"50₹"

Hello there!

Today I want to ask you all a question,

Have you ever been so surprised that you stood awestruck and unaware of everything surrounding you while everyone around you go mute and you're completely clueless for 3 to 4 seconds? Well yes, I've been and today I'll be narrating one such astonishing incident I witnessed.

One lavish evening right after finishing my daily set of games with all my friends on the street, I rushed to the restaurant right across my road, where my parents worked. I visited the place every day. I was a guy with a big tummy (and I've remained the same). I satisfied all my food desires there. It was a new joint and everything tasted excellent. The name of the restaurant was "Akshaya veg thindies" and everyone in the vicinity seemed to like our place.

It was early in the night and the place was crowded. My mom sat at the billing counter overseeing all the transactions. As soon as I entered, I went to her and stood there. I never ate alone so I thought I'd ask her to accompany me in eating something but she was busy doing something of her own. This is when an elderly person walks up to the counter and orders a plate of idli for himself. After paying for it and receiving the receipt, he made an unusual request. He said, "In a car outside, my wife waits for food. I am an old man and cannot walk up and down. She's being overseen by my daughter and she got operated 2 days ago. She cannot get down the vehicle. Can anyone of your staff please serve food to the car?" And the first person my mom turned to was me. I stood there struck uncertain of what must be done,  but the very next minute, pointing out to me, my mom said, "He'll help you!". I instantly agreed to it, but little did I know that I'll end up walking in and out of the restaurant 5 times.

First the grandpa sent me to ask what the daughter and his wife would eat. I went out and found that in a car an old lady and her daughter were waiting for someone to help them. I walked up to them and asked them what they wanted. The daughter asked, "What's available?" I was a small kid, I only knew what I must be eating but totally unaware of what's on the menu, thus began my cardio up and down the stairs.

First I went in to check the menu and memorise it so that I can go tell them what's available. After receiving the order, I had to come into the hotel to repeat the order. The restaurant was a self-service type and we'd to first pay for the food, so uncle repeated the order to my mom and I went to the counter to receive it.

It was 3 plates of food, so there went 2 to 3 rounds more of up and down the stairs, for their drinking water another round and I was exhausted by the time they finished their dinner. But the best part was when I went to their car to clear the plates that they had eaten in, the daughter sitting right next to the old lady, picked her vanity bag, and removed a 50rs note from it and handed it over to me. I was stunned, completely clueless for 4 to 5 seconds. I was indecisive of what must be done. I received it first, but then later told her, "I'm not a server!". She asked me who I was, I said I'm the kid of the person who manages the restaurant. She was astonished and snatched the note away. I stood there completely amazed wondering why would somebody do that. She felt bad and handed the note back to me, said "It's ok. If you don't want it, you can give it to the worthy people". Out of guilt, she continued conversing, asked me which grade I was studying in and what I was doing there to which I answered subtly. Knowing that the situation got awkward I left the place and went in but the clever guy inside me knew that he wouldn't be donating that 50 to someone. Instead he'd enjoy it himself!

That's my 50rs story and a happy new year people!

Image courtesy: unsplash