Friends - Parotta

Shobana.

My life has been blessed with nutcases (read 'friends'). And Shobana definitely ranks among the top 10 nut cases I have ever known.

Beautiful girl. Loads of attitude.
(I think that comes as a package usually)

Shobs, as I call her, was my roomie (room mate) during my graduation days at Coimbatore. I have some fond memories and moments from my days with her, which I cherish.

One of her classic dialogues happened when we went to buy Parotta for dinner one night. Parotta is a common layered flat bread of Southern India (Courtesy - Wikipedia). I had the least idea that that was her first 'expedition' to a hotel to buy a parcel.

We stood there at the open air restaurant watching the 'Parotta master' knead the dough, make small balls and then flatten it, make it strips, and then into a circular layer, flatten them again before they went onto the pan to be fried golden brown. Once he had about four to five of them ready, he placed them one above the other and started crushing them from the sides.

That's when the historic comment came, from Shobs.

"Nalla iruntha porotta'ye ethukku antha aalu pottu kassakuraaru??"

(In Tamil that meant, 'Why is he disfiguring those nicely shaped Parottas?')

Little did Shobs know that they did that to separate the layers of the Parotta which apparently made it softer.

The Parotta master seemed offended. But he went on with the task of crushing the Parottas.

This made her all the more angry.

"Geetha, I wont eat those crushed Parottas. Look at his dirty hands. Moreover, I want mine perfect and round. Tell him that."

I blinked, not knowing what to say.

This time the master looked really angry. His expression told me I better leave with the 'foreigner'.

Shobs on the other hand was explaining to me on hygiene factors and how germs spread through unwashed hands.

I knew another night without food awaited us. Had no option than to drag Shobs from the place and find relief with a packet of bread and milk that night!

Even now each time I eat Parotta, I'm reminded of the Parotta master, his angry gaze and of course my darling friend - Shobs! :)