Chai Time ...

The 3WW prompt for this Wednesday; viz Apartment, Began & Numb; took me down memory lane to almost a year back to sometime during late Jan 2007. Well, during peak winter in the States; the diminishing of sunlight as early as 4 pm itself makes a depressing surrounding... and moreover in Chicago; the killer chilly winds blowing across ur face don't even make it possible to wander (by foot) around even a few blocks; no matter how much you are geared up.

Twas one such typical cold, windy Chicago winter twilight; and moreover I didn't have much work (for a change) to see the day off... hence it was getting all the more boring. Consequently, I left office around 4 and hopped across to my abode (luckily, against all norms; I had rented an apartment (on 31st floor :)) in downtown itself just across the road from my office :p ); but even the meager 60 seconds that are required to cross the street are enough for the cold Chicago winds to make their presence felt. As usual, I opened the apartment door with my fingers all gone numb due to the chill; threw the laptop to a corner and turned on some desi muzik. Now such a setup (wintry day, depressing environment, desi music:)) is apt for nostalgia to creep in; and as it is people like me (away from hometown, family, friends) are sitting duck targets for the nostalgic melancholy.

Luckily, I had figured out a way to drive away such "feeling-low" times (which didn’t always work though :)) there were a few pals who were game anytime (like me) for a readymade cup of tea… :) so buzzed them up and told them to come by in another 5 minutes … and as expected no one said they couldn't make it :) So, I entered the rarely frequented cooking quarter in my kitchen and began to make the much famed "Hiren ke haath ki chai"… (I was certain; that this fame was only a ploy by my friends in order to get readymade tea; but then this was the only useful thing I could do in kitchen … moreover I ended up for my luncheons/dinners at their place more often than not) … And the smart me, to live up to the reputation; would put in adrakh, elaichi, chai masala (this one from home) and wat not :) and take somewhere close to an eternity to prepare the chai.

So, within another 15 mins or so; all of them arrive; one thanking me as she was also getting royally bored; other showing off as he was doing a favor by leaving his work and coming for the tea and the last one cursing her manager :) Now, we all get our hands on the tea-mugs and the khakras, chakris, theplas etc etc … and settle down in the living room …

The tête-à-tête starts gradually… "Arey yaar yeh kya music lagaya hai?? Change kar. ", "abey muzik bandh kar, TBS laga … ‘Friends’ aa raha hoga", "hiren tu har baar itni mast chai kaise banata hai? ", "aaj office mein Smith ki band baj gayee … John ne hum logon ke saamne usko mast daat diyaa …", "arey yaar aise mausam mein chai peene ka mazza hi alag hai", "chai peene ka majaa toh baarish ke time pe aata hai yaar… mast baarish aur garam chai ka glass .. ", "Bhatt na kandaa bhajjiyaa and chaa …nothing can beat that … howsoever unhygienic that was :) wat say hiren? ", "Don’t forget Shiva ki chai", "ppl, chai toh mere college canteen mein mast milti thi; the best I have ever had still (giving an apologizing glance to me)", "jab bhi mera sar dard karta tha .. my mom used to prepare mast masala chai and i did be alright within mins ... ", "hiren yaad hai? apna woh lohegaon waala trek ... wahan woh raastein par stove rakhke chai bana raha tha ..." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . .... . . ... . . .. ..

And here we go… we ended up doing exactly what I wanted to stay away from, by calling these nuts …but believe me … "feeling nostalgic" with few friends around is far less distressing, and much better than standing by the apartment window all alone, sipping tea and getting drowned in reminiscences …

Give it a try !!!

Ciao friends, Take Care …

P.S.: - Now that I am back home, I no longer prepare tea; so all the requests for readymade tea will be forwarded to the nukkad waala chai tapri and he does make excellent chai … (you got to believe this as its coming from a pro himself) :)