Having been too lazy or too tired to bring in my lunch these days I have been grabbing something for lunch from the shops. Leeds, supposed to be spoiling you by choice offers a lot; but sticking to the vegetarian side for the past few months it is difficult to grab something of interest. If you are not fond of cheese, cold pastas, chutneys in sandwiches and the likes vegetarian options aren’t much. Most of the days you just have to make yourself happy with a soup and bread or a jacket potato with beans; unless you are on a proper eat out to the restaurants with friends or colleagues.
Well, I do give in for the veggie patties from Subway which is the only one thing I can consume from there. Subway teaches you to be really prompt in a way – to answer for a number of questions within a second.
One of the lunch orders I placed with Subway and the result
Subway Guy (SG): What is that you are going for?? Looking at their meal deals and offers. Is that a bit rude? No, he doesn’t really know to please, looks like still in training; definitely not an English guy!
Me: Just a veggie patty please
SG: Which bread and size
Me: Italian herbs and cheese please
He has already taken out a 8 foot long and started placing stuff in itMe: Excuse me, please wait, just a normal 6 inch one please
SG: Oh ok! (Cutting it into half) Any cheese?
Me: No, thanks
SG: Want it heated? (already the patty had gone into the oven)
Me: Yes please, thank you
SG: What salads would you like? (already placed a load of lettuce into that)
Me: Sorry, can you please take those lettuces off
SG: Oh sorry, what else (tried taking out a good portion of the lettuce placed in)
Me: Can I have some cucumber and tomatoes please
SG: placed them in the sub on top of the patty (organised!)
Me: Can I have some extra olives and jalapenos please
SG: placed a good deal of olives and a GOOD deal of jalapenos as well. The extra is misunderstood for jalapenos too. I could have made it clearer as just extra olives. By then I lost my patience and left it, didn’t bother to take the extra jalapenos off
SG: What sauce do you like?
Me: Can I have just a lil bit of Chilli Mayo please
SG: Had poured the Chilli sauce all over the sub.Me: I was lost now!!! ‘I said Chilli Mayo’ ..can you please take this sauce off please
SG: Oh is it? You mean the western??
Me: This one please…pointing to the Chilli Mayo bottle….
SG: It was practically not possible for anyone to take the beautifully distributed chilli sauce off the sub. This poor soul tried digging out the sauce and the whole thing looked pathetic by now. ‘Can I replace the patty for you Madam?’
Me: YES PLEASE
SG: threw another veggie patty to the oven. ‘please wait for a minute’
Me: Thank you
SG: By the time the new patty came in this guy forgot the ‘lil bit’ for the Chilli Mayo sauce. He had poured a hell lot of chilli mayo within a fraction of a second into the sub to make me happy. ‘Here you go’
Me: Didn’t bother anymore. Just wanted to run off. THANK YOU!!!
SG: Any drink? (Already had a cup taken out for that)Me: No thanks. Paid and left the place.
Enough for the lunch deal. Just then noticed the ‘spicy lentil soup’ boards in Bagel Nash; should have gone for that though I would feel ‘I can make a better dal anyday!’ Allright, need a break - thought will go for a browse at the office cyber café as I had some stuff to do from my personal email account. Now, when I opened the sub, it was a real MESS. It was too big for me to take it in my mouth in the first place. And it was too damn spicy with all the chilli mayo and jalapenos!!! Taste buds have had quite a change in about two years time and spice levels had come really down. Spent another five minutes cleaning up the sub to take out the unwanted bits and pieces to wash it down my stomach. Some of my colleagues who were there gave those looks which said –‘Oh you are too fussy with food’!!! Can’t complain much on the looks and comments here now as I am fussy with food. But then wasn’t angry or unhappy at the end. I did enjoy the sub at last; clubbed with a browse and a ten minutes google chat with nephew who was telling me his holiday plans.
Thursday, 19 March 2009
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Name and Place
What is it that you should look for in a name?
- meaningful?
- Stylish?
- Easy to use?
- Adaptable in any part of the world?
- Traditional; adhering to culture?
- Religious?
I think it depends on how you look at things and how you want to be looked at by others. My name being one of those traditional names from India is quite popular in my motherland. But then now being in England, English and of course most of the non-Indians find it difficult to pronounce in the first place. But then I always educate people to get my name right. If someone asks me the meaning I think I am proud to say I am named after the goddess of wealth and prosperity. And I have never tried to shorten it to Leks, Lax or ‘L’(though there had been friends who used it that way); somehow I feel it is a question to my identity. But can’t really say it is a bad practice to shorten the names especially to those who have incredibly long names with unusual syllables.
I don’t really think there is a problem is clarifying your name twice or thrice to someone who has not heard the name before; there is absolutely nothing to be shameful about that. It is their ignorance and you should still be proud of your names. I don’t understand why people take strenuous efforts to change their names once they are in a new place. I don’t think it is worth changing your roots (especially if it is your dad’s name or family name) just for the convenience of other people and that you are in a different part of the world. I have seen British getting confused with pronouncing British names; and same with Europeans. So its just there everywhere. There is definitely a way to get around it.
There are these wise people who name their kids accordingly which are justifiable to an extent. Just because you know the kid is not going to spend a significant time of their life in India they don’t really see a point in going for a proper Indian name. They just name it conveniently for the use of non-Indians (and Indians). But then I personally feel you are then disadvantaged with the choice of some of the beautiful names you can go for.
- meaningful?
- Stylish?
- Easy to use?
- Adaptable in any part of the world?
- Traditional; adhering to culture?
- Religious?
I think it depends on how you look at things and how you want to be looked at by others. My name being one of those traditional names from India is quite popular in my motherland. But then now being in England, English and of course most of the non-Indians find it difficult to pronounce in the first place. But then I always educate people to get my name right. If someone asks me the meaning I think I am proud to say I am named after the goddess of wealth and prosperity. And I have never tried to shorten it to Leks, Lax or ‘L’(though there had been friends who used it that way); somehow I feel it is a question to my identity. But can’t really say it is a bad practice to shorten the names especially to those who have incredibly long names with unusual syllables.
I don’t really think there is a problem is clarifying your name twice or thrice to someone who has not heard the name before; there is absolutely nothing to be shameful about that. It is their ignorance and you should still be proud of your names. I don’t understand why people take strenuous efforts to change their names once they are in a new place. I don’t think it is worth changing your roots (especially if it is your dad’s name or family name) just for the convenience of other people and that you are in a different part of the world. I have seen British getting confused with pronouncing British names; and same with Europeans. So its just there everywhere. There is definitely a way to get around it.
There are these wise people who name their kids accordingly which are justifiable to an extent. Just because you know the kid is not going to spend a significant time of their life in India they don’t really see a point in going for a proper Indian name. They just name it conveniently for the use of non-Indians (and Indians). But then I personally feel you are then disadvantaged with the choice of some of the beautiful names you can go for.
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