Of memories, feelings, emptiness, tastes and more…..

It was usual business day with meetings at a high-end corporate office having a lush green view from the lobby. During the break, fondly remembered the days I have travelled on the road alongside even before and during the construction of that building. The places are familiar to my eyes or to my heart, in those days of exploring new routes or just an aimless wandering on those then-unknown, un-familiar routes… which are of quite familiar now.

Later asked the driver to take me to a place of which my taste buds are yearning for.. en route, my eyes caught a specialized restaurant where I had my farewell few years back and had few fond memories on that road. I took an instant decision to have lunch there and relish in nostalgia.

As I have entered into that restaurant, over the years there are few changes there but the table we had lunch remained. They have offered me another table and I have ordered my favourite Item as starter and not-so favourite for Main course since it does not have much options left for such a choosy-eater like me.

The food was as tasty as it was….but the moment was not. It became too much for to stuff-in and I felt so lonely. It was as if the loneliness punched on my face. I could not complete even half of the portion of it and the memories I made there years ago kept me restless. Then, I realized it is not for the taste of food I’m yearning to but the memory of those moments. That day my siblings and cousins made me feel special, we exchanged few lovely banters and the snaps we have taken were in my eyes. It’s not that we don’t have that bond today, but still the emptiness caught me more at the moment when I was sitting there alone. This incident is one more reminder for me that the ‘companionship’ matters even when we pretend that we don’t need any.

As I have asked for the bill, the waiter wanted to know why I was alone and is that any special day for celebration to which I have replied in negative. In few minutes, he has come with bill and a ‘complimentary dessert’. I was very apprehensive as I was too full to eat anything more and the calorie part of it. Even then, he insisted on taking it and we could strike a deal of me taking ¼ of it. Needless to say, it tasted heavenly and I could easily finish it off.

May be like the glass jar, where it seems filled with rubble, gravel and sand but still could make space for some water, my stomach easily made way for the heavenly dessert. It took me back to my smiling self, I’m not sure if it is taste the dessert or touch of waiter’s human concern. One more memory has been made and when I gave the left-over food, I could see the happiness in the eyes of a little boy.

The journey back home was indeed pleasant and this incident reinforced my belief once again it is the people in your life matters when you look back and little acts for others will have greater impact in our day to day life.

P.S: The foodie in me has already decided to skip the Main course and enjoy the starter+dessert combo in any future visits to that place.

Of memories, feelings, emptiness, tastes and more…..