This is exactly the life I ordered for….

The restaurant of life is greeted by the head-waiter, whose only lines in the world are “What would you like to order, sir?” or “Table for one or two, sir?”

In my case, I had a look around to find whether there were couples enjoying the dinner. There were none. So, my safe answer was, “Table for one….and can I have the menu?” Sophisticated and in accord with the ambience around.

The menu was handed down to me, which apparently was being used by a nerdy-looking, simple, straightforward, shy guy in the corner of the restaurant. I felt giddy at the choices laid down in front of me. The menu read:

Starters

Hard Work……………………………… Rs. 50
Joblessness…………………….…………Rs. 25
Cigarettes……………………….………..Rs. 40
Girls…………………………….…….….Rs. 75
Parents…………………………………...Rs. 15
Entertainment……………………………Rs. 15
(Includes movies, music, internet, shagging, etc.)

Main Course

Education………………………………..Rs. 60
(Includes the essences of hard work and a pinch of future)
Friends…………………………..………Rs. 35
(With bunch of friends, this will melt into your mouth)
Girls…………………………….……….Rs. 25
(Comes with the package of Yahoo Messenger, which is mandatory)
Confidence………………………….…..Rs. 70
(Recommended if you want to go for the Girls)
Will Power………………………….…..Rs. 60
(Helps if you’re smoking, drinking and trying out different leaves)
Entertainment…………………………...Rs. 5
(Different from the starter items, includes many more flavors)

Desserts

Education…………………………...…Rs. 100
Entertainment…….. (Complimentary from the chef)
(Cigarettes with movies and music sprinkled outside and inside the pie)
Love……………………………………Rs. 150
Confidence……………………….…….Rs. 100
(Needed for flavoring on top of love, it tastes better)
Will Power……………………………..Rs. 200
Time…………………………………....Rs. 300
Home………………………………….…Rs. 15
Ambition……………………………..…..Rs. 20
Liverpool FC……………………………...Rs. 5


I couldn’t decide what I wanted. I wouldn’t really. The waiter was waiting and I knew that I had to make my decision in a few seconds. And that decision decided what I wanted to do with my dinner. The dinner I was ordering about my life. Well, I checked my pockets, to find out how much I could buy. That made my decision even more intricate. Even more confusing. I found out I had only Rs. 400. Enough I think for a kid who just came from a place where people survived with even lesser than that. My parents taught me to choose the costlier stuff first, and then live a simpler and more tranquil life later. And that’s what I tried to do. But unfortunately, got a tiny-weenie-bit greedy and ordered something more lavish.


This is what I ordered in the “Restaurant of Life”.
For starters, I had raw hard-work and nothing else. In my main course, I had a lot of friends, girls and entertainment. Here, a taste called Flirting and Hanging-Out stuck to my tongue. Something, I so definitely wanted to feel when I was to have my desserts. And my desserts were obvious after that. Chose Love, Confidence (something which was recommended when I ordered love, and something that I learnt when tasting real love), Home, Ambition and Liverpool FC. Well, in the end, I think I should have chosen something’s differently. But, I am not complaining. After, THIS is exactly the life I ordered for…and I’m happy. More than happy.

Plus next time I visit the "Restaurant of Life"......it will be a table for two, in the smoking zone....

--------------the end-------------

Starters were my life in 1st year, main course-the life till the end of last year, and the desserts……the life right now…….

22nd May, 2007. 11 P.M. Was listening to: “It’s Ok” by Junkyard Groove. (Click here to listen)