ONE DAY AT COFFEE DAY...

Yes and I am little too polite (friendly may be) to the waiters at the restaurants I visit…and sometimes it backfires.

There is a COFFEE DAY quite close to my house (within a kilometer diameter is considered to be near in Bangalore). So we happen to visit it quite sometimes. One fine day, when I and Db had been there for breakfast, as we were fighting over the menu, I noticed the waiter smiling at us. I wondered if he understood Oriya, but then we just let that pass.

Many a times, I visit the place on my way back from office, to grab a quick sandwich if I missed my evening snacks at office. One such day, I went in. I was greeted by the same waiter…

Good Evening maa’m…he smiled.

I smiled back

Good evening. Could you please pack me a Chicken Tikka Sandwich. Quick Please.

Sure…Au kichi maa’m.(anything else maa’m)

I impulsively raised an eyebrow and smiled at him

Na..setiki ( No that should be fine)

I left with my parcel. I could hear him say…

Sabdhan re jibe maa’m (please drive carefully maa’m)

I was really touched by his gesture. It sure feels good to find a fellow Oriya in Bangalore…and more so when we acknowledge each other.

Last night I happened to go there again. I was greeted by another waiter, though I could find the Oriya guy at the cashier counter. I ordered my usual sandwich, and sat down on the couch with a coffee to kill time. Soon same Oriya guy arrived with my sandwich and the bill.

So how was the diwali maa’m. he smiled at me.

It was good.

So maa’m, what do you do here?

I work.

Where???

IT. What else do Oriya people do here in Bangalore!!!
Suddenly I realized that most of the security guards, watchmen and cooks were also Oriya in Bangalore. But I was sure I didn’t look like one of them.

Married...he inquired.

Yes…my voice had a tinge of skepticism.

Well maa’m, which place from Orissa do you belong?

Rourkela. And where are you from?

Cuttack. Hmm…Rourkela. My girlfriend got married there.
I raised an eyebrow. I didn’t expect him to give me his love details to someone who is almost a stranger. But visibly he misinterpreted my reaction.

No no maa’m. I have no contacts with her anymore…he cleared (As if I was bothered…huh!!!). Last time I went back to my village, she came with her son. That’s when I met her. I am married now, I have two kids…my daughter is 6 years old and my son is 2. So you see, we are both happywith our lives.

Yeah. I started looking at my watch.

I have been across almost the entire west Orissa, worked in almost all kind of restaurants (I was wondering by any chance he believes that people working in IT can refer waiters at restaurants). But then my parents and my brother shifted to Bangalore, so I thought what would I do alone in Orissa, so I joined them too here.

My smile was fast vanishing now.

Oh maa’m. the guy who joins you here often, he must be your husband right!!!

(What the fuck!!!) Yeah. I gotta leave now. Thanks.

Sure maa’m.

I rushed towards the door.

Sabdhan re jibe maa’m (Please drive carefully maa’m).

I went towards my bike without looking back.

I have always been polite to people of the lower grade. That’s because I believe, that makes them happy, feel individual and acknowledged. The lady who cleans the rest room in my office, the security guard who checks me when I enter the office gate, the helper at the coffee machine, the laundry guy for our apartment, my house maid, I always exchange a “hello…how are you” with them. And it makes me feel good since I do consider life is gonna be terrible without them.

But, this time it was like…

बच्चा समझ के गोद में उठा लीया तो कान में सुसु कर दीया