I know it has been a while since I wrote an article about food. Yes, I admit I’ve been a bit busy with other assignments. I also confess that I was a bit lazy too. This self-motivation thing is not that easy.
As you know, I’ve had a joyful ride so far in this life with so many highs and lows, gliding through winding roads. And these rides do come with their fair share of accidents. Now, when I think about it, I’ve had so many in life.
According to my mother, when she delivered me at the Wattala nursing home, my dad wasn’t around to be with her. He was apparently at work and was rushing in to see his newborn baby- me. With his excitement, he probably would’ve been a bit fidgety and anxious, which led him to a head-on collision with a lorry that was not moving. Momma says, when he entered through the doors to see the newborn, he had to be treated for his wounds too.
Accidents continued to be a part of my life. I was in another accident when I was 13 years old. We had a car back then, an old Mitsubishi Gallant, which eventually stopped working after an accident. But during this period, it was in a pretty healthy state. Although we had the car, my dad decided to take us to school with his Honda CM-125 double-cylinder bike. We were considerably late, which was 'normal' in our household. But I had no issue simply because my school was closer to home, and I had no problem getting to school on time. I was chilling in the back seat, singing a Hindi song. We grew up watching Bollywood and Boy bands and Girl bands back in the mid-nineties. That was the only entertainment or option we possessed with the three TV channels. If I remember correctly, the song I was humming was – Roop Thera Mastana - an old Hindi evergreen hit. Well, yes, it is what it is.
So, coming back to the story, I was chilling in the back seat, and my 9-year-old sister sat on the petrol tank in front of Dad. We managed to pass through Wattala town and then headed towards Borella. It was a busy day down baseline road, with the bikes and three-wheelers trying to overtake each other. My dad was quietly speeding at 50km per hour on the left lane, with the intent to be on his track. We were passing a lorry, which was stalling in the fast lane. Then, I saw a three-wheeler attempting to sneak through the gap between our bike and the Lorry, and this three-wheeler dude did well until the canvas on the side hit the handle of the bike. At this point, the element of surprise shook Dada, and he lost control of the bike. And that is all that I got to see. Then I closed my eyes as I flew over the bike and the two people on it. I felt myself crashing on the tar road, rolling over a few times with the momentum I gained. I also felt the helmet coming off my head as I rolled over. Then I took some time to gauge what happened. I was probably unconscious for about 30 seconds, so I had no clue where I was. I was about 25 meters in front of the bike. I stood up, tried to clear the cobwebs, and walked toward the bike. As I went near the bike, I saw my father, blood all over his shirt, and the big guy had fallen on top of my sister, unconscious. She was sandwiched and bloodied with a considerable cut on the eyebrow. I tried to wake them up to check whether they were alive. As soon as my father gained consciousness, he started to panic and was shouting out his mind. The guy who knocked us over offered to help. We quickly got on to his three-wheeler and made our way to the accident ward. When we were on the way to the hospital, we realized that he was being strategic, he opted to help to get away from the site of the accident to tamper with the evidence. And, most importantly, not to get caught. Eventually, the matter was settled, but we remained injured.
Although, we did not suffer from fatal injuries except for my sister, who had to go for minor surgery. She still has a cut on her eyebrow, which was a prominent facial feature during her teens. No one necessarily paid attention to me, including myself, and I still have a spot on my knee that is still partially numb after the impact. The moral of the story, is that wear a helmet whenever you ride a bike. Even if you are a passenger, just wear it, it will save your life.
Six years later, I was using the same bike soon after my advanced-level exams. I used to ride it for Rotaract meetings, Malay club events, school events - you name it, I was going everywhere with it. I had a fantastic time for about three months and in a week, I managed to be in 2 life-threatening accidents. Eventually, Dad's classy bike got condemned, and I never got to ride it again.
Back in the day, accidents were part of our daily routine. The sense of uncertainty and danger made us appreciate life. Most importantly, the little things. By the way, after all the accidents we had, we were only left with the little things.
I have to mention that I do not live on the edge any more than I used to back then. But accidents do happen, and most of them are much more pleasant ones, just like the one when I came across the Hot Hot Roti shop in Galle. Now, ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys of all ages and others, you all know egg roti is a popular snack, and often it is very bland, so we opt for some curry to go with it. Also, egg rotti is freely available everywhere, it is the most under-rated snack, ever.
But folks, Egg roti at Hot Hot Rotti shop is simply the best little hut-of-shop, I found after a long time. The small roadside hut offers a satisfying snack for the nominal price of rupees 150/-. It is just beside the Galle Fort mosque, and you would hardly miss it. These guys garnish the roti with mouth-watering flavors that can blow your mind. Most importantly, you don't need any curry to enjoy your egg roti. It is definitely more than a decent egg roti that you will ever find. I also had the egg rolls but, it is quite mediocre, nothing to say much really, so try to stick to the best – egg roti and stroll around the city of Galle and let me know your thoughts!
