In our new section, ‘Canteen Diaries’, we bring you interesting tales from college canteens across the country. Do you have a fun story to share? Do shout out to us!
No, it was not lauv at first sight. He definitely didn’t sweep me off the floor with his charm. He wasn’t even looking that dashing and he didn’t make me go all ‘awwww’, you know. If anything, he was smelling of kaanda (onion) and stuffing his face with an ekdum Maharashtrian dish…the humble Misal Pav. The only reason I religiously eat Misal Pav for breakfast, even though I am not a big fan of the ‘farsaan-meets-rassa’ combo, is because it became the fodder for a conversation. A conversation that changed my life (cheesy, so what!). A conversation that landed me my THE one (that’s cheeseburst but what the hell!)
He was shamelessly digging into the pav without caring about the world. But since he was from my class and I didn’t know anybody else in the canteen, I asked him how the food was. His witty reply made me giggle and I bought myself a plate and sat down next to him. From being total strangers to sharing ‘knowing smiles’ about the poor quality of the food, the Misal Pav had helped us bond. Bond big time (I own a cheese factory, give me a break).
What started off as an innocent quest for good food turned into a passionate love affair that will have its logical conclusion in a couple of years. College campus may be the place where you find the love of your life, but for me it was the dingy canteen! From that day onwards, we started indulging in canteen dates that were not hard on our pockets and also made us quite inconspicuous in front of our other classmates. With his disarming smile, ready wit and a love for automobiles, he became my ‘go to’ guy for everything. Despite us not being the ‘hand-holding’ kind, we had some of the most enjoyable moments in the canteen. And whenever we go back to our college for fests and reunions, we make it a point to go to that corner seat and order some yummy….Misal Pav, what else! It’s like a love potion that keeps growing on us year after year.
Being an avid reader, I always thought I would meet my future husband at a fancypants place over candlelight delicacies and soothing music. But I met him in a crowded canteen with over forty people hustling-bustling past us. If you’re a teen in college looking for THE one, it won’t hurt to visit the canteen once in a while. Notes are shared here, gossip passed on, teens checked-out and of course, love stories made!
Do you have any interesting tales to share with us? Do shout out to us if you do. We are all ears.
