The Reunion Treat
" Piyali Kakima , please tumi aeibarer reunion party ta cancel kore dao . Tomar aeirokom bichhidi ak obostha hoye aache ermoddhe etogulo ranna , aei shob ayojon eka hathe ki kore korbe? Dos Jon loker khabad aei obostai banano ta akkebarei subidha jonok noyé."
( "Piyali Aunty, please cancel the reunion party this time. Your condition is really bad . How will you cook and prepare dishes for ten people with this terrible condition of yours. How will you be able to handle all this by yourself. It's not safe .")
Trina expressed her concerns about Piyali in Bengali.Piyali just smiled at her and gestured with her hands. It was clear that she was again prepared with her favourite reply
" I can do it Trina. Only I will not be able to speak much because of the sudden operation. Piyali Kakima had reacted in the same manner when Trina had questioned her about her ability to learn driving a car at the age of fifty eight almost a month ago . Then around two weeks ago , she reached home and showed her driving licence to Trina , her all timer.Her eyes held the same excitement and sparkle as a child , who would have found a lost toy after many days.
The next day as Trina entered Piyali Kakima's kitchen the aroma of the' Basanti Pulao ,' Luchis , Mutton Rezala , Fish fry ,' Patali Gurer Payesh' and tomato chutney wafted in the air.
" Arre !Kakima tumi to dekchi shob kichui baniye felle! ( Arre ! Aunty looks like you have finished making everything!.)
Trina exclaimed looking at Piyali Kakima with awestruck and shocking eyes.
After a couple of hours , all her school friends arrived including Pamela . She lived in New Jersey and was visiting Kolkata after a span of around thirty years after her marriage.
Everyone praised The Basanti Pulao, Fish Fry and Mutton Rezala at the reunion treat organised by Piyali Kakima . But surprisingly no one asked her about why she was speaking so less .
" Piyali tor hater rannar kono jawab nei . Ato bochor bade shei nostalgic taste phirepelam re!" ( Piyali your culinary skills is exceptionally good. Even after these many years , we can still get the feel of that same old nostalgic taste.)
Pamela praised her friend's culinary skills . A faint smile emerged on Piyali Kakima 's face , but she refrained from speaking.
The secret was well concealed from others . Piyali Kakima had undergone a mouth operation to remove a sudden cyst growth from her cheek the day before the reunion treat. Her mouth was filled with stiches . The Doctors had advised her to refrain from speaking but ,she wanted everyone to attend the reunion treat planned almost six months before . She was happy that her Basonti Pulao , fish fry and mutton Rezala were still a great hit at the reunion treat hiding her weakness. Piyali Kakima was glad that her culinary skills stood up for her that day and saved her from loosing trust amongst her friends.
***
Glossary
1.Basonti Pulao _ Sweet yellow Pulav
2.Luchi _ Flat bread
3.Patali Gurer Payesh' _ A special variety of kheer made in Bengal with palm jaggery.
4.Piyali Kakima _ Piyali Aunty
Author's note-
This story is based on a real life incidents surrounding one of our family friends. In the real incident , the next day following the reunion ' Piyali Kakima ' went for a road trip to Mayapur too with her friends. She was consuming semi liquid food for those three days.