An Eventful Meal
Day: 3rd March 2005
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Place: McDonald's (I hate people calling it McD's), Green Park, N.Delhi
Two very tired individuals: my mother and I entered McDonald's. The day had been spent doing random jobs like posting a certain letter at the Gole Daak Khaana, Exchanging the cream dhoti bought two months back for Guruji for a white one at Co-Optex, eating Ice-Cream at Janpath, enquiring about the price and availability of a memory stick/pen drive in CP and the likes. While mom had managed a meal somewhere, me had not had a bite since breakfast. And it has become HOT in Delhi. Very very hot. Walking on the roads leaves you panting like a dog. And soon I will be seen walking around with a cap on my head. But the flowers are in full bloom and the roundabouts make for a very pretty sight.
Getting back to the story, Ma and I entered. I ordered a Veg Surprise Burger ("just quit my job, so can't afford better things" was my reply when my mother asked me why I hadn't ordered a normal vegetable burger. She, of course, gave me a "you are mad" look), Ice Tea (Ma is on an anti soft-drinks drive these days) and a small french fries (I had to indulge somewhere!). Balancing the tray and the packets in my hand, I somehow managed to climb the stairs up to the seating area. Decided to go wash my hands, specially because I had scribbled with my finger the number of my car on a dirty windshield when enquiring from the deaf and dumb parking attendant in Janpath about the location of the car where dad had parked it. I blindly walked towards the place where the loo had always been. Two employees blocked my way at the door. Too tired to speak, I just moved my hands to indicate to them that i need to go inside the loo to wash my hands. "Ladies Loo Upstairs, Ma'am". an "Oh!" was accompanied by an embarrassed smile and I quietly retreated. Apparently they had shifted the loo and I was too blind to notice!
When I finally sat down to eat, the surroundings caught my attention. In the row on my right, on three tables sat three different couples. The first sat on either side of the table. The second sat on the same side facing each other, barely touching but appearing close and comfy nonetheless. The third were the coziest of them all. Holding hands, hugging and all that. On my left sat another couple. A bouquet of purple flowers was lying on the table. The guy wore a grotesque tie. Before I get reprimanded for gawking at these people, I would like to clarify that all this was absorbed in one quick glance around the room. Surrounded by so much coochy-cooing, I decided to concentrate on my food and enjoy it.
When I had finished eating, mom decided to pay a visit to the loo which was located on the floor above the one we were sitting on. Moments after she went, I heard the sound of balloons bursting. I had seen the balloons when I went to wash my hands. Mom claimed to be innocent.
While I waited for my mom to return, the couple sitting on my left decided they were bored of playing knots and crosses and should play Antakshari instead. Yes. Two people. In a restaurant (If I can call McDonald's that). Full Volume. They started singing songs. Everybody turned to look. Most smiled, muttered something to their partners, exchanged glances. Some gave them a thumb's up. I just tried to control my laughter. Though I must admit it takes some guts to be singing in public like that specially when you are not very gifted at the art of singing.
After the eventful meal, mom and I had gol guppas (also known as paani poori or puchkas) at Evergreen outside. Highly Recommended.
And then we returned home.
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Place: McDonald's (I hate people calling it McD's), Green Park, N.Delhi
Two very tired individuals: my mother and I entered McDonald's. The day had been spent doing random jobs like posting a certain letter at the Gole Daak Khaana, Exchanging the cream dhoti bought two months back for Guruji for a white one at Co-Optex, eating Ice-Cream at Janpath, enquiring about the price and availability of a memory stick/pen drive in CP and the likes. While mom had managed a meal somewhere, me had not had a bite since breakfast. And it has become HOT in Delhi. Very very hot. Walking on the roads leaves you panting like a dog. And soon I will be seen walking around with a cap on my head. But the flowers are in full bloom and the roundabouts make for a very pretty sight.
Getting back to the story, Ma and I entered. I ordered a Veg Surprise Burger ("just quit my job, so can't afford better things" was my reply when my mother asked me why I hadn't ordered a normal vegetable burger. She, of course, gave me a "you are mad" look), Ice Tea (Ma is on an anti soft-drinks drive these days) and a small french fries (I had to indulge somewhere!). Balancing the tray and the packets in my hand, I somehow managed to climb the stairs up to the seating area. Decided to go wash my hands, specially because I had scribbled with my finger the number of my car on a dirty windshield when enquiring from the deaf and dumb parking attendant in Janpath about the location of the car where dad had parked it. I blindly walked towards the place where the loo had always been. Two employees blocked my way at the door. Too tired to speak, I just moved my hands to indicate to them that i need to go inside the loo to wash my hands. "Ladies Loo Upstairs, Ma'am". an "Oh!" was accompanied by an embarrassed smile and I quietly retreated. Apparently they had shifted the loo and I was too blind to notice!
When I finally sat down to eat, the surroundings caught my attention. In the row on my right, on three tables sat three different couples. The first sat on either side of the table. The second sat on the same side facing each other, barely touching but appearing close and comfy nonetheless. The third were the coziest of them all. Holding hands, hugging and all that. On my left sat another couple. A bouquet of purple flowers was lying on the table. The guy wore a grotesque tie. Before I get reprimanded for gawking at these people, I would like to clarify that all this was absorbed in one quick glance around the room. Surrounded by so much coochy-cooing, I decided to concentrate on my food and enjoy it.
When I had finished eating, mom decided to pay a visit to the loo which was located on the floor above the one we were sitting on. Moments after she went, I heard the sound of balloons bursting. I had seen the balloons when I went to wash my hands. Mom claimed to be innocent.
While I waited for my mom to return, the couple sitting on my left decided they were bored of playing knots and crosses and should play Antakshari instead. Yes. Two people. In a restaurant (If I can call McDonald's that). Full Volume. They started singing songs. Everybody turned to look. Most smiled, muttered something to their partners, exchanged glances. Some gave them a thumb's up. I just tried to control my laughter. Though I must admit it takes some guts to be singing in public like that specially when you are not very gifted at the art of singing.
After the eventful meal, mom and I had gol guppas (also known as paani poori or puchkas) at Evergreen outside. Highly Recommended.
And then we returned home.
posted by Tipsy Topsy at
6:30 PM
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