Doomed to a pepper-full existence

Beep. Beep. Beep.

I flinched for I knew K would be married to the phone for the next few hours. Carrying a beeper is no fun. As I pondered what to make for lunch this Sunday afternoon, I knew it would have be our traditional sit down meal. Three courses of rice with soupy accompaniments. Sambar, rasam, thayir and a dry curry to go with it. Much as the menu was a given, I had room for creativity in what would go into the sambar or what to make as a vegetable side.

It hit me with force that with K on the phone, I could actually choose what went into the sambar. Before I get ahead of myself I have to explain how much I HATE green peppers. See, in our home, the Green Pepper is ubiquitous. It goes into everything from upma to pulav. I used to like the flavor it imparted to the occasional sambar once upon a time. Over time, as it made its way into everything I made courtesy K’s LOVE for this green, succulent object, I began disliking it and even dreading it.

Each time I used Green Peppers, my hatred for it multiplied. So, now when we go produce shopping I dread those things that come in huge bags. I open my fridge and they stare at me like a kid with fingers stuffed into ears and tongue out and making teasing noises. I have even perfected the art of separating them from vegetable rice and from every dish it goes into.

So, today when I realized I could actually finish cooking before K was done I was over the moon. I rushed with my cutting, prepping in the fear it might be one of those days when the support call was done surprisingly early. I kept looking to see if the basement door would open before the sambar was done. It did not. I saw the phone said “Line in Use” even after I was done.

The relief is enormous. I sit now on my recliner listening to “Kwaja Mere Kwaja” and a smile playing on my face. I can’t wait for me to serve lunch and see K’s eyes search for his love.