s tired shoulders, now free of the heavy bag.

Five stops. Five smiles. Five small pieces of someone’s day, made a little lighter because Dada had noticed them.

“Dada,” Ritvik said, looking up at him, “can we walk this way again tomorrow?”

Dada looked down, surprised. Then he smiled the same smile he had given everyone else that morning.

“Of course, beta. Same time?”

“Same time,” said Ritvik. “But maybe… a little slower.”