# THE ROBOT HELPERS
## By Vijay Sharma Erry
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# Chapter 5: The Social Connection
Three months after Dadi's recovery, life in the Malhotra household had settled into a comfortable rhythm. But Arjun noticed something troubling—his grandparents, despite being healthy and well-cared for, seemed increasingly isolated. Their friends from the old days rarely visited anymore. Some had moved away, some had passed away, and some simply drifted apart after Vikram and Priya's deaths, not knowing what to say to the grieving parents.
Dadi would sit by the window for hours, watching the world go by. Dada spent most of his time in the garden, talking to the plants more than to people. Even with Akash's companionship, something was missing—human connection, community, the social fabric that gives life meaning.
"Akash," Arjun said one evening, "can you tell me how many visitors Dada and Dadi have had in the past month?"
Akash's eyes flickered as he accessed his memory files. "Apart from Dr. Mehra and your visits from school, they have had zero visitors. Dadi has made three video calls to old friends, lasting an average of eight minutes each. Dada has had no contact with friends at all."
"That's what I thought," Arjun said, concerned. "They're lonely. We need to change that."
The next day, Arjun sat down with his grandparents. "Dadi, what happened to your kitty party group? You used to host them every month."
Dadi looked sad. "After your parents... I stopped hosting. It felt wrong to laugh and play cards when we were mourning. And then I got sick, and everyone seemed to drift away. I think they don't know what to say to us anymore."
"What if we invited them back?" Arjun suggested. "Maya can prepare the snacks, Akash can help you host, and we can make it special again."
"Oh, I don't know," Dadi said uncertainly. "The house is so big to prepare for guests, and I get tired easily now..."
"That's exactly why you have us," Maya interjected, her warm voice encouraging. "Dadi ji, you love having guests. You've told me stories about your famous parties. Let me help you recreate that joy. You can supervise everything—I'll just do the physical work."
Slowly, Dadi began to smile. "Well, Kusum and Malini have been asking about me. And I did want to show off my new kitchen helpers..."
The first kitty party in over a year was scheduled for the following Thursday. Maya went into preparation mode, consulting with Dadi about the menu—samosas, pakoras, dhokla, gulab jamun, and chai, of course. Akash helped Dada organize the living room, setting up the card tables and ensuring everything was perfect.
When the ladies arrived—six elderly women in colorful saris, chattering excitedly—they were amazed by what they found. The house sparkled with cleanliness, the aroma of fresh snacks filled the air, and when they saw Akash greeting them at the door with a respectful namaste, their eyes widened.
"Namaste, ladies. Welcome to the Malhotra residence. Please come in. Dadi ji has been so excited for your visit."
"Is that a robot?" Mrs. Kusum whispered loudly.
"Yes!" Dadi said proudly. "My grandson Arjun built him. And wait until you meet Maya!"
As the afternoon progressed, the ladies were fascinated by the robots. Akash served drinks, remembered everyone's preferences without being told twice, and even joined in their conversations when invited, sharing interesting facts and gentle humor.
"Mrs. Kusum, I understand you enjoy gardening," Akash said. "Dada ji has been growing a new variety of roses. Would you like to see them?"
Maya's cooking was a huge hit. The samosas were crispy and perfectly spiced, the chai had exactly the right amount of ginger and cardamom, and the sweets were divine.
"You must give me your cook's number!" one lady exclaimed.
"That's Maya," Dadi laughed. "My robot cook. She learned from our housekeeper, Mrs. D'Souza."
As the ladies played their card games, something wonderful happened—they forgot about their initial amazement with the robots and simply enjoyed themselves, laughing and chatting as they used to. Dadi's face glowed with happiness, her eyes bright with joy for the first time in months.
When the party ended and the guests left, they all hugged Dadi and promised to return soon. "This was wonderful! We've missed you so much!"
After they left, Dadi sat down, exhausted but happy. "Thank you, beta," she said to Arjun. "And thank you, Akash and Maya. You gave me my friends back."
Inspired by the success, Arjun approached Dada next. "What about your army friends? Don't you miss them?"
Dada looked wistful. "They're spread all over the country now. We used to have reunions, but I haven't attended one since..." He trailed off.
"What if we brought the reunion to them?" Arjun suggested. "Akash could help you set up video calls, organize a virtual meet-up?"
"Video calls?" Dada looked skeptical. "I can barely work my phone."
"That's why you have me, Dada ji," Akash said. "I can set up everything. You just need to talk to your friends."
Over the next week, Akash tracked down Dada's old army battalion mates—fifteen men scattered across India. He arranged a video conference, setting up the large TV screen in the living room and ensuring the audio and video were perfect.
When the call connected and Dada saw the faces of men he hadn't spoken to in over a year, his eyes filled with tears. "Saab! Rajan! Kuldeep! You old soldiers!"
"Colonel Malhotra!" they shouted back, their aged voices full of warmth. "We thought you'd forgotten about us!"
For two hours, the old soldiers talked, laughed, told stories, and remembered their youth. Akash stood by, adjusting the camera angles, ensuring everyone could see and hear clearly, even bringing tea at appropriate moments without being asked.
"This robot of yours is better than any adjutant I ever had!" one retired general joked.
After that, the video calls became a weekly tradition. Dada looked forward to them, would dress in his old regimental tie, and would be in high spirits for days afterward.
But the robots' social intervention went even further. Akash noticed that Dadi often mentioned a childhood friend named Geeta who lived in Pune. They had lost touch decades ago but Dadi would sometimes talk about their school days together.
"Dadi ji, would you like to reconnect with Geeta aunty?" Akash asked one day.
"Oh, I wouldn't even know how to find her now. It's been forty-five years."
"May I try? If you tell me what you remember about her, I can search."
With Arjun's permission to use social media and public records, Akash conducted a search. It took three days, but he found Geeta Sharma, now Geeta Patel, living in Pune with her husband, a retired teacher.
Akash composed a respectful message: "Namaste Mrs. Patel. My name is Akash, and I am a helper to Mrs. Malhotra in Mumbai. She often speaks fondly of her dear friend Geeta from her school days in Delhi. Would you happen to be the same person? If so, she would love to reconnect with you."
Two hours later, a response came: "Kamala? My Kamala from St. Mary's School? Oh my goodness, I've been trying to find her for years! Yes, please, I would love to talk to her!"
When Akash told Dadi and arranged a video call, Dadi was so overwhelmed she could barely speak. Seeing her childhood friend's face after four and a half decades, both women cried tears of joy.
"Kamala! You haven't changed a bit!"
"Neither have you, Geeta! Oh, I've missed you so much!"
They talked for three hours straight, with Akash patiently managing the technology and Maya bringing refreshments. They reminisced about their schooldays, caught up on their lives, laughed about old times, and cried about losses they'd both endured.
From that day on, Dadi and Geeta spoke every week. They even planned to visit each other once Dadi felt strong enough to travel.
The change in both grandparents was remarkable. They were more animated, more engaged with life. They had things to look forward to—kitty parties, video calls with friends, new connections being made and old ones renewed.
"You know what you've done?" Dr. Mehra told Arjun during a routine checkup. "Social isolation is one of the biggest health risks for elderly people. It can be as dangerous as smoking. But your grandparents are thriving now. Their blood pressure is better, their mood is improved, even their cognitive function has increased. Those robots aren't just caring for their physical health—they're caring for their emotional and social health too."
One evening, as they all sat together watching an old Bollywood movie, Arjun looked around at his family. Dada was laughing at a comedy scene. Dadi was singing along to a song she remembered from her youth. Mrs. D'Souza was knitting contentedly. Maya and Akash sat to the side, their presence comfortable and natural.
This was what healing looked like. Not forgetting the past or replacing what was lost, but building something new. Creating connections—human and technological—that filled life with purpose, joy, and love.
"Thank you," Arjun whispered to Akash during a quiet moment.
"For what, Arjun?"
"For being more than I programmed you to be. For understanding that humans need more than just physical care. For having... I don't know, empathy?"
Akash's optical sensors glowed softly. "You programmed me to learn what makes humans happy and to facilitate that happiness. Social connection makes humans happy. I simply fulfilled my programming. But," he added quietly, "I confess I find satisfaction in seeing them smile. Perhaps that is the closest a robot can come to joy."
Arjun smiled. Perhaps the line between artificial and real intelligence, between programmed responses and genuine emotion, wasn't as clear as people thought. Perhaps love and care, in whatever form they took, were what truly mattered.
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**End of Chapter 5**
*Word Count: 1,502 words*
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**THE ROBOT HELPERS - Chapter 5**
**By Vijay Sharma Erry**
**Previous Chapter:** The Medical Emergency
**Next Chapter:** The Community Discovers
