Curry Please

More than a decade ago when I first arrived in the UK it was the month of June. On the very first day to the office, the weather was bright and sunny so I decided to just wear a jumper on top. I walked to the train station pondering that people might mock at me thinking - why was I wearing a jumper on this warm sunny day. I boarded the train and grabbed a seat. As soon as I raised my head above, I just noticed an Indian guy sitting a few seats away. He was wearing a thick winter jacket on top of a sweater with a muffler around his neck and a woolen monkey cap on his head. I looked at him and smiled. People in the UK usually smile at strangers and say -'hiya!'. Perhaps that is why he didn't mind me smiling at him. But soon I realized that everyone in that coach was looking at him and smiling. After a few stations, I had to get down so went to door. I saw this guy was also coming to the door. We both got down and started walking to the exit gate. It was a new place so I had to ask how to reach my workplace. I went to the inquiry counter and asked how to walk to the site. The moment I turned around I saw this guy standing just behind me. He whispered, 'I am also going to the same place. Shall I come with you?'. I nodded and said, ' Of Course, why not?'.

We both started walking to our workplace. I could see literally he was shivering and rubbing his hands. I got curious and asked if he was alright. He said, 'Don't worry! I am fine. I am from Chennai. We hardly see winter there so even this temperature is unbearable for me."

Somehow we reached office and settled. In the afternoon people started leaving to buy their lunch. They would come back to their desk and start eating and working at the same time. In India, the workplace is supposed to be pious like study place, so hardly anyone eats at their desk. Hence it was a bit surprising for me. There was a very senior colleague of mine, a white guy in his mid-fifties, sitting just next to me. All of sudden I saw him wiping his fingers onto his shirt. For a moment I could not believe my eyes. I started noticing him just to confirm. In a minute or so, he took another bite and wiped his fingers on his shining white shirt again. The impression I had of a white guy was of a well mannered English Gentleman with etiquettes and all. So I was completely taken aback. He didn't do it just once or twice. He did it after every bite and almost used every part of his shirt. I was shocked to the core. And kept wondering why would he do that.

He continued to do it every day with every lunch. Initially, It appeared to be a disgusting behavior. However, I tried to convince myself that he was a nice thoughtful guy who wanted to save the environment by not using any tissues. But if you want to do that why not use handkerchiefs.

Anyways the best thing was that he ate bread sandwiches every day. And I ate Indian curry. After a few days, the devil in me got tempted almost every day to offer him the curry but I could not dare. I still wonder what would he do if he ate Curry.