Friday, March 24, 2006

some pizza thoughts



I was at the Pizza Hut the other day, with my colleagues to have a Pizza Lunch – an inherited property from the Western World. There is nothing unusual in it. Corporates and common men like me are having Pizzas these days. We were cracking jokes, sipping our ice teas, eating the Garlic Breads and those medium and large, veg and non-veg Pan Pizzas.

After sometime a group of students, who were in their school uniforms, came in and sat in a table near to us. They too ordered ice teas, garlic breads and pizzas, just like us. They too were having lunch. Only difference was that they were school going children,( may be in 8th, 9th or 10th) and we were employed adults.

I was thinking of the amount of pocket money that they might be having. Sure they might be from well off families, pocket rich with Rs 500 notes. Their uniforms said so.

Years before, near to my high school in Vadakara, there were 2 small shops, may be u can call ThattuKadas. One run by Chandriyechi and another by Moliyechi. We used to go there during our intervals- the short and long ones. I remember eating those sip-ups, those achchars that come in small packets (they used to cost 5 or 10 paise), those endless number of Kadala’s (Kappalandi), and those Bathakkavellams (Watermelon Juice in Kozhikoddan Slang). I even remember getting caught in Appunni Master’s class while eating Kadala’s – I thought I could fool everyone by keeping my hand over my mouth and nobody will see my munching. But Appunni Sir was just too good for me :-). And almost all these things I ate were on debt. Come Vishu and Onam, I will get richer and pay my debts. I thought that was life to the fullest.

And to eat my first Pizza it took more years. In that Pizza Hut of Powai, Mumbai. That was in 2003 Jun-July. My ITP days at MBT, Mumbai.

All the while I was eating; I was just comparing my childhood with those students. I know it is another generation with another set of thoughts, probably living in a bigger and wider world than mine in that sleepy Vadakara.

Just after that 2 young girls (6th or 7th std) in a modest set of uniforms, a blue pinafore, check shirt and pink ribbons, came in. They just browsed the catalogs, waited for a few minutes. I was eager to know what they were doing and was keeping an eye on them. Just when we finished and got up, I didn’t see them. I thought they might have left.

While going to the parking lot, across the road, I saw those two girls. They had that small cone ice cream in their hands. The Gang of Four Students was still finishing off their Chicken Hawaiin Medium Pan Pizza

PS: I wish I could go to those shops next time. I am sure Moliyechi will yell at me "mmala dhanushshalle yathu"

10 comments:

Lekshmi said...

Instead of comparing our childhood with that of the schoold kids of this decade, compare with that of our parent's. I still remember my Amma told she got to eat one full ornage when she was in 8th Standard. A=B, B=C the A=C; their oranges and our Pizzas....

Dhanush | ധനുഷ് said...

Lekshmi, Very true. But as I already said its all different generations and sure even all our parents would have had different childhoods. And I too have fresh memories of my parents stories :-). All are gem in their own way.

pophabhi said...

But - for a change - I dont believe in this A=B, B=C thing. There were students at our time who used to enjoy snacks at Khyber/Bimbis (as PizzaHuts were not around then). But we still used to have sipups from 'Madhurima' bakery or UppuSoda from Ashan's shop. Even now, I am sure that there are children who belong to both category - one's who goto Luxury shops/one's who collect their pocket monies to get a sipup or gas muttayi. We were not seeing this difference earlier, coz we always belonged to the second type, and never had a chance to see the first type till we were employed. 2003 in Mumbai for you, and 2004 end in US for me - for the first pizza :).

Suneesh TP said...

It is not totally about generations, but because of the different kind of life styles one follows and the kind of facilities one obtains in different parts of the world...if your father were working in Bangalore or Bombay, there were chances that you had seen Pizza in your childhood itself...in that sense, you can still see school kids enjoying sip-ups and kappalandi in vadakara and in many remote villages.

As a different note, don't each pizza much..it's a junk food:-)

Dhanush | ധനുഷ് said...

@abhi - I think I will agree you on that. Still there are children belonging to both categories, and I have just depicted that.

@tp - I dont think so TP. Basically it is the way you were bought up. If I look at the way how I was brought up and the period in which we all grown up, and also about my family conditions, I don't think I might have eaten Pizza, no matter whether it is Blr ya Bombay :-)
I know Pizza is a junk food, but you can't avoid these lu

Krishnan said...

i think i dont think that thinking about pizaa is thinking too much about one's own thinking.

Suneesh TP said...

Manassilavathathu manassilaayennu paranjaal manassilaayathum koodi manassilaavilla, Manassilaayo??

yetanother.softwarejunk said...

TP kku manasilavan... Joju ezhuthunnathenthannal....
Manasilaavathe manasilaayennu paranjal manasilaayathu koodi manasilaavillennu manasilaakkiyittu vennam manasilaayillennu parayan, Manassilaayo ?

Dhanush, your comment is very much true. hence TP's too.(randu vanjiyil kalidaan enthu sukham)

Still I don't understand a 9-11 year boy came into Spenser plazza alone and ate a Sunday beauty(I am not pretty sure about the name of that ice cream) cost around 70-100 Rs. and gave tips and simply return back(as usual)!!!

Does this means that Kids are getting smarter compare to old times.

silverine said...

It is indeed sad that a particular class of kids have the pocket money to dine at Pizza Hut while another have to do with cone ice cream. But thats' life. And I guess this nation has the variety to suit every pocket and taste. And what's more, those girls will one day get to buy a pizza!

Thanks for dropping by my blog and blogrolling me would be an honor indeed ..thank you :)

Dhanush | ധനുഷ് said...

@silverine - Thanks. Yea, that's life and life moves on.
@alexis - Thanks. I too am of the same opinion, that they are missing it.