“Love, food, and sweet revenge” – Reader’s story

One of our reader’s story

With LOVE

The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. There are some categories of men, they like to eat the moment they get on the train! And I am one of them. Yes, we like to eat while traveling, why not? The other category for example who like to read a book while traveling.  They read books hours together. Eating is another kind of habit. Then why it is amusing?

Anyways, the human mind is unsatisfied. It always worries for one or the other reason. For example, if your girlfriend/partner/wife is a good cook, will you be happy? Think twice!

My girlfriend, Anna is the queen of baking and cooking. I am the luckiest and chosen one to taste her baked banana cake and Norwegian smuldrepai med epler. My home is like a multi-cuisine dine-in restaurant. I have been (was) blessed to taste the verities of dishes from different countries especially Nordic country in the home itself. Her cooked food is so delicious that I got a few KGs. Hmm, good things always come with a few bad things too. Nowadays she is more concentrating on the diet. Ahh, wait not her, on my diet. Now a day’s delicious Nordic dishes are transforming into Indian vegetarian dishes. Yoga is also added as a dessert.

That day, I had a training in Szeged. It was a 2 ½ hours journey from Budapest by train. I decided to catch the morning 8.48 am train from Nyugati railway station. This time is not so convenient for me, it’s too early to have breakfast at 7.30 am and I cannot (don’t want) skip breakfast. Anyways, a day before I told Anna to pack my breakfast so that I can eat it in the train. She agreed.  The next day morning, my lunch box was ready in time. The food smell was all around the home, and my nose was alerting me while I was taking shower. I finished my shower, dressed up, and got ready before 8 am. This triggered my mind, I started calculating the timings.  It takes 15min to reach the railway station, I still have 15min to spare. That’s it, I looked at Anna with confidence and said “Anna, I have still 15min, I will have breakfast here. Better not on the train, it will get cold”. I was waiting for her green signal, almost ready to attack the lunch box but “No! it’s too early to have breakfast, and I packed lunch. Have it in the noon and skip eating junk food at restaurants. Remember you have to reduce weight” she replied without showing mercy on me. I had no choice, I thought I will have it on the train.

I reached Nyugati on time and got on the train. Luckily, I got the seat where a small table was between 4 seats and all 4 seats were empty. I was happy and expecting no one should occupy those empty seats so that I can sit comfortably, and off-course enjoy my lunchbox.  The train started and I was happy that no one came and occupied those seats.

The train reached the Zuglo station. Few people got into my coach. My eyes noticed a beautiful lady in them. I started hoping that she will sit beside me! but wait, no! if she is beside me, I will be uncomfortable eating my lunchbox. I changed my expectation and started hoping that no one should occupy those beside seats. I was lucky, the lady took some other seat! Some relief to my concerns. The stomach always wins over the heart.

After a few minutes, the Kobany-kispest station arrived. That’s it, my luck went away. Again, a few people got into my coach and my eyes suddenly noticed my colleague and his family. “Hey what a surprise, where are you going?” he asked and occupied those 3 empty seats. Yes, his wife and 5-year-old kid occupied the opposite seats and he sat beside me.

I am a shy kind of guy, I cannot eat food in front of them, and that too in front of a kid. I was worried a bit that the whole coach might fill with the aroma of food. Why not, it was Anna-cooked food.  I could have had breakfast at the home. I was angry with Anna.

But wait for a second, what if David, my colleague gets down in the next city? My mind was very active in finding out the alternatives. “by the way, where are you going” I asked David. “Kecskemét! We have a family function to attend and …” I did not listen to the rest of the things he said. But I was happy that I get an hour from Kecskemét to Szeged to have my delicious breakfast. As time passes carving of food was increasing in me. My bloody nose was investigating the smells of food of other co-passengers. It was hard for me to control my desire for breakfast. To forget about the food, I started talking with my colleague and his wife, they were nice. After an hour Kecskemét station arrived and they got down from the train.

Yeh, it’s freedom! I made my mind that whoever sits beside me I do not care I attack the lunch box. But as I said that day was not my lucky day, another surprise was waiting for me.

I was happy that no one occupied beside seats. The line was clear, most waited time has come to open the lunch box. My mouth was watering. As soon as I open the box, the aroma of mild spices hit my nose and my eyes closed automatically. I took a long breath and opened my eyes. Oh! Wait a minute, what is post-it doing here? Something was written on it! I took it and there was a note saying, “Eat after reaching Szeged” next line “-with LOVE” in small letters.

What a f…! There is a limit to my patience. Even though I have lots of patience but not on food. Why they cannot test my patience on other things! Why on food? I was very upset and angry. I always hated waiting at the dining table in my childhood, waiting for my family members to join especially my sister. I thought of ignoring that post-it notes and start eating, but somehow, I could not. I do not like to lie to her, Afterall I love her a lot, and I know that she takes care of me. But still why? Why now this while traveling!

Somehow, I managed, I talked to my stomach and told him that it’s just an hour to reach Szeged. It was strange, even though I was not hungry, but the smell and the waiting made me hungrier. That was just an hour, but it was like 10hours waiting. Hmm… hope she will understand this feeling one day.

Finally, the Szeged arrived. I went to a nearby park and open the lunch box. Before that, I took a photo and sent her on WhatsApp so that she will be happy, and I get a good treat when I return home.

Szeged is a beautiful and clean city. It has its charm. A unique combination of old beautiful buildings, universities but full of young boys and girls. No traffic, calm and decent Tisza river. I always wished to study here but I did not get the opportunity. But no worries, I visit Szeged quite often.

It was around 5 pm, I finished my training and thought of walking a bit in the city center. While walking on the streets, I noticed a green color scarf, and it reminded me of the movie “The girl in the green scarf”. Again, I remembered that a few days back Anna bought a dress which perfectly matches this scarf. I purchased it and asked them to gift pack it. I was happy with my purchase and happier when she became happy after seeing this lovely scarf.

I took the 6.45 pm train back to Budapest. I was happy, tired a bit, and started relaxing in my seat. I was thinking about the morning incident. How stupid I was, I behaved like a kid. But the gift, that green scarf brings a smile to me. It was a nice choice, feeling proud of that purchase. I opened my bag and had a look at that gift pack, so satisfying. While keeping it back in the bag suddenly the post-it notes which was in my lunch box popped out. Ahh, my naughty mind got triggered, it’s time to take sweet revenge hahaha! I wrote the following note on the backside of the post-it “Open it on your birthday”. And I did not forget to write “-with LOVE” in small letters.

Juxs – jagannath.pattar@gmail.com

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Source: Reader’s story