"WHY NOT MARRIED?"


After teaching from 6-9AM yesterday I practiced at YogaNow Edgewater and then headed over to Devon Avenue, aka Little India. I needed to stock up on frozen Mysore Masala Dosas, which taste *exactly* like the real thing and are four for $1.00. I had to get them before the Grocery Wars of 2007 come to an end.

But first I had to eat.

My usual custom is to go to Mysore Woodland and have iddly and dosas. I thought, "Well, I should go there in honor of Guruji." But economics won out; why buy the sacred cow when your basket is full of the same thing, at a fraction of the price?

I usually avoid Tiffin.

It's upscale and touristy.

Ie -- there are white tablecloths and good lighting and a full bar and white people eating.

Inside, it smelled like a fancy Indian hotel (restaurant).

The waiters were solicitous, as at a fancy Indian hotel.

One of them was wearing the cologne I've only noticed in India.

I had a flashback.

I thought of Guruji.

I thought of the Southern Star.

And I enjoyd that buffet.

Afterwards I headed to the grocery stores.

J&K did not have the instant chai that I discovered in NYC.

Patel's was out of the dosas. In fact, many shelves were empty.

I hit paydirt at the Farm Fresh store.

Plus they had watermelon.

I thought of Guruji.

While checking out the cashier noticed my tarted-up Indian shopping bag.

"Where did you get this?"

Mysore, I said.

No reaction.

Then she noticed my giant, flower-shaped nose-pin.

"Where did you get that?"

In Mysore.

No reaction.

In Mysore India.

"Oh. Are you married?"

No.

"When we wear this it means we are married," she said, pointing to her gold nose-pin.

I nodded.

"Why not married?" she asked.

And I thought of Mysore, and of Guruji, and the many times I've been asked that when I was there.

I still haven't come up with a good answer.

Any ideas?

Photo by Caca of the Ravenswood El at IPR