A Perfect Dinner

Went to the food cart on the street, the display of kabob's and tandori chicken is too enticing. The three brothers are working, the youngest behind the cart cutting onions and mixing masalas. One is by the small shoe box size grill turning my chicken tangri kabob's and the oldest brother is sitting in a chair yelling at passerby's. He's not wearing his white laced see through shirt tonight. I'm sitting on the bench behind the stand discretely sipping my Kingfisher Premium beer, the bottle wrapped in old newspaper. My kabob is taken off the grill and handed to the younger brother, he puts the onion off to the side and uses the knife to slide my kabob off the skewer. Four quick chops and he puts the pieces into an aluminum tray, sprinkles masala on the charred meat, turns his head and asks if I want chili. I pull the bottle from my lips and nod, the boys smiles. He grabs a pinch of chili and sprinkles it over my dinner, raises the tray and shakes my chicken in the air. He grabs a small plate and fills it with freshly cut onions, pours on a home made spicy sauce that will bring a smile to my face as it burns my tongue, then he carefully lays my chicken tangri along the sides of the plate. Even though this is my third night in a row here all eyes are on me as I take my first bite. I smile, they smile and go back to work. The dog curled up at my feet pretends to be asleep but he awaits my clumsy hand to drop him a bite. I'm too greedy, the dog goes hungry.

The chicken is finished and I'm still hungry. I order a mutton kabob and the process repeats itself. My paper wrapped bottle mysteriously empties between bites, the dog gets a snack and I make my way to the hotel. One of my best dinners yet.