Lingering Aroma

All gone. They are no more."C" has uprooted and dispatched them all. The daily laborers, the hawkers, the roadside vendors especially the small eatery owners, who pampered palates of millions at modest cost, have vanished into thin air.

On holidays, I shun the healthy breakfast at home. I go to nearby tiffin stall, for my quota of junk food for the week, for they taste the best. The lingering aroma of aloo sabzi, chutney with pudina flavor, lip-smacking jalebis, kulchas, paranthas, all these and many more served hot, are fresh in memory. One thing, I like about them is the prompt service that the vendors render. There is hardly any gap between your placement of the order and your access to the platter.

Their skill so far as counting money and keeping a tab on consumption per person is unmatched per se. They count money faster than any cashier of the bank and return the exact change. I salute them for their hassle-free service. I have watched many youngsters confusing them... like a gang of four would be ordering different things and quantity would be different too. But, they tender the exact bill as the billing person is adept at such frivolities. I really miss the weekly treat. I hope the scary situation improves soon and normalcy gets restored.

My other indulgence on a holiday is to buy vegetables from vendors who sell from door to door. The reason behind- you help out a poor person rather than the head of a mart. Like the sparrows, they too have flown away by this hurricane. Do not know when next, I get time to meet them. I miss their offering -the homegrown vegetables. They taste like heaven.

Next when? Do not actually know. Hope it is only soon or very soon. Today's Diary note is dedicated to the above persons who serve with a smile.