The Best Restaurant in India

By Sarah B.

I looked up from my phone and realized that I was still sitting in the airport. I sighed. The room was so cold! The only thing that kept me warm was my grey sweatshirt and black leggings. I brushed my short black hair out of my face. I looked at the window. It was still dark outside. But if I was supposed to go all the way to India, it was probably good that it was night. I had two minutes left. The time passed so quickly that I almost forgot my brown duffel bag. The  elderly airport security guard said

 “Is this you?” as she took my passport. She looked at my dark brown eyes. 

“How come your eye color has changed?” she said. I looked down.

 It had been two years since the accident. I got into a car crash on a bridge and the glass cut both of my eyes straight down the middle. The doctors could fix it, but they needed to give me new eyes, and the only eyes available were dark brown, changing them from blue to dark brown. I sighed. 

“I had a car accident, and I had to get new eyes.” The woman looked at me. 

“Are you sure? I have never heard of such a thing! Oh well. I guess with all this new technology, it’s probably possible.” the woman let me go onto the airplane. It was very small and there were only one seat per row, so I got into my seat, and put my duffel bag on the overhead box. I was very tired, so I tried to go to sleep. But I just couldn’t! I was on one of those airplanes that you don’t want to be on because a baby’s crying, Kids are yelling, someone’s talking really loud  on their phone, and a man is sitting right next to you, snoring. I’m guessing the pilot was annoyed to, because he yelled back at us 

“Be quiet!”. And so then , and only then, it was quiet enough to sleep. 

I woke up 4 hours later, and opened my window. I saw so many people! They were all dressed up in colorful dresses and turbans, and they were all yelling in hindi. I took my bag out of the overhead box, and got off the plane. I was so excited to go to see all the places that everyone talks about! I got off the plane, and as soon as I got off I smelled spices. I smelled cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and some great smells, but I didn’t even know what they were. I went to my hotel room and plopped down on the soft, white,beautiful bed! I was so surprised that the room was so clean. I thought that most places in India were dirty. I wanted to go and see what I could find in the city. But there, it was almost night. I sighed. “Oh well.” I thought to myself. 

“I guess I’ll have to go tomorrow”. 

The next day, it was a beautiful day. I went to town as soon as I woke up. Everyone had an umbrella over them, but I have no idea why. I asked one of the women,

 “आप सभी के पास छाते क्यों हैं “  In hindi that means “why do you all have umbrellas?” she answered me

 “क्योंकि यह सूरज को हमारे चेहरे से दूर रखता है और हमारे कपड़ों को खराब होने से बचाता है” In hindi, that means

 “Because it keeps the sun away from our faces and protects our clothes from spoilage”. Then she rudely walked away. I was very confused, but then I heard the music and smelled something wonderful! It was Chicken tikka masala! I followed the music and the smell. It was coming from a little house in the ground. I walked down the steps and opened the door. There was a man there, singing in hindi and cooking. I told him “This smells delicious!” He looked at me. 

“Who are you? I have had my door closed. What has brought you here?” I answered, 

“The Chicken tikka masala! It’s smell is wonderful!” He smiled. 

“Princess who likes my food must be very good at tasting. Are you a cook, princess?”  I looked at him weirdly.

 “What do you mean? I am not a princess!” The man smiled at me. His dark brown eyes looked at mine.

 “Yes, I know that you do not call yourself a princess. But I do, because you are so beautiful.” I blushed.

 “Thank you!” I said. Then the man walked over to me. He lead me to a table.

 “Here, Sit.” he said as he smiled at me again. He went back to the stove and got some of the wonderful chicken tikka masala. It’s curry filled my nose. “Mmmm.” I said. He looked at me. “Aren’t you going to eat?” “Oh yes, I am.” I held the spoon up to my mouth. It’s chicken tasted so good. Then, I told him I had to leave. “Princess! I hope you will come back tomorrow!” I smiled at him. “I will!” He stared at me as I walked out the door. He yelled out at me. “Wait! Princess! Will you come tomorrow and stay at my house? And what is your name, dear one?” I blushed again. “Yes, I will! As long as you have your chicken tikki masala!” He yelled back, “I will!” I had forgotten to tell him my name, but then quickly remembered. “My name is Ivy! Ivy Davis!” He waved back to me, and I to him. I got into a blue  rental bike, and went back to the hotel. 

The next morning, at 6:00 Am, I jumped out of bed. I packed my bag and checked out of the hotel. I got in a taxi and told the driver where to drop me off. As he was driving, I realized how pretty the setting was. There were lots of green plants, but there were also some houses that did not look very pretty. Their windows were smashed and the grass was all dried up in their front yards. But then, I got to his house. I was really hoping that he’d tell me his name. I thanked the driver as he let me out. I walked along the streets to get to his house. I finally found it, and that same smell of chicken tikki masala filled my nose. “Mmmmm!” I said as I opened the door. “Ivy!” He said, as he greeted me with a warm smile.  “I have been waiting for you. Come, sit down and we will have some food.” I thanked him, as I ran over to the table. It had so much chicken tikki masala! And I ate it all that night. He showed me to a back room that had a bed in it. “Here!” he said. “Here is where you will sleep.” The room looked very clean. I had seen some of this room before, and it was very messy. I guessed that he had cleaned it up. The bed looked wonderful, and I went to sleep. But before I went to bed, he whispered in my ear, “My name is Muhammed.” 

A couple years later…

It had been a very long time since I had first met Muhammed. I think that it had been over a year! I had gone back to the U.S. a couple months ago and had gotten an ok to live here. Now, I live with Muhammed. And last month, he asked me to marry him. I was so shocked, and so happy. And then we had our wedding, right here on the streets, and all our guests had chicken tikki masala. It was a wonderful day! And now, Muhammed has made another back room for our two children Mark and Angelo,  and our newest one, Aashi. She is lovely, and she looks just like Muhammed. It is so wonderful to live in India. I have taught my sons to cook, and we have opened up a restaurant. And that is the story of how the best restaurant in India came to be. Tikki Masala.