Clean Bowled

Chapter 51

~•~•~•Five years later~•~•~•

*Aslesha*

"Sheetal, please can you get me the marinated chicken" I say to my co-worker. She smiles and nods.

I add on the spices to make the gravy.

"One Caribbean tropical salad and Goan chorizo bao for table eleven" Andy, who is one of the waiter, announces when he comes into the kitchen.

"I'm already busy with table numbers eight's order. Urmi di can you take this one?" I call out to Urmi di who is the head chef here and a really sweet friend of mine.

"Onto it!" She announces and I continue with the job in my head.

Working in a restaurant is hard. When it's the most famous restaurant in Goa, it's harder. And if it's a Sunday, it's the hardest.

I retie my apron which has become a little loose and see our restaurant's logo on it.

'Goan Accent'.

It's been a year since I'm working here. I always wanted to run a restaurant of my own, I hope one day I will, but for starters this place is good. It's better than good. It pays me well and I get to do the job that I love.

I'm a chef now. Just last month I got promoted. Before that I was a trainee.

After junior college, I got my degree in hotel management and also the food craft institute.

The owner here, Mr. Robertson, had come to our college to judge a cooking competition. I had taken part and won the competition after which he offered me internship here.

He's not mostly here. Just comes once or twice a year. He stays in Delhi. But I've heard that the way he's fast in hiring people, he's also fast in firing them.

I garnish the dish and smile. Shahjahani chicken tikka. Looks good. Smells good.

I wave at Andy telling him the dish is ready and he comes towards me and winks. I roll my eyes but smile anyway.

This guy! Always flirting.

I look at the time. 9.30 pm. My shift is over. I remove my apron and go to the staff room to take my belongings from the locker. I look at my cell phone and see two missed calls. One from my mobile company and the other one from Paro.

Koi mujhe yaad kare na kare, meri mobile company mujhe har ghante yaad karti hai.

Paro. That bitch is getting married.

Rudra proposed to her a few months ago. They've been engaged for a long time now but Rudra wanted to get married after he secured a proper job. He is in advertising. To say that Pari was ecstatic is an understatement.

Just when I'm about to ring Paro, Sheetal comes rushing inside the staff room.

"Thank God you're still here" she says blowing out a breath.

"Kya hua?" I ask.

"You know that famous singer guy. Jo Robertson Sir ke bhai ka ladka hai. He has an urgent order. And it's the seafood platter. You make the best seafood dishes so Urmi di was asking for you." she says and I sigh.

It's way past my shift time. But Urmi di ko na nahi bol sakti mai. Wearing my apron again I step inside the kitchen.

It's a delivery order so I pack it properly when I'm done and give it to our delivery kaka.

Khana banana mehnat ka kaam hai sahi me. Ek ke baad ek dish banate jaao, jo khud ko khaane bhi nahi milti. Such disappointment.

Also jab sab chhutiyaan manaate hai tab humara kaam double ho jaata hai. Holidays are the most hectic.