Within a month of his marriage, Gopala Iyer sold four bushels of the harvest from his Terur fields. The word around town was that he had already taken possession of a shop in Nagercoil. He first needed to procure his inventory, so he was looking for somebody experienced in these matters. A few people spoke highly of Khader in this regard, but they all felt there was no chance Khader would quit his job at Pillai’s shop.

Fate smiled on Gopala Iyer! It so happened that Khader himself came to meet Iyer—he was in the area to collect payment from someone in Velangudi. What luck! Gopala Iyer took the opportunity to get a sense of Khader’s thoughts on the subject—would he leave Pillai’s textile shop and come work for Iyer? But Khader only said, “The owner treats me like his own son. So I cannot suddenly just up and leave and damage the relationship. But not to worry. You say you want to open in January. There is time to figure this out.”

Over the next few days, Khader gave Gopala Iyer’s offer some serious thought. In a way, it was like jumping from a ship to a raft. Besides, Pillai’s ship had a solid anchor. He wasn’t sure if Gopala Iyer’s raft could withstand even a little wind and a few strong waves. He consulted a few close friends, and they advised against it. They all gave good reasons for their advice, and Khader agreed with them. Like them, Khader too believed that if he left, he might come to regret his decision sooner rather than later. But despite all these considerations, he still decided to quit his job at Pillai’s shop.

Words cannot describe the shock and disappointment Pillai felt when Khader informed him of his decision. Even so, Pillai did not betray his emotions in any way; nor did he give Khader a direct response. Instead, he simply said, “Come to my house Friday morning.” He was afraid that if he continued the conversation right then at the shop, he might end up saying things that would only strengthen Khader’s resolve. Moreover, Khader had no idea how Pillai truly felt about him. When they were in the store, he treated Khader just like he treated the other boys who worked there. And that was as it should be. But the time had come for Pillai to open his heart. He truly believed that once he expressed himself clearly, Khader would feel no need to insist on his decision.

On Friday, Pillai explained everything in detail to Khader.