This semester I am taking 5 subjects ( instead of the standard 4) and am bogged down with assignments. I only had 3 hours free last Wednesday and decided to celebrate Onam with my best friend.

I told him, it is going to be informal and he can come after 12 pm. I thought that would give me enough time to come back home after my morning lecture, quickly cook, shower and wear a saree 🙂

Exactly at 12 noon, I heard the door bell ring ! I was half way through wearing my saree !!  ( I hate my clothes smelling of food and will never wear my work clothes while cooking)

I opened the door to find my best friend standing outside looking all formal ! His idea of informal lunch is not wearing a necktie.

He handed me  a box of chocolate chip cookies. ( He likes to have the darkest, strongest coffee and a chocolate chip cookie after lunch and it doesn’t matter that I always have chocolate cookies at home. He likes chocolate chip cookies and he brings them.)

“Have you read any of Pancol’s books?” He asked

“Nope” I said.

“Good” he replied and took off the price tag from the book he bought me. ( he kept the price tag on , just in case I read the book, he can exchange for something I haven’t read)

I cooked Avial, dhal, beans thoran, pachadi, all without chillies or garlic, because he can’t ( rather won’t) eat chillies and hate garlic.

I had already set the table before he arrived and didn’t place the flatware, hoping that he would at least attempt to eat the food with his fingers. He noticed the missing flatware, went to get it from the cutlery drawer and offered me a fork and spoon!

He loved the chilli and garlic less avial and lentils.

I had thought of making payasam, but I know he doesn’t like anything too sweet, too coconutty..too dairy.. He likes coffee and cookie..and that is what we had.

And that was that.

I don’t think I ever imagined celebrating onam like this. Each year that goes by, I am losing a bit of myself.