Pantry Car

Rim jhim barsaat gire and live football match. It's time to refuel and unwind after a week of hard work. My high school classmate and I were having a fun night out at a restaurant.

We sipped our beverages while watching the soccer game. The next table discussed train names like Rajdhani, Shatabadhi, Duranto, Tejas, and Vande Bharat, as well as food quality. My friend immediately responded, "Dear, today I will share my experience." Hmm, I thought, simply not interested in diverting my focus away from the wonderful cuisine and vibrant atmosphere.

He said, after assessing my motive, "Just hear me out, it's only about food."

I sighed and nodded. Leaving aside his beverage glass, he got quite solemn. He began to recount a childhood incident.

They travelled frequently because his father worked for the railways and passes were easily obtained. Apart from relatives, their family would visit historic sites every year. This would primarily occur during summer vacations. His mother would diligently prepare food for the train travel on every such excursion. Except for him, everyone in the family would eat until their stomachs were full. He was always on the lookout for pantry services. More so on the Chicken Thali, which he and his other passengers would order.

In a hush voice, he first raised this issue of ordering food from Pantry car to his mother, instead of her preparing and carrying. She like every mother, cooly negated, and simply refused to even acknowledge. But when his demands became more pressing, his father became aware of his demand for pantry services.

He was now in grade 8, and during his journey to Charminar - Hyderabad, his father made it plain to his mother that we were not to bring anything from home for our eldest son. We'll get his from the Pantry car. The pantry man gave his father lunch, with no knowledge of what happened to my friend. He told his father, surprised, that the pantry person had mistakenly left the Chicken thali at their bunk. His father said nothing. Mother served a total of four plates rather than five, and he glanced around confusedly. Any asked his father where his plate was.

Now his father spoke out and said, "We purposefully ordered Chicken Thali for you." While you enjoy the pantry food, we will savor your mother's home-cooked meals. Delighted, he removes the thali's cover and smiles as his desire is granted. He gazed at his mother after taking a few of nibbles. Father understood and angrily stated, "Either eat whatever is served to you or be prepared to go hungry until the next meal."

He understood what his father was saying, so he chugged down the chicken pieces and some more rice from the thali. When he gave the tray to the pantry worker, his father said. We wanted you to know the difference between eating at home and eating out.

Mother's cooking is just next to Amrita.

He apologized passionately to his mother, saying he would never argue for pantry food again in his life. Now his mother offered him some fried chicken pieces from her dish, and they both took rest, satisfied.

The soccer game had ended by the time my friend told me about his childhood memories. But, before calling it a day, we ordered Chicken Dry Fry.