NINE
Urmil went out with her friend Asthaa after a long time to enjoy. Urmil tried her best but wasn’t able to inform her friend about the problematic conditions she was going through.
"Want to enjoy tea in an earthen pot? It is found only in this Tapri tea stall, in the whole of Delhi." Asthaa looked happy.
"It seems you know every nook and corner of Delhi!" Urmil smiled.
The friends settled down on the bench with two cups of tea.
"Ore baapre… how much sugar they have added to this tea." Urmil threw the earthen cup to the litter bin.
Astha enjoyed the extra sweet tea and smiled at Urmil.
"Urmil, today we will roam around the whole day and have all sorts of street food."
"Is it a stomach or Ravana's unquenchable fire? Well, let's see how much we can eat! Let it be the Street Food Adventure day." Urmil looked happy.
The two friends enjoyed the whole day with papri chaat, mutton roll, dosaa, masala cola… the list was endless.
"I just can't eat anymore." Astha cried holding her stomach.
"Well… you told me that you'll have all the food available on the streets of Delhi!" Urmil punched Asthaa.
"... but I will not return home without having mutton rogan josh and tandoori roti at Delhi Darbar. I am a true Bengali Urmil... nothing other than eating and travelling attracts me.”
Delhi Darbar was fully packed even at eleven pm. Many were waiting out.
"I can't afford to stand in a queue for food... look for some other eatery." Urmil said bitterly.
She was brought up in an orphanage and was happy with the fulfilment of bare necessities of life… food, clothes and shelter. She could never think of a luxurious life... but she had to fulfill her friend's wish!
"Well, let's eat something else… I am not hungry though." Asthaa looked tired.
"I have the same feeling… let's pack something. Will you be with me today?" Urmil was eager.
"But... you are inviting the cat to have fish," Astha said, rolling her eyes.
They ordered chicken kebab and tawa roti from a stall of Khau galli and returned home.
The aroma of barbecued meat mixed with butter, onion and spices aroused their lost hunger.
The friends continued talking while lying on the bed.
"I want to go back to Himachal Asthaa. I don't want to stay here anymore."
"How much pain you have taken to come down… you have a good job… how can you just let it go? What will you do there, don't tell me you want to go back to Himachal to be a burden on Mother Patricia."
"Why Should I be a burden, I will earn my own living… I have to."
Though she uttered those words, she knew very well that she could never return home… she would be able to get free only after her death. She also knew that she would not live for long. She turned and looked at Asthaa… she was looking out of the window, dejected.
"What happened dear… why are you so sad... thinking about Shaon? You have not introduced him to me till now… are you afraid that I will snatch your fiance?"
"No…" Asthaa sighed deeply "Let's have food, it will be late."
Urmil microwaved the food and set it on the dining table.
Asthaa took a bite and closed her eyes with contentment.
"Urmil, just have some, It's awesome."
