Chapter 32: chapter 32

The call with Vedahi rekindled a spark of happiness within me that I hadn't felt in a long time. We continued our daily conversations, and it was as though we had never been apart. Her infectious laughter and sense of humour brightened my days, and we found ourselves sharing more than just our worries about the ongoing flu virus.One evening, Vedahi told me about her latest endeavour in the States. "Prakhar, you won't believe what I've taken up now. I've joined a cooking class! Can you imagine me as a chef? I barely used to cook back in India."I chuckled at the thought. "Vedahi, that's fantastic! I can picture you trying to whip up a culinary storm in the kitchen. What's the first thing you learned to make?"She laughed, "Well, let's just say my first attempt at lasagne was more of a las-agonizing experience. It looked nothing like the pictures in the cookbook. But it tasted better than it looked, at least."I couldn't help but tease her, "I'm glad you're exploring new horizons, but if you ever need a food taster, you know where to find me."We continued to share stories of our everyday lives and the challenges we were facing. It was a much-needed escape from the constant news updates and the anxiety that the flu virus had brought into our lives. Our conversations often veered into humorous territory, and we found ourselves laughing like we used to during our office days.One day, Vedahi shared a particularly funny incident that had happened in her cooking class. "So, Prakhar, the other day, I accidentally mistook salt for sugar in a dessert recipe. You can probably guess how that turned out. My instructor took one bite and made a face that could scare away a vampire!"I burst into laughter. "Oh, Vedahi, that's classic! Your culinary adventures are giving me life right now. But I bet you're improving every day, right?"She chuckled, "You have no idea, Prakhar. It's a rollercoaster of culinary mishaps and small victories. But the joy is in learning and experimenting, and I'm having a blast."Our conversations often ended with us promising to keep in touch and share more of our daily escapades. Little did I know that a new adventure was on the horizon.One evening, Vedahi called me with an unusual request. "Prakhar, I've got something interesting in mind. Since we're both experiencing the quirks of learning new things, why don't we challenge each other to a little competition?"I raised an eyebrow, curious. "What kind of competition are you thinking of, Vedahi?"She explained, "How about a cooking challenge? We can both pick a dish to cook and then we'll share the results. The catch is that we have to follow the recipe to the letter and use ingredients we're not familiar with. It's all in good fun, and we can laugh at our culinary mishaps along the way."I chuckled at the idea. "You're on, Vedahi! This could be hilarious. Let's choose a dish and set a date for our 'Cooking Showdown.'"After some thought, we settled on a dish that neither of us had ever attempted – the tricky "Tandoori Prawn Puff", Vedahi and I both agreed that it was a challenging recipe, and we hoped to create something edible.The day of the Cooking Showdown arrived, and we both set out to gather the necessary ingredients for our Tandoori Prawn Puff. We decided to video call each other while cooking to share the experience and, of course, provide a good laugh in case of culinary mishaps.I set up my laptop in the kitchen and called Vedahi. She appeared on the screen, wearing an apron and looking ready for action. I, on the other hand, was sporting a chef's hat, determined to make this a memorable event.As we embarked on our cooking adventure, Vedahi struggled with the puff dough, while I battled with the prawns. We laughed at our mistakes, shared tips, and even had a mini dance-off in between. It was pure chaos in both our kitchens, and we couldn't help but find the humour in the situation.Vedahi attempted to fold the thin layer of dough over the tandoor prawns, and I watched with bated breath. "You can do it, Vedahi!"She gave a determined nod and folded the pastry, but it didn't look quite like the perfect picture I'd seen in cookbooks. We both burst into laughter at the sight of her creation. "It's a close attempt," she declared, grinning.Meanwhile, my dish had its own set of issues. When I tried to transfer it to the oven, it seemed to have grown a life of its own. I had to wrestle it onto the baking tray, and I was sure my version resembled a deformed loaf of bread rather than a gourmet dish.We shared our results, laughing until our stomachs hurt. It was clear that our Prawn puffs were far from perfect, but we'd had an incredible time in the process.As we sat down to taste our creations, I remarked, "Well, Vedahi, I think we've successfully invented a new dish. The culinary world will never be the same."Vedahi nodded, taking a bite of her creation. "You know what, Prakhar? It may not look like a work of art, but it's not half bad. I can't believe we pulled this off."I couldn't agree more. Our Prawn Puffs might not have been magazine-worthy, but they were a testament to our shared sense of adventure. We spent the rest of the evening discussing our next cooking challenge and relishing the hilarity of our first culinary showdown.Our "Cooking Showdown" had brought a new dimension to our friendship, and it was clear that the laughter and camaraderie we shared were irreplaceable. It felt as if we had discovered a secret recipe for happiness during these challenging times.We tried cooking a variety of dishes, each one more amusing than the last. From exploding soufflés to lopsided cakes, we had our fair share of culinary disasters, but we embraced them with a sense of humour that made everything taste better.Our conversations shifted from the flu virus to funny anecdotes, and we found ourselves sharing stories of our most embarrassing moments. Vedahi confessed to a memorable coffee spill incident during a work meeting, and I regaled her with a tale of a wardrobe malfunction during a video conference.Vedahi often said, "Prakhar, you have a knack for turning everyday mishaps into hilarious stories."I laughed, "Well, Vedahi, life's too short to take everything seriously. Let's enjoy the ride and find humour in the quirks of our daily lives."One evening, Vedahi proposed a new idea. "Prakhar, you've got a fantastic sense of humour. Have you ever thought about doing stand-up comedy? You could give it a shot, you know."I scratched my head, considering the suggestion. "Stand-up comedy, eh? That's an intriguing idea, Vedahi. I've always enjoyed making people laugh but performing in front of an audience is another game level, not my cup of tea.”~~~~~