Gratification

Two of my favourite activities are eating and observing people. Obviously, it’s good fun when the two come together. Watching people’s expressions before, during and after the fulfilment of this great responsibility bestowed upon us by Mother Nature is probably the second most enjoyable part of the process- behind the process, itself, of course. Nearing two illustrious decades of nibbling, munching, gobbling, and other similar acts of gluttony, I’ve seen a glut of faces speaking a million words through their sounds of silence, and, in many unfortunate cases, those very faces and some other faces communicating quite audibly.

Who hasn’t seen that million dollar smile, embellished by that nugget stuck between the front teeth? Some faces scream approval for the food, as others, disapproval for their company. While some choose their sparkling clean plates to do the talking, notes and coins do it in their own separate ways in other cases. One of the comparatively rare expressions, though, is that of the countenance that tells the tale of a hungry stomach reaching its complete capacity, a rapacious mind once raring for more, now full to its core; of a gourmand satisfied.

More often than not, when slowly washing my hands, it is this face that I see in the mirror.

P.S.- Weird coincidence that this post should come hours after I had dinner with my father at a restaurant almost named after that other great foodie we know.