Want to eat some chaat?

I’m sure everyone likes Bhel Puri and Pani Puri. I mean the whole Chaat thing. My Ma freaks on it, everytime I used to eat chaat I would pack some for my Ma. This once I forgot.

It was a regular Sunday. Mojo my pal had to pick his father from Kalyan railway station. I had nothing to do in those days, but let me say, “Weekend ko hum free thay!!” So I volutneered to be the navigator for mojos trip to kalyan. Ah coincidently our friend had put up at her friends place for the weekend to work on their project. Now let me speak a little about our friend. She had me going ga ga since the time we’ve met. So obviously mojo knows the chemistry and keeps on pulling legs. (Ha but mojo himself is still a dedh futya!) Uncle comes out with a lot of luggage mojo and me do the hamali get the luggage in the car. There she is at the station, ready to catch her train and go home. We coerce her into coming along with us and then we could drop her home. Poor gal agrees and comes. Mojos relentless legpulling session continues in the presence of his Dad. Don’t you guys think you’d rather be interested in knowing how your Dads journey, health, etc was? But no! it has to be the rear seat passengers who get all the unwanted limelight.

Allright so we drop uncle home. And we decide it better to take the rickshaw to the station. Now I know people might be asking wheres the chaat? Well there it was, some eatery right on the signal at which our rickshaw is stuck perenially. Pop the rick dude loses passengers faster than he could turn the meter on. We decided that the chaat place was more inviting. All three of us drop down the rick pay the dude some cash real quick and head for the chaat place before the signal turns green.

Now it seemed Mojo was on some sort of a high. He continued his inhumane act of belittling his friends by all sorts of kiddish and inane teasful comments. So the order comes. I and I guess even She decides it best to enjoy the Sev Batata Puri that’s in front of us and ignore mojos comments like the coriander that’s supposed to be garnish. As I am crunching into some dish this bhai sahab decides it best to go and pop a question I was warned should not come ever.

Ah well that’s a long story but lets say due to some unknown force field (like that in Independence Day) we werent supposed to think of being together. Not like I didn’t ever ask for it myself. I tried almost every day till I was made to realise that if the friendship has to continue there couldnt be the other ship. After that I decided to enjoy all the moments I was being offered at least as on a friendship basis and not talk about going ahead.

Back to the chaat house. My coriander almost flies out of the mouth when I hear him speak. And no it doesn’t stop at the question. It continues to be even more grotesque, he says “this be the final decision, if No then you guys don’t even need to be pals”. With the onion stuck in my teeth I went ballistic. But, have you ever seen a ballistic missile having to sit with its pants on fire? Well you guys missed it. I was caught in the dilemma of putting a lid to this guys trap but how can I speak with sev, onion and the whole garba in my mouth? Yes I wrote garba! Anyways forget issues like My life, My question, My line and timing. I had to deal with more realistic things now to assess the damage done and to talk after I finish the goddamn chaat in my mouth. Stuff settling in my stomach but almost my balls out in my mouth I start to say, “NO NO no such decisions okayed by me! You don’t give me a decision. Im fine with my life! I don’t want a decision. I am innocent!”

And she speaks “I guess I will give this a try, I have been thinking about it myself and I think it is true the feeling is mutual”. For a second I was still thinking shes asking mojo to shut his trap and go on with his life. But then my dumbwitted brain deciphers what it just heard. Broad whale smile on my face I turn around n look at her. Shes looking back and smiling at me. Now mojo couldve played some music, but he decides to laugh. I pay the tab. We decide to walk the way to the station. Im euphoric. I forget the chaat for my Ma. That was a couple of years back. Nice going sweetheart! Happy Anniversary.