KFC and KPA

Just after Dasahara 2008, I felt an urge to go out for a day. We have not done that for almost headstrong health problems or nuisances that was following us for the last couple of months. My son Vakul also chose to stay back at hostel citing some reasons like he had only one day leave for Dasahara and just after it he had his mid term tests. I knew all these could be pleas for not being assured of good food at home because his mother’s health. Anyway, I also took this for a plea proposing our visit to Vakul’s hostel just after Maa’ Durga left for her heavenly abode with an assurance to visit earth for the next year. It’s really good to have so much circularity in nature; that gives quite a bit of confidence for mortals like me. We reached his hostel. Oh, I forgot; ‘we’ includes me, my daughter and Anjali - my wife. Sister and brother finished their long pending skirmishes and got tired for a good food. Both of them decided for KFC at Karkhana in Secunderabad. I should be honest in admitting that they always have or build up consensus (at least with the minimum common choices) on choosing a restaurant and menu.

We proceeded for that. I had a little inhibition anticipating heavy and silly expenditure. For example, it’s silly to pay hundred rupees for a sandwich. I prefer to bear with a roaring stomach instead of bleeding through nose. That happens when one flies with a low priced ticket. Anyway, in this case I didn’t have any choice. I listened to self telling ‘that would be your the first visit to KFC in Secunderabad.’ We reached. Fortunately, we could get a place for parking. People in this densely populated city don’t have enough place to put their body fully in their huts, forget car parking. We stepped in KFC being lead by ever enthusiastic daughter Anwesha (Pooja and Gelhi). She has sum total three names. And the third one is completely ethnic. Obviously, that name is put by me. For that they say I’m hundred percent rustic.

We stepped into KFC a swanky eatery with heavy lights focusing on heavily colored wall shades, matching furniture and ever deceiving plastic plants. The brightness was making my kids’ hearts floating around menus and offers. Whereas, hearts of the parents like me with shallow pockets must be sinking. I kept recollecting how many big notes could be there in my purse. Quickly, I could calculate the possible amount I would have, ofcourse without taking my purse out. I felt indebted to my grand father for insisting on mental mathematics in my childhood. These things are so helpful in life I never felt that time as now my kids take to my words on face value. Naturally, my kids especially my son being elder one understands my predicaments quite well. Both of them settled for a sum they have adjudged comfortable to me. I felt so much pleased with their understandings and felt unfair to complain of elders make for little ones. My daughter always feels being ahead of her brother. She settled down after scooping out a promise from me for another visit with some bucket chicken – a menu with sumptuous chicken pieces. They picked up the tray. And I took out my purse to pay. The boy at the counter returned some change. Usually, in these brand shops people always feel it’s low for counting money. But, I knew I couldn’t afford to such a trait anymore while just four days back I lost hundred rupees in Brand factory at Jubilee Hill. Here also, I found such a mistake and promptly complained. The supervisor returned me the forgotten hundred rupees. I excused the boy thinking his grandfather might have not taught him the mental mathematics. My kids settled down with food. My wife had little interest in all these except brooding over for kids. And I sat with my old habits – observing people around.

First, my eyes discovered smartly dressed KFC assistants oozing out with extra courtesy – i.e. unbelievable in standard desi dookans. The question obviously came to my mind. Why do they make mistake in bill payments and giving back the returns even after making use of so many calculating gadgets? That day Domino at Gachhibowli, a similar boy just took four rupees extra over the bill without a word. On asking he said he did not have change. But just felt quite right to grab extra four rupees. I thought over it. The answer came. The guys could be very much underpaid and might be even told to earn in this way. If this is true what ethics these business houses of free market economy are setting up here? I pondered. Will it happen in USA at its birth place?

I discovered a painting on wall – a sturdy looking man with a bow tie and a French beard. A brief write up below the painting telling how special the recipe of KFC is and this has been secret for so many years. Wow! What a business tactics. Will it be that way in India? G.Pulla Reddy came out his sweets in Andhra Pradesh and that made him famous. But, he encouraged and inaugurated shops of his competitors. I’m sure some of his cooks (halwaii) must have deserted him and joined his competitors throwing tact of sweet making into winds. Free economy but strangulated at the threshold of its birth place!

I must admit with a pinch of salt that I was the eldest one among all the customers present there. I was feeling awkward among mischievously young around. All were busy in their own world. I got a reflection of KPA ‘Kasinana Pakudi Aloodam’ shop on my village square. Every evening, people used to gather for a plate of hot pakudi and Aloodam. They used to relish with so many musings, lively chats and hearty laughs. The shop used to turn into a media centre – the news strips of many villages were exchanged in evenings over the pakoda plates. One used to offer other – a happy evening after a grueling day. What a contrast here! Instead offerings, here are the denials for the unfortunates when they just appeared as soon as you park your car. These are the spiders from darkness of white tiger of Aravinda Adiga.

By that time, my kids were done with. We had to rush back to drop Vakul at his hostel and then we had to return to Doyens. We proceeded to our parking place. The same scene was around us. I negotiated with some coins and got in to drive on. After a while, I was looking at my kids expecting their weary some faces for the scenes of spiders. I knew from other end, Anjali was looking at me approvingly though she is a captive of kids like any desi mother.


Hrushikesha Mohanty
November 1st , 2008