Aunty Samosa Please..

I had planned to go to Des Moines this weekend to do touristy things because I have been near Des Moines for nine months now, but unfortunately have seen only the airport there (oh and the state fair). Friday night I was looking up tourist attractions in Des Moines when my friend from Minneapolis called me and asked me to come over. Well, I said okay, and immediately chucked my Des Moines plan. Some other time, I thought.

So saturday morning, before getting on I-35N, I decided to grab a bite to eat. I stopped at a Burger King, and got in the line to order stuff. The lady behind the counter looked like she was in her 50s, and very Indian. Anyway, I ordered the usual - enormous omelette sandwich meal with "no meat", but only this time I forgot to say "no meat". She said, "five seventeen". Suddenly I realized that I had not given her the "special instructions". I asked her - "Did I say no meat?", and she goes, "Oh, no meat?" and quickly changed my order.

Obviously we were conversing in English.

Then she goes "India se?". I go "haanji". She goes "India mein kahan se?". I go "Dilli se."

I think she thought that I am new in America, so she started telling me about other vegetarian options on the menu. I told her that I am aware of those options and that I really like the EOS without the meat. I didn't feel like telling her that I avoid bacon but would eat it if I have very few or no other choices.

Then she asked me if I go to Iowa State. I said I work there, and that I graduated from Illinois State. She goes "kya? professor?". I go "nahi, programmmer/analyst". Then she tells me that her son did his internship at Caterpillar in Peoria, and that he goes to Iowa State. I said, "swell".

Now the best part - she told me that she cooks at home and sells stuff - like samosas and all. I was like "kya baat kar rahe ho aunty?". She said, "haan, main karti hoon. Kabhi aao ghar pe - main mall ke peeche rehti hoon." I told her to give me her contact information. She did. I was very happy. I thought maybe she sells stuff for cheap, unlike the international store dude who sells a somasa for a buck and a half - a total ripoff. She might have been happy too, because she had just found a bakra. Whatever. I think once I go back to Ames I will give her a holler.

I later realized that she was a little too nice to me. I was supposed to get a medium coffee - she gave me a large one. I had asked for four creamers - she gave me five. I said "that's swell" to myself and finished my breakfast.

I think I keep having these random encounters/experiences with nice people once in a while, and whenever I think about those incidents, I smile.