Happy Meal
Disclaimer: I had heard this story from someone and penned it down with my own words creating new characters. No copyright intended. Loved this story so much, that I decided to share with everyone.
#RhituparnaChakraborty
Sunil ate his dinner and left without talking to anyone. Before bed time, he said his prayers, made his bed and went to sleep. Morning he woke up, said his prayers, got ready and went to have his breakfast. He quietly ate his breakfast and went to work. He never ate lunch.
Mohan’s Food Home was always crowded with people. So much so that it was sometimes difficult to notice who paid the bill and who did not. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner, the place swarmed with people and Mohan always ensured Happy Meals with food cooked in pure clarified butter, good veggies and delectable sweets, not to forget complimentary yoghurt for everyone. And yes, since business was good, Mohan was doing really well in life.
One fine day, Rakesh, who was Mohan’s friend, told Mohan, ‘Hey, do you even keep track of people if they pay bills or not?’ Mohan replied, ‘Ofcourse I do.’ Rakesh said, ‘I think you need to be alert. Yesterday I saw this man eating heartily and then he left stealthily without paying the bill.’ Mohan smiled and said, ‘Yes, I know. But then, he pays me the total amount together. We have set that expectation between ourselves. So no worries.’ Rakesh then said, ‘ Ok! That’s fine then. No worries. Just thought of informing you.’
As usual, after his work, Sunil came to eat at Mohan’s Food Home. Today for dinner, the special dessert was Mohan Bhog. One of the restaurant’s staff members came to Sunil’s table and served that dessert along with the main course which comprised of two fluffy chapatis, a bowl of rice, a bowl of dal tempered in clarified butter, a bowl of fresh veggies, a bowl of yogurt and sliced onions, carrots, and lemon at the side.
Well, Sunil ate heartily and left. He made his bed, sat and said his usual prayers, ‘Dear God, thank you for the happy meals. Please keep Mohan Food Home always swarming with customers so that no one can notice that I eat without paying the bills. Bless the owner and his family with long, healthy, happy life so that this restaurant never ever closes.’ Saying his prayer, he dozed off on the footpath. After the day’s work, Sunil tried saving as much as he could so that he could send some money to his ageing parents back in his poor village. Working as a laborer did not make him earn much. But whatever little he earned, he tried to make ends meet with that.
As for Mohan, he had once followed Sunil. And he saw how poor Sunil was and how happy he looked after eating food and how peacefully he slept with a happy meal. Mohan prayed to God and said, ‘Dear God, may Sunil never stay hungry. May I always be able to serve him happy meals.’
