Many a time when the daily routine got too stressful, San and me have had conversations that run something like this:
Me : I am tired. My health is going. Enough with this house/school district/money business. My parents gave me a good education. We can try to do that without this expensive school district thing or anywhere in the world. Let's retire. Or at least let me retire..
San : Can you come back to the real world please?
Me : Why can't I just start a drive through shop which sells only four things.. Maggi noodles, samosas, Chai and filter coffee? We can make a living doing that? no?
San : Where?
Me : anywhere on I-5. you will have a queue a mile long.. trust me!
San : usually shakes her head and walks off or says something to the effect of "by tomorrow your head will cool down and you will be back to work"
Recently we found a dude who is doing my dream job..
On a route between Rohtang pass and Manali, there is a guy who under a simple yellow tarp canopy makes simple omelet sandwiches and Maggi Noodles!
Hot noodles when it is really cold outside! Unfortunately he makes no Chai/Coffee to go with this. Still it is a pretty good deal for 30 rupees a plate.
Mochu's Cafe on the gate behind IT-BHU in Varanasi, used to be a favorite Saturday night hangout for us because our regular mess halls would be closed Saturday. Mochu would make us a plate of Maggi noodles for 5 rupees between 8-10 PM only. A big aluminum vessel where maggi was constantly added and removed.
Some of us south Indians would call it Mochus "Akshaya patram" where he kept coming up with noodles for a large crowd. He also sold us cheese sandwiches (2 nicely cut triangles with Amul cheese) for 2 rupees and Chai for 1 rupee. In winter when you see your breath condense in front of you, the hot Maggi would taste divine.. just divine.
In close to 20 years the Maggi plate price has gone up 6 fold, but the good news?
The taste has stayed the same!
ps. In the audio you can hear my FIL ask me :
Is it clean?
I say "the seat is clean".
He then tells me "not the seat.. the plates and spoons" and I say "you can't expect much here. The noodles is boiling. the hot noodles will kind of take care of the plate.."
funny how I switch cleanliness standards when we travel in India.
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