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My Own, My Precious

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by meenasankaran, Mar 28, 2020.

  1. meenasankaran

    meenasankaran Platinum IL'ite

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    “That is some truly superior sambar and aloo curry Amma” my daughter managed to say in the middle of frantically licking her spoon clean like she may run out of taste buds any minute now. “You don’t know how much I have missed your food. You deserve a culinary award Amma” chimed in her sister on her way to the kitchen for second helpings. Remarks like these typically put a strut in my gait and a smile on my face but not today.

    Don’t get me wrong. I recognize that it is not every day that children are happy to be locked down under the same roof, as parents. When they greeted me with a smile this morning and started doing chores around the house with no threat or coercion, I wanted to pinch my husband’s arm to see if I was dreaming. (Why pinch my husband’s arm? Because therein lies the beauty of marriage. When life presents tough challenges, you get to lean on or pinch your spouse’s arm to figure things out.) So together we puzzled over the question ‘Why aren’t these kids screaming and scratching at the walls, cursing at the coronavirus for this indefinite lockdown?’ The obvious answer was college food. One semester away at college enjoying its assorted offering of spice-less food and my kids have returned home as warriors brave enough to face a quarantine at home.

    Getting back to the sound of my flatware being licked clean at each meal, I’ll admit that I am worried and I’ll tell you why. As the symphony of spoons scraping against bowls and plates continue with each passing day, I often find myself slipping quietly to do the only thing I could. Throw open the doors of the kitchen pantry and gaze worriedly at the stockpile of provisions; one item in particular.

    I want it known that I am not unprepared for this pandemic. The day ‘social-distancing’ became the national word and lockdown became the local mantra, I marched to the Indian grocery store armed with a dozen extra-large cotton bags determined to stock up; but apparently so did the entire desi population. When you are trying to beat 20 people to get to the last packet of turmeric powder in the store, social distancing is not an option. And yes, I do need the turmeric powder. You don’t seriously expect me to serve black sambar and rasam to my family, do you? That’s gross.

    Believe it or not, I was agile and spry, zigging and zagging through the store loading up my cart. I owe it to corona(virus) for showing me that even I could put a spring in my step. Anyways, there I was, weaving in and out of the crowd, proudly joining my fellow humans in picking that store clean. After ensuring that there was nothing edible left in an aisle, we kept moving on to the next. It was eerily similar to the scene in a movie I had watched, where aliens would destroy earth settlements systematically, one town at a time.

    I am grateful for whoever designed grocery store carts and put 4 wheels on them for balance. Imagine if they had only 2 wheels like a bicycle! What would happen to people like me with zero upper body strength? How would we push a cart that is filled up in preparation of Armageddon? I guess it is true that God never gives more than what we can handle.

    After doing a quick check of the cart inventory (mustard seeds, check – have enough to season an ocean of coconut chutney, tamarind, check – have enough to serve puliyodharai prasadam at the local temple for the next 5 years and, most importantly, asafetida, check – have enough LG bottles to undertake the Ambani family’s next wedding order of rasam), I finally turned in to the last aisle to all set to load up my favorite 20 pound rice bags. Wait a second. What happened here? Who took all the rice? Oh, the horror! At that moment, I knew exactly how Gollum felt when Sauron’s ring slipped out of his hand. Oh, where art thou, my precious?

    I would have gladly traded my wedding jewelry for the 4 bags of rice in the cart ahead of me at the counter, but I couldn’t really fall at her feet and beg there, could I? With social distancing and all, it wouldn’t be the responsible thing to do.

    So finally, with a heavy heart, not to mention, a heavy cart loaded with only 3 miniscule 10 pound bags of rice, I walked back to my car praying that my family will somehow find the courage the face the day that we run out of rice. May we survive this nightmare and live to tell the tale another day.

    Hang in there, folks! This too, shall pass.
     
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  2. Amulet

    Amulet IL Hall of Fame

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    Rice ?! No wonder Rudyard Kipling had noticed: "Oh, East is East, and West is west..".

     
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  3. Amulet

    Amulet IL Hall of Fame

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    Amazing image (FT newspaper):
    [​IMG]
     
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  4. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    Dear Meens!

    There you are! You brought a spring to my step too with your lively writing here. I know you are enjoying having your girls around. I don't know about you, but I feel I am keeping my children hostage - to my cooking. If a question what's there to eat comes out, I rattle off Indian names they haven't heard of. And they look at me puzzled. I am bored of cooking the same old ones you see - I am improvising, modifying and making foods that I never thought I would! And yes, I am keeping a log, for posterity's sake!

    I did not do much panic buying but the good Samaritan that I am, I was shopping, helping someone get clorox wipes for their club. When I reached the aisle, all I could do was watch a woman wipe the aisle clean off all the wipes ignoring me, my desperate attempts to catch her eye! No point. I stood there along with a couple of others as she marched off. this was before the limit was put!

    Yes, this too shall pass and hopefully we all would have emerged as better human beings :)

    Nice seeing you back here Meena! Stay safe and keep writing.
     
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  5. sln

    sln Platinum IL'ite

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  6. sln

    sln Platinum IL'ite

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  7. sln

    sln Platinum IL'ite

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    Great write up.Reminded me of my college days.I used to come with a special chettinad list which is equally good for vegetarians.My mother used to say"paru-eppadi valai aatindu varan paru onga annan"[how your brother is wagging his tail.] shops have now come out with innovative ideas of two weeks package which meets your requirements for 14 days.A way to a persons heart is through his stomach and girls are no exception.Wish your daughters a great holiday.
    SLN
     
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  8. Cheeniya

    Cheeniya Super Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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  9. Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    : ) I also got turmeric powder in the 'panic' shopping trip. It was a very different shade of yellow, a different brand. But beggars cannot be choosers of yellow colors...

    That and sambar powder, I was glad to see in the shelf and gladder to move to my cart.

    Inventory of other people's carts and bags helped pass the time waiting in line. Some interesting compilations of spices, frozen food, ready-to-eat boxes, and luxury items like murukkus, even boondi laddoos. : )

    It shall pass... and then there will be no returns on rice and flour bags. : ) Hopefully, the local temples, gurudwaras etc also won't stop accepting donations.
     
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  10. kkrish

    kkrish IL Hall of Fame

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    @meenasankaran Meena!! I could not believe my eyes.
    If there is one good thing because of corona, that is making dear Meena write a much needed humorous blog.

    I am kicking myself hard for wasting so many years no knowing this marriage secret. :facepalm: How do I make up for this.
    Great!! I now know where to go to borrow mustard seeds and borrow ... no no! Why should I borrow and then cook? I'll stand outside your home and take that tiffin carrier of chutney, rasam, and whatever else you cook. (of course I'll be there before your college, spicy-food starved kids wake up).
    Another self-kicking... only if I had known, I'd have hoarded some and given you a call.
    :roflmao:
    Oh Meena, Meena, Meena!! 30 pounds is certainly minuscule! What were we thinking:BangHead:
    *********
    :worship2:Thank you for a lovely, smile-inducing article. We need this kind of healthy humor during these stressful times.

    Stay safe.
     
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