Mache and Phool (Trans: Fish and flowers)

After giving the cabbie my phone so he could talk to my dad, the cab ride seemed to take forever. It seemed like the cabbie was now more focused on catching up with my dad and was driving a little slower than the crazy speed he had been earlier. Then I heard him tell my dad that he was going to take it slower because he didn’t want to take the chance of me getting injured.

Feeling suddenly caged, annoyed and amused at the same time, I let my mind wander as I stared out the window. Not surprisingly I found myself thinking about Alex and smiled as I thought about the plans that I had in mind and how (hopefully) happy and surprised Alex would be.

I was snapped out of my day dreams when I heard my name and I resurfaced just in time hear my dad ask Sulkhan uncle (the cabbie) where he was taking me. After glancing at me in the rear view mirror the cabbie answered “Pike’s place”

After a moment’s pause, my dad asked Sulkhan uncle to hand me the phone and asked me "tu othe he karan chalie (Why are you going there. You don’t know anyone in that area)”

Sighing with irritation at being question from more than 200 miles away, I said “Me othe thore mche lehan chele saa. Soche se ke Alex mehnu ithe renhan dean daya se so othde leya me dinner bana dawa (I’m going there to go buy some food. I thought I’d make Alex some dinner since he is letting me crash at him place this weekend)”

My dad was silent for a moment and then he said “theek ya. Ah vadiya hoao ga (ok. That’s sounds fine)” and then switching subjects he said “Sulkhan no pase zaroor dahye, theek ya (Be sure to pay the cabbie, okay (this will make more sense in a minute))”

My dad finally hung up and when I looked outside, I realized that we were almost to Pike’s place market. A minute later, the cabbie pulled to a stop in front of the shop I’d asked him to and put the car in the park before turning to me “Bata, me tere laye ithe se wait kar lend a han. Tu apke daddy nu akhan daye se ke toon ithe kuch sirf kharedna wa (I’ll will wait for you here. I heard you tell your dad that you are just going to buy some food here and then go home)”

“Nahe, uncle. Tuse chale jao. Mehnu torhda time lag jana waa (No uncle, you should go. It’s going to take me some time)” I said as I gathered my things

“Nahe, bata. Me tere rukh jana waa. Je mere bethe California hunde, tere daddy na we aho he karne see (No, I’ll wait for you. If my daughter was in your position in California, your dad would do the same thing)” he said

Inwardly groaning, I smiled at him and said “ok. Me 30 minutes vich vich aww jaande sa (Ok. I’ll be back in about 30 minutes)

As I headed into the shop, I smiled at the memories that rushed at me. It had been a few years since I had been to this shop but it was still exactly the same. The old, scarred tables and chairs. The bad lighting that made the inside look more dingy then it already was. The amazing smell and the sounds of arguing in Italian wafting from the kitchen. I rang the little bell that had been there for as long as I could remember and smiling waited for someone to come and help me.

A moment later a short old women came up to the front with a smile ready on her face. The smile vanished the moment she saw me and the next thing I knew I was being engulfed in to a surprisingly powerful hug for such a small woman.

“Oh my god, belle. What are you doing? What have you done to yourself? Haven’t you been eating? I barely even recognized you. You’ve forgotten about us now that you are a busy college student, yes?”

When she finally paused to take a breath, I laughed and said “Zia Maria, you haven’t changed at all (Zia, is the Italian word for “aunt”). You are still as beautiful as ever”

She laughed at that and yelled into the kitchen “Dante, Calvino, Carmela, Clara vieni a vedere chi è qui. Lei non potrà mai indovinare chi  (Dante, Calvino, Carmela, Clara come and look who is here. You will never guess who)

I heard a crash, a bang and then a curse before someone yelled “Stiamo arrivando ( we’re coming)

A moment later the sources of the yelling and curses came into the front and laughed when they saw me. I was suddenly rushed by all three as they gave me hugs and kisses and talked at the same time. I answered all the questions I could hear and was at the same time ushered into a table with the whole family sitting around me.

Zio Dante quieted everyone down and then asked me “cosa ci fai qui (What are you doing here)”

Smiling at them all I said “Sono qui per un colloquio di stage presso la Boeing (I am here for a interview at Boeing)”

After talking for a few more minutes, Zio Dante asked me if I wanted something to eat and I suddenly remembered what I was here for and the cabbie that was waiting for me outside. “In realtà sono qui per raccogliere alcune delle vostre famoso pesce. Sto rimanendo con Alex e volevo ringraziare e capito che la cena per qui sarebbe il modo perfetto dal momento che sia l'amore il cibo (Actually I am here to pick up some of your famous fish. I am staying with Alex and I wanted to say thank you and realized that dinner for here would be the perfect way since we both love the food)”

They agreed and all leapt into action without asking me what I wanted. I expected this and just laughed as I got up. Clara who had been heading into the kitchen as well turned to me with a questioning look and asked “dove vai? (where are you going)”

Vado al negozio di fiori lungo la strada per ottenere alcune cose (I am going to the flower shop down the road to get some things)” I said as I headed towards the door.

A minute later I entered the flower shop and was immediately surrounded by the smell of flowers. I glanced around to see if anything had changed and was not surprised at all to discover nothing had. The florist, having heard the bell, came forward and asked me if she could help me.

“Yes. Can you please make me a bouquet of different colored roses and lilies?” I asked

She nodded and set to work while I wandered around the shop. I heard the door bell tinkle and glanced at the door before turning away and did a double take. There standing in the doorway was Alex. He hadn’t seen me yet so I took a moment to just look at him and felt the butterflies in my stomach launch into a salsa. He looked tired and slightly more mussed then he had been this morning.

I waited for him to notice me but he seemed to be lost in the thoughts as he walked to the flower counter. “I’m here to pick up some flowers” he said to the lady

She looked at him and said “oh yes, you ordered the flower arrangement called “lovers paradise” right?”

“Yes” Alex said as his phone beeped and he pulled it out to look at it.

I had become frozen to the spot when I heard the lady mention the flower arrangement and was startled by the sounds of Alex’s phone. My sudden moment made him glance in my direction and he…