This week was crazy.

This year was crazier.

Maybe, someday, when I have the time and patience, I’ll write all about it (I have notes, y’know) but not today, not for a foreseeable future.

The Invitation

So, I was racing against time to finish things, last day and all (for the deliverable, nothing to do with the year end). You can read more about it here:

It wasn’t until around 5:30 PM that I felt at peace. Things were in place, and it looked good for me to sign-off and start my personal to-do list. As if one cue, the phone rang. It was my older sister. She was planning to take her kids out for dinner, it wasn’t a new year celebration or anything. She does this often and never asks me, but she did. I’m always in the mood to party, especially after the hectic day that I had. So, I agreed.

“Let’s perform maghrib namaz and get ready,” she said.

“Sounds like a plan,” I said.

The Wait

Maghrib azaan was called at 5:50. Namaz was finished. No phone call, so I sat down at my desk again, to tie the loose ends. My sister informed me, via text, that now we’ll go after Isha.

Fair! It’d be good to perform all namaz before going out. Who knows how long it’ll take? (It’s a new restaurant, and we didn’t know how slow the service is).

Isha azaan was called around 7:15. I had readies for the party: abaya, niqab, purse, water bottle, mobile: all ready to go. After namaz, kept waiting, no call.

“Are you guys planning to go after Fajr?” mum joked.

It’s a running joke in our family. My sister is never on time. NEVER.

Long story short, we left around 8:15 PM.

The Party

Dinner was amazing, like even now I drool, thinking of the delicious meal.

It wasn’t the first time us sisters went out for a meal. However, it was the first time:

1. we went out on December 31. It was so freakin’ cold when we were coming back. Weather in my city is extreme, always.
2. we were a small group, 5 people in total. The last time we went we were 16 IIRC, and the servers were tired of taking our orders. Fun time it was.

Service was fast, which I liked, because I was famished. The menu was one page, only. Very few options to choose from, I guess that was the reason for fast service.

Here’s what we ordered.

1. Bullet Idli: A bowl of 10 mini idlis – 50 bucks
2. Benne Podi Masala dosa: Thick Gunpowder Masala Dosa (with mashed potatoed filled inside dosa) – 90 bucks
3. Mix Vegetables Utthapa: Utthapa garnished with finely chopped onion, coriander, tomato and capsicum – 80 bucks
4. Cold Coffee (despite my sister’s stern warnings to not order it) – 69 bucks

Here, take a look and drool yourself.

And that was the last party of the year.

Shabana Mukhtar