Hello Aunty!!!

So there is this tiny, Punjabi restaurant, from where I regularly get my rotis.

Yeah, yeah, I am a lazy slob and don't make my own chappatis! Now can I get on with my story?!

This has been going on for years. When I call the restaurant, my voice is instantly recognized.

I am fondly greeted, we exchange pleasantries, wish each other good weekends and if I forget, they remind me that I like my rotis without ghee.

There is this young guy who sometimes picks up the phone - a cultured, polite chap, who I assume is the owner's son, who cheerfully says, "Hi Madam!"

We always chat a bit, before the placing of the order.

So much so, that if once in a while, my husband calls, he asks him where 'Madam' is and why she hasn't called, much to Ashok's indignation!

We do go to the restaurant once in a while, where we are greeted like family members & the whole restaurant comes out to meet the '42, Golden Tower waali Memsaab'! But this guy has never been around to meet 'Madam'!

Recently, friends from India were here & they wanted to have homely Punjabi food. So we took them to our favorite restaurant.

As we entered, all the waiters, delivery guys and management, smiled warmly and I saw a young man, who was being told that this was the Madam who ordered rotis from Golden Tower. We were meeting for the first time and grinned at each other.

A few days later, Ashok called the restaurant to place an order. Our young guy picked up the phone. This time he asked, "AUNTY kaisi hain?"

Ha ha ha ....

That day I learned two important lessons:

1. My voice sounds young, like a 'Madam'!

2. In person, I look old enough to be an 'Aunty'!!!

PS: He continued to call Ashok, "Sir", not "Uncle", btw!!!!