Feelings

25: Sundays

Mr. Gupta is one of the most friendliest people in his apartment. He always lets anyone in if they want to hang out or whatever. I decide to hang out with him because it's better than doing nothing in my apartment.

"Oh! Well is it isn't Jae. Come on in!"

His room is well lit, it's brighter than ours. Probably because his room faces the sun and the light can come in. "Hi Mr. Gupta. Cooking stuff again?"

"Yup. Doin' the usual run today," he replies. "Good thing you're here. I need a taste tester."

I follow him into the kitchen where he's cooking 3 separate dishes all at once. He's going to give these to 6 rooms that need it most.

Mr. Gupta stops at each one, stirring, turning dials or adding ingredients. He lifts a ladle from a pot. "Taste this, will ya?"

A very sour flavor explodes in my mouth when the soup hits my tongue. "Augh! What is that? Why's it so sour?"

"It's sinigang. A dish from the Philippines. I wanna try some new stuff this time. Spice it up a bit."

More like spice it up a lot. I don't know if anyone would like it unless they grew up eating that.

He keeps switching from one dish to the next. I've never seen him move that fast for anything. "Enough about me, what brings you here to my humble home?"

I stay standing up. "I wanna help you with distributing the food."

Mr. Gupta grins his toothy grin. "Thanks, kid. I could use a hand. Here take two of these." He hastily pours the sinigang into 2 glass Tupperware containers. "Gotta give it to them while it's hot."

The first room is at the top floor. Of course the elevator had to be broken.

"Mr. Gupta, are you sure you should come? It's like four floors up," I ask.

He urges me forward. "A little exercise never hurt anybody."

When we reach the 5th floor, Mr. Gupta's wheezing. "You... go on... without me... kid."

I'm greeted with eager hands as they take the food. The first day we moved in, I remember Mr. Gupta giving us containers of food. Now I'm the one giving to others. Neat.

"This time we gotta go to the first floor." He's waiting for me with two more containers.

We deliver those ones, one on the 3rd floor and the rest on the 2nd floor.

"Thanks a lot for helpin' out. Take this." He hands me a 20-dollar bill. 20 dollars. Just for helping him distribute some food!

I take the bill. "Sweet. Thanks."

There's more of that waiting for ya if you help next time."

"I'll think about it." I'll be rich after a few months of helping out. "Actually, can I have lunch with you? Dad's not home yet."

He grins. "Of course you can."

We have sandwiches just as amazing as the one he gave me that Saturday when Wren kissed me on the cheek and Zoe confessed her feelings for me. All I do is eat and listen to Mr. Gupta talk about things he did a long time ago. "You know I've been to four other provinces? Niagara Falls is beautiful! I miss those days. There isn't anything I wouldn't give to go back. To relive 'em. That's why you have to make the most out of what you can right now."

Dad walks in while I'm washing the dishes. "Jae! There you are! Gary, why didn't you answer any of my messages?"

Mr. Gupta shrugs. "We were havin' fun! Right?"

"Yeah, Dad," I pipe in. "I helped him deliver the food."

"That's great of you, Jae. Nice to know you're helping out around the apartment. Is it ok if I take him back, Gary?"

There's a slight hint of disappointment in Mr. Gupta's voice. "Alright. See ya later Jae."

I open the door for Dad.

"Someone's feeling better," says Dad.

I am. "Yeah."

"What are you going to do tomorrow?"

Tomorrow? Right., I'll have to face both Zoe and Wren. "I think I'll just not talk to them."