Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash
Thomas's 1968-71
Things were not too comfortable for the early birds who reached the Thomas's mess first, taken their seats and had already ordered their egg podimases.
Their woes began when their friends, the 'not so early birds' strolled inside the mess...
For it was an accepted norm for these new entrants - to stop and say hi to you, and start helping themselves to the entreating podimas served to you just then. (a double thakali juice podimas would put you down by Rs 1.75 then).
I remember one day trying to deter this theft of valuables by quickly burying the scrambleware under some pieces of parotta soaked in mutton chalna.
To my dismay all this precaution was of little help...
The gang had not missed the coverup act;- did not pass over - instead the thugs digged deep into the heap of egg, meat and wheat, and well nigh polished the plate clean... then they had the cheek (and the good etiquette) to say thank you buddy!
These buggers still owe me the one rupees seventy paise for the complete plunder made in full public view.
And the pity is that you could not find fault with their 'Table Manners' since I the victim was the only bloke seated and not the marauders who were on their feet....
And thus the happy days chugged on in the early seventies....
Prabhakar.T
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