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16th August 2022

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"Amit, Dinner's ready. Come and take your plate, or else you aren't getting any."

Why is she screaming? I look at my phone's screen, 8.02 pm, hmm, it's not even that late no isn't this too early instead. I don't even have an appetite right now. Yesterday she cooked at around 10.15. How am I supposed to eat so early now, and what's up with not getting any if I don't have any now. This is plane torture at this point.

"I don't want to eat right now. I don't have any appetite. You go ahead and eat without me. Oh, also put mine in the fridge; there are too many flies in the kitchen."

Now, why am I yelling? Damn, is it something contagious? She is not even that far away. The kitchen is situated right at another corner of the hall. I think we can talk without hollering at each other. All right, let's take the first step here like a gentleman and try to have a decent conversation.

"Didn't you hear me just now? You aren't getting any if you don't eat now. And there are no flies in my kitchen."

"Huh? What did ...."

Oh boy, it looks like taking that first step is going to be quite hard. Breathe, yeah, breathe, do some of that quick yoga stuff—no need to get angry. Everyone in the house knows there are flies in the kitchen—no need to point it out if she doesn't like that.

Alright, now to the bigger problem.

I push back my chair. It skids a great deal on the marble floor before crashing on the opposite wall. It seems I pushed it too hard. Somehow this helps me to blow some steam, and well, who cares.

"What was that".

Yeah, nobody cares. I look around my room a little bit. It is not clean but not that shabby also, I guess. Books are lying on my bed with some clothes on top of them. The small table beside the bed is filled with so many different things that pointing and identifying each out would take quite some time.

The main table in front of which I had been sitting is essentially in the same condition. There are wrappers of junk food, many long wires that either belongs to the pc or laptop tangled with each other. A few more books stacked on top of each other, my earphones, mobile charger and quite a few more small things have jam-packed the space.

After looking around my not so shabby room, I go outside and walk straight towards the kitchen. I can see my mother working there right away as there is no door between us. I can also see the not so real flies buzzing around in there. I ignore them and watch her instead.

My mother, Roshni, is what probably most children fill in their mother's occupation in school. Yup, a housewife. I don't know her age, but I hardly think that anybody knows of their mother's. But I do know that she is totally in her forties since half of her black hair is now white instead, and wrinkles cover most of her face, and then there is her raspy voice that sounds just like someone in their forties.

Probably feeling my gaze, she looks at me. Well, that's what I think at first, but after some time, I observe that it is not so much as looking but more like glaring instead. Well, it is not ideal but much better than her screaming, so anyway, vallah.

"What are you looking at? Take your food and go. You are blocking the air. It is already hot in here."

If it's so hot, then why don't you start the AC instead, I think but don't say anything since it will just make her mood worse.

She puts the plate in front of me. There are two chapatis with a vegetable made with a mixture of potato and eggplant in it. I look at it and cool down a little since the dish is my favourite. I can also see the melted butter glistening on it. I think I am starting to get a little hungry.

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"Ahem, so mother, why don't I put that food in the fridge instead of eating it now. You see, I am really not that hungry right now."

"No putting open food in the fridge."

Even though you always put the remaining food in it. Again I swallow my words.

"So what about this, you eat the food on the plate, and I will serve myself later."

"Are you an idiot? Can't you see I still have to make chapatis for your grandparents and sister?"

"So, Ahem, so your point?"

Ooooh, this is getting really hard. I almost yelled again.

"What point?"

" 'sigh', I mean, what is your point in not eating from the plate that you served for me."

After hearing me, she looks at me with a bewildered expression. It is as if I said something hilarious just now.

"Are you listening to yourself right now? Don't you think the food will get cold?" In the heated kitchen? "And what about all these flies in here. Do you want me to eat fly shit? Huh? Is that what you want."

Annnd, now she can see them. I grit my teeth and ask.

"How about giving it to grandpa or grandma instead."

"They are not allowed to. The doctor has asked not to give anything fatty or spicy to them, so I can only give them milk and bread instead."

Breathe, breathe; you can do this. Keep taking the steps.

"Let's just give it to big sister then. She can eat it. No doctor is stopping her from gobbling it up, right."

Ahaa, now what. Even though I really want to take this plate for myself now and not want to give it to my sister at all, I still want to see the look on her face when I win in this argument. Maybe I will just take the plate after she is mute and eat my food while basking in the sweet glory of my triumph over her.

"Neha doesn't like butter in her food, and now you listen to me. Take this plate and go, or else you aren't getting any dinner today. No more discussions."

Yeah, fuck this shit. I can't see myself becoming a gentleman here in a million years. 

"So, you remember what Neha likes or not but don't care if I just eat my meal without having any cravings for it."

**growl**

Damm, why now. The worst moment possible for my belly to make a sound. Well, no need to fret; it's not like she heard that or anything.

I steal a glance at her, and I see her looking at me with one of her eyebrows raised. My heart starts to sink, and I really hope not to hear whatever she will say now.

"So you don't want to eat anything even while making those horrible sounds. I think I lost some of my hearing just now."

So she heard it. Great. My face becomes somewhat hot somehow. At this point, I just want to take the plate and leave, but that would mean a crushing defeat, so I play my only remaining card.

"Yeah, I think I will go for a walk. Since you can't give it to anyone, it will be pretty safe even if I don't take it now."

"Do whatever you want but don't whine later if you don't find anything here."

I just ignore her. No matter how much we bicker with each other, she wouldn't let me starve. I guess she wouldn't, right?

I go back into my room and pick up my phone and face mask. It has been more than three years, but the corona pandemic is still going strong, and I really don't want to catch it after avoiding it all this time.

**ting**

While I am almost at the front gate of our house, my smartphone rings and I also feel it vibrate in my pocket. It's probably just some notification from one of my apps about god knows what. Usually, I would have ignored it and checked it later while lying on my bed comfortably, but since I want something to distract me from my growling stomach, I decided to look at it. So much for having no appetite.

"According to the latest update from ISRO, the Comet named "Snicker" will be passing by Earth today at around 11.43 PM."

The notification came from my "inshorts" app that I can't remember when I had installed and why for that manner. The news regarding the comet, on the other hand, is no big deal at this point. Like they did with every news, the Indian media squeezed every last bit of juice from this one too. For the last few months, ever since its discovery, all the news channels have not talked about anything other than outer space.

Once there was even a guy who said that a Black Hole might get created when the comet will go past the planet. Funny bastards. At least think before saying anything.

**chuckle**

Ahh, just thinking about it always makes my day. I push open the small gate that is just part of the main gate, and the similar sight of the street greets me.

"Aww, man, I forgot to pick up any cash. Damn, I really don't want to go in there."

The local park is supposed to be open till midnight today so that many people can watch the comet pass by, so I also had plans to go there. While waiting there, I was going to buy some snacks from the stalls, but even that is ruined now.

"Ahh, whatever, I will just borrow some from Mayan. He is also coming there, and since it's his birthday tomorrow, I guess I will be taking an early party out of him."

I leave the house after making my mind, but the image of my plate of food keeps coming to me.

"Oh well, I should have just eaten while I was getting it nicely."