Tale teller: Nikhil Katara

In the many years that had gone by the sea, he’d not known what happens to his catch after he had sold it. He’d caught a lot of fish and crabs and lobsters, for he came from a family of fishermen. They knew the sea and played in it like it was their backyard. But today was a different day, for all the fishermen were called for what they called a ‘tasting’. He’d never been to a hotel before. Life had been all about eating at home. Though the wife had always been great at cooking, he always wondered how these fancy hotels would be like? ‘What do they do with so much of our fish?’ ‘Is it different compared to our home food?’ ‘Were consistent questions that had rung in him like the bells of church and the ones that were tied to his sail.

As he reached the hotel and sceptically moved towards a table, a small plate of crab lollipop came and sat on it. He looked at it, this was it. That was all to it. All that catching has led the crab from the seas to the table. He took a small bite. It was sumptuous. Soon it had made another journey into the depths of his stomach. The food was wonderful and as he left he thanked the manager to arrange the tasting. But the manager thanked him, for all the tough work they’d been doing for years. It was funny that he heard a thank you for doing the work he did. On his way out he asked the manager if he could get his wife someday to the ‘tasting’ and the manager smiled and said ‘Yes‘. That night he told his wife all about the tale of the tasting. She heard with eager ears and a small smile. He could see through it, she wanted to be there with him. But he never told her about the next tasting—Where she was invited. For it was a tale for another day.

Location courtesy: Something Different Beach Cafe