I can't stop loving it..

It was 8.30 on the clock. I planned my next thirty minutes in such a way that I don't miss my office bus to home. I wrapped up everything, got off my desk and made my way to exit. I saw Rohit on my way, he was packing his bag.

‘Hey, wait a minute. I am also going downstairs'.

‘Let's catch-up tomorrow. I need to catch a bus at 9 and before that, I need to go to the other building'

He knew what I was talking about. He laughed, gave me the usual look and got engrossed in his things. I checked my watch again, it was 8.35. I realized that I had spent full five minutes in collecting my stuff, putting it in my bag and heading to the exit. I was not willing to wait for an elevator; I decided to take stairs. The view outside was beautiful. The romantic evening, the mild breeze, the yellow lights, the silent roads and the excitement to reach to him made my moment extremely beautiful. I entered the zone after walking for over 5minutes. The bench by the side of his stall was empty. I was happier than before. I thought – today, I can peacefully sit here. I approached him. Seeing me, he quickly got up from his stool and asked me – ‘Kya loge madam?'

I thought – why does he ask me every day when he knows what do I take from his stall?

Before I could come out of my thoughts, he said – ‘One plate, steamed. Right?'

I was delighted. ‘Yes..and chutney thoda jyada daalna'

‘Yes madam'

He opened his cabinet and took out a paper plate from it. Keeping the plate on the platform, he took his napkin and held it in both of his hands. He opened the lid of the container. I noticed how carefully he was holding the lid under the napkin. Keeping the lid and napkin down, by the side of the plate, he lifted the Forceps. His hand moved inside the container. He was slow and careful. He lifted the first piece. The piece was squeezed a little bit, at two diagonally opposite points, by the pressure of the forceps. He skillfully placed it on the plate. My eyes were content seeing the inception of the process of filling the plate. He went on drawing all the remaining five pieces from the container. He then arranged them in a roughly circular shape and put red colored chutney in the center. I thought –Only a few seconds more and then I this will be all mine. He asked – ‘Madam, Mayonnaise loge?'

I was happy and excited about the offer. But still keeping calm and showing him that I am very patient and not that fond of whatever he was offering me, I said – ‘Ha thik hai. De do'.  

He opened his cabinet again, took out a bottle of Mayonnaise and served it on the plate, by the side of Chutney. I loved the combination - The white plate, the red chutney, the white mayonnaise, the yellow light around, the brown bench and those six pieces of momos sitting proudly on my plate. I had already taken out sixty rupees from my wallet. I offered him the money first. He opened the drawer, placed the money in it and then gave me the plate. I was successful in showing calm on my face but my heart was jumping impatiently and was forcing me to take the first bite no matter what.  I made myself sit and held the first piece and dipped it in the chutney first and then in mayonnaise. I was all set to take the first bite.  Moving it towards my mouth, I ate it. My tongue sent signals to my brain that I was more content than any time before. It was a wow moment. Rest five pieces were waiting for their honor. I applied the same strategy as dipping in chutney first and then in Mayonnaise to gulp the three of them. By the time total four momos were finished, I had achieved the sense of accomplishment. I soon realized that I also had to catch the bus. I quickly checked my watch. It was 8:53. I was so delighted that I had walked for five minutes, and had eaten more than half the plate of momos in just eighteen minutes. The remaining two were ready. While I held the second last in my hand, I feared something, looked around and thought - OMG, he is back. 

I was completely scared of him. I ran away from him whenever he had come to me in the past but that day I was not in a position to run. He was courageous enough to stand by my side. I knew his love for momos. He knew my fear for him. I was sandwiched between my love for momos and my fear for dogs. He was staring at my plate continuously. People offered him food, but I was not generous enough to offer him my momos. I started chanting God's name and gulp the one I was holding in my hand. The last one was remaining. He came two steps closer to me. We both were looking at the last piece. There was hardly a distance of hundred centimeters between him and me. I was not ready to give up my momo and he was not ready to leave without having the last piece. I was determined and he was optimistic. I slowly moved my hand towards the finisher. I didn't bother to dip it in anything else on my plate. With the faster speed than that of light's and before my other organs could understand what had happened, the last piece of momo was sitting in my mouth.   I thanked my brain and of course my hand for their joint efforts. I was the winner. I happily crushed the plate and got up from the bench. The feeling of achievement made me proud of myself. I proudly walked to the dustbin, thrashed my plate inside, came back to the bench, lifted my bag and left the food zone. He was looking at me while I was walking away. He decided that he would have a better strategy next time to fetch my momos and I decided that I would never let him win a single momo… since I can't stop loving it.