The Death of Polaroid and Other Tales of Abandoned Art-Tech.

Plenty of things have been going on here at The Silver Oak Resort Spa, and plenty of things have also not gone on. What do I mean?

Well, there was a falling out of sorts between some friends - incidentally I was privy to the confrontation details as it occurred "live" next door, thanks (or no thanks) to the rather thin brick walls and equally hollow plastic door of my room.

It was a surprising moment.

We were invited to dinner by Harshal, a special dinner for Linda and her NGO friends (ang mohs interning at an Ahmedabad-based NGO dealing with disaster-relief and development). He invited them for dinner and Kash offered to cook Chicken Rice for everyone with the spices/seasoning she got from home (in a package that looked like it weighed a ton from her parents - I think). I think she made Kiam Chai Teng (salty vegetable soup?) as well, but I'm not sure.

I'm not sure because the vegetables meant to be swimming in soup were placed in a plate and the soup was absent from the table. It (the soup) had been discarded by the Mess Hall cooks during the period of time she left the Mess Kitchen and went elsewhere. Harshal collected the large basins of rice and chicken and they also gave him the plate of vegetables. Kash came back to the Silveroak kitchen (where we were going to have our dinner) and wondered out loud the whereabouts of her soup. And discovered only the greens.

If I haven't previously mentioned Linda, I shall clarify for you now. Linda is an European girl (I keep forgetting from where) whom Marine made friends with when they were both in the Chocolate Room. They struck up a close friendship from there.

The people present at the dinner were Leigh, Nuria, Kash, Andrea (Portugal), Mexican Girl, Julian the Australian, Linda, Harshal, Melanie and myself. I apologise if I've gotten anyone's name wrong (or not at all).

Chicken was obtained from Masty Foods, a kebabs restaurant near to Reliance Mart (our favouritest place in the whole world). They got drumsticks and some kebabs, and also uncooked chicken pieces for Kash's Chicken Rice. She had gotten some chicken rice mix/seasoning from a package sent from home.

After dinner we all sat around and talked among ourselves. Being me, I take longer to warm up to people, and as such, I wasn't so comfortable making the necessary small talk with the guests. I did find it easy talking to Andrea (Portugal) though. It was also probably because she was seated in front of me. But otherwise it was weird for us. I had the distinct feeling it was weird for the guests as well, considering that they didn't know us and didn't know what to say to us, not to mention dragging them all the way from the city to have a Chinese dish.

But I wouldn't know for sure. So anyway, here's an excerpt from the night's conversation:

GIRL
So how big is Mexico?

MEXICAN GIRL
(bewildered) Uh, hmm how do I describe it? It's... large... okay, India is about 3 times the size of Mexico.

GIRL
Okay. Do you guys all wear the stupid large hats? (gesturing the shape of the wide hats)

MEXICAN GIRL
Heh, no, that's just in the movies.

GIRL
Haha, do you guys all have tequilas at every meal?

MEXICAN GIRL
Oh no, no we don't.

GIRL
What do you guys eat? Is it all burritos? Do you have it all the time?

MEXICAN GIRL
Uh, no, it is more traditional but no, we have other things...

I am recalling this now about 2 days after the dinner, so forgive me if I got any of the details wrong. If anyone at the dinner has a different account or would like to extend this conversation, or would like me to make any corrections, do let me know via my email.

So after we all had the chips, cheetos, drumsticks, kebabs, chicken-rice chicken and chicken-rice-rice, coke, frooti (mango drink) and ice-cream, everyone adjourned to different places. The group of International NGO Interns, Harshal, Melanie and Kash went to Chhota, whilst Leigh, Nuria, Bertie and I went to MICAfe for some drinks. This ritual of MICAfe after dinner is now a permanent thing. We do it almost every night. This does not apply to Ms. Nuria Ling, who's always got someone about to call her cell. So sometimes she doesn't come with us.

I think Harshal fetched them back to their flat in the City after that.

In other news: The beloved Chhota Swing has met its demise and is no longer a fixture with which to use in a Pictonary game for "swing". Nuria weeps along with the other MICAns.

All that happened 2 days ago. Yesterday evening Bertie, Marine, Romain, Nuria, Leigh and I went to Reliance before heading to Masty Foods kebabs restaurant for dinner. The manager impressed us all when he came up to our table speaking perfect English with a hint of an American education, ensuring Nuria that the meat was Halal, differentiating Paghaddi kebab from the normal ones for Leigh, and eventually shaking my hand in thanks for feasting at the place. Of all the people at the table he chose to direct this thanks to me, making it all the more awkward after when everyone started to make fun of me. The "Alpha-Male" society joke I keep throwing at Nuria came back to bite me, the Frenchies were all laughing, and Leigh "Four-Lines-Face" Khoo was smiling as well.

It was a good meal and one of those dinners you wish you could keep in your memories but know that with each passing day you'll forget the feelings it gave you.

Ah Well.