A little cart with a concealed aluminum vessel mounted on a stove, parked near a jogger’s park, will hardly cross your mind when you think of a binge. However the steaming momos (chicken especially) is a crowd puller. It’s cheap, hygienic and healthy. But the real reason why so many people make a beeline in front of the cart is the taste. It is yummy!
I and a friend frequent the place often and so do the other posh and sophisticated public of the area. I am emphasizing on the class of people because it’s not usual to associate the rich eating from a roadside vendor. But as I mentioned earlier, it’s hygienic, healthy and tasty… and it is cheap for the middle class guys like me! So, as I waited for my friend to arrive something interesting happened. Some might call it tragic, but I am not much of an animal lover hence I thought it to be funny!
Just beside the cart a guy in his twenties pulled his motorcycle backwards as he got ready to ride. The next second there was a huge howling which stunned everybody around there. A dog for some reason had thought that sleeping right behind the rear-wheel of a motorcycle was a good idea. Given that it was well past sunset, the dog was pretty well invisible – at least to the motorist guy. The rear wheel had climbed over the leg of the poor creature and the ensuing noise and shock were the result of that.
The dog limped away yelling while a dozen pair of eyes speared the guy. He was a bit embarrassed by this attention, but to be fair to him, it was not entirely his fault. Moments later, when things looked to settle back to normal, a 11 to 12 year old girl came out of the park, shouting – WHAT HAPPENED JUST NOW?? WHO HIT THAT DOG? Now all the eyes shifted towards the girl. “YOU… YOU ARE THE CULPRIT RIGHT?” the girl screamed at the guy! He looked bemused more than angry at the girl’s outburst. He said, “I didn't do that purposely.” “DON’T USE THAT STUPID ACCENT OF YOURS OK… I AM INDIAN!”, she yelled back. Well that’s when it occurred to me that the guy had curled his tongue a little more than required, for the R when he said PURPOSELY. Anyways, the guy was now getting a little annoyed as the girl ran back to check on the dog.
A minute later the guy’s friend came back to sit on the bike and as both started to go, the girl returned. YOU – I THINK YOU SHOULD PAY FOR THE DOG’S INJURY – she screamed again. The guy and his friend simply chuckled raised their eyebrows and sped away. The girl kept screaming something while her friends tended to the dog. Minutes later my friend arrived and we both had a good laugh about the incident. The dog meanwhile was perfectly back to normal and walking like before!
