Today's Special Page #5

He died in a car accident.

I'm sorry.

You must miss him.

You know what,

I don't know why I'm

doing this, actually.

I'm a chef. I don't

need to learn how to

cook from a cab driver.

I didn't...

I...

I didn't mean that.

Come here,

I want to show

you something.

Come here, come here.

You know, my parents were

killed during partition.

I got that trying to save them.

Of course I couldn't,

I was only a child.

So, I was orphaned.

Throughout my

childhood, I kept

asking myself, "why?"

And then, one day I was

out walking in a field,

a storm blew up.

Right in front of my eyes,

this huge tree got

struck by lightning.

Boom!

It split into two.

And suddenly,

I was filled with

an overwhelming joy.

Why?

Because it was

the only sensible

way to feel.

You're alive.

You brother no longer

has that chance, you do.

I think you should take it.

It'll help your masala.

Carrie:
Hello?

Samir:
Carrie?

I was wondering

when I'd hear from you.

Samir:
I meant

to call earlier.

Carrie:
You did,

or at least your

parents did.

I have it on my caller id.

Samir:
Oh, right.

Carrie:
Oh, busted.

Samir:
Hmm.

Samir:
Actually, I was

hoping that you'd let me

take you out to dinner.

Carrie:
Sure. Will your

parents be coming?

Samir:
They will not.

Hi.

Hi.

So you ready to go?

Yeah.

And I have the perfect place.

You know, I made this

reservation at this...

This is better.

Really?

Come on. Yeah.

What? You don't

like my place.

No, I... I was just

expecting something

With a few

more amenities,

that's all.

Like a table, chair,

I don't know,

maybe a ceiling.

Oh, I get it.

What?

You're a food snob.

Samir:
I'm not a snob.

I just happen to know

A little about food sanitation.

Okay.

Well?

Mmm!

Good, it's good.

Mmm-hmm.

See? When I eat

something like this,

I remember why

I got into cooking

in the first place.

What about you?

What's the first thing

that you ever cooked?

Samosas.

Yeah,

my brother and I,

we used to sneak

Into the restaurant

kitchen after school.

We used to have this old cook.

He was amazing.

The way his hands moved,

he was like a magician.

He used to let us

play with the spices,

All the colors

and the smells,

and...

It was great.

I used to love going back there.

Hmm.

Sorry, ma'am,

we're not open for

another hour or so.

Oh, well, thank you.

But I was only

looking for my son.

Oh! You must be

samir's mother?

Salam walaikum.

You must be very proud.

Of course, it's evident

where he gets his spirit,

his good looks.

What a fortunate fellow

to have someone like

yourself for his mother.

Excuse me,

but what is your

good name please?

Akbar hamidbhai khambati.

But you can call me akbar.

So, you are from khambhat?

Khambhat, of course.

Baldiwala is my father's

best friend's neighbor.

Because, you see,

my sister married

Baldiwala's sister's middle son.

Uh-huh.

I'm rassiwala's daughter.

Hey, farrida,

the older one.

Yes, yes, of course.

Aaiye, aaiye.

Come in, please.

Uh, music

not bothering

you, I hope.

Oh, no, no, no, not bothering.

I tell you, nobody

can sing a love song

like mukesh.

Wah, wah, wah.

I used to sing

this song to my wife.

But your husband

must also be

singing to you. Hmm?

How could he not?

Well, of course.

In fact, my husband,

he asked me to come here,

Oh, please tell

your husband that

I am most fortunate

To be working with your son.

He runs a very tight ship.

Ship shape.

I'm proud to call him my boss.

Oh! Well...

Good!

Thank you.

Oh, you're welcome.

Oh, uh...

If you want to die,

If you want to die,

Why don't you

just kill yourself?

Darling?

So, did you go

to the restaurant?

Yes.

Ah.

And you saw the taxi driver?

Yes.

What did he say to you?

Many things.

What's wrong with you, huh?

Why can't you talk?

You want to know

what he said to me?

Well, I'll tell you

what he said to me.

He said,

I'm a very beautiful woman.

He said I'm filled with spirit.

And he sang to me

a love song he used

to sing to his wife.

A love song?

Which love song?

Sorry, we're a little late.

You are right on

time, my friend.

Akbar, this is carrie.

Carrie.

Carrie, meet akbar.

This is an honor.

Nice to meet you.

Come in,

come in, my friends.

Welcome, welcome.

I hope you don't mind,

I've invited some

friends of mine.

Notorious reprobates of course,

But they do enjoy fine cuisine.

Sit, sit, carrie, sit please.

Hi, I'm carrie.

Patel.

Shah.

Babu. Howdy?

Hi, nice to meet you.

Shahjahani biryani.

Mmm, it's named after

the mughal emperor

who built the taj mahal.

He was also a renowned glutton.

He tends to be a

show off when it comes

to beautiful woman.

Well, I don't see

anything wrong with that.

Roast leg of lamb.

And chicken hara bhara.

And this is my specialty,

ande ki bhurji.

What's that?

Scramble egg.

Scrambled eggs.

Scrambled eggs.

Yeah, put a little

scramble egg here.

Samir:
My goodness.

Pass me that.

Where did you get these?

This?

Oh, I found them

in a chinese market.

They reminded me

of a dish I ate once

in pondicherry.

Oh, pondicherry?

Pondicherry was

a french colony,

you know?

The only french colony in india.

I've always considered it

one of the great

tragedies of history,

That the french in

india never made it

further up north.

Just think of it.

Two of the finest

cuisines in the world.

The french

and the indian

coming together

For an epicurean

meeting of the minds.

Instead, we end up

getting colonized

by the bloody british,

Whose greatest

culinary achievement

in 2,000 years

Is the fish and chips.

Whether it's

a frenchman or englishman

occupying your land,

It's still occupation.

The french cooking is heavy.

But, is there a trick to...

Well, the trick is,

Pick it up, don't flick it.

Pick it up and put

it in your mouth.

And that's it.

You know,

the shah of iran

visited india once,

And he was heard

to remark that

eating with a utensil

Is like making love

through an interpreter.

Mmm!

Yeah, it's good, man.

Why don't you pass

the eggplant? Okay.

Thank you.

Samir:
You know,

when I was a kid,

My dad used to bring

ali and I up to our roof,

Just to look out

at those lights.

He used to say,

"in a place with

lights like that,

"any dream can come true."

What happened?

It's time for morning prayers.

Samir, what did you do?

Look what you did.

Who told you to do this?

Nobody told you to do this.

Why did you do this?

I wanted to make it

like it used to be.

Like it used to be.

But things are not

like they used to be.

Don't you understand that?

Samir, I'm not

keeping the restaurant.

Amit-bhai is going

to buy it from me.

Okay, dad,

You don't have to,

because business is

really picking up.

And I'm telling you if we...

Listen to me, samir.

I'm closing the restaurant.

Amit-bhai is right.

It's too much for

me with my heart.

Besides, ali is gone.

And you're grown.

What am I breaking my back for?

Dad, you're wrong.

You're wrong.

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