Unexpected Guest

 Unexpected Guests

A Christmas card from Jan  usually comes every year. But this year seems a bit different. Our common friend Pangila from Nagaland is no longer here in USA as she had to return to her home town Dimapur, Nagaland in India. Jan and I  were not so close from the beginning, except that we happened to meet at our common friend Pangila’s place.  Since Pangila had gone back to Nagaland after the death of her only son. Jan somehow misses our common friend as much as I do. For Pangila, her son had left enough money and hence she could get a plot of land and built her own house in Dimapur a town in Nagaland. Her wish  to bury her son’s ashes next to her own is going to be fulfilled now. 

 It was more than three years Pangila  had left USA and for the first time Jan contacted me. She invited me to come and have lunch with her at her house at American Canyon near Napa valley. I was a bit surprised that i was invited to her place for lunch.There was no possibility of my driving to her place in American Canyon near Napa Valley since I stopped driving on freeways for the last few years.  Then she suggested that they could come to my place and meet me. Since they planned to be at my place by 11 am on Saturday, the 18th of December. I let her know that I was going to make North Indian breakfast type Gobi Paratha (Crushed cauliflower wrapped in tortilla). They were quite happy to try dishes other than their Naga type dishes. 

. On Saturday Jan and her husband Vik came around 11.30 am. I had already made half cooked and kept for cooking again just before serving. When they arrived in time.I was happy to see them after nearly three years. She had in her hand poinsettia plant and then her husband a packet. Once inside the house she handed over the packet to me which turned out to be a beautiful blanket. I thanked them and after some time I asked if they are ready to have food  Yes they were ready. I turned on gas and started  heating the parathas to be fully cooked. Both readily sat down on the dining chairs waiting for my parathas.  Along with the paratha I already made some raita (made with yogurt onions, coriander salt and red chili) and also ketchup at the side for the potato chops. I was quite happy to note that she  wanted to take some paratha to her home. Later I packed four parathas for her. She was happy to get some of the ghost chill I had from my plant at the back yard. I also had two small ghost chilli plants in a pot which she took with her. Also gifted to her a woolen beanie and a scarf which were crocheted by me. 

During the conversation I came to know her husband did his PHD in Archeology from UC Berkeley  His wife Jan did in education and leadership. She is working for a pre school at Oakland. Vik during PhD program he had digging done in Dimapur, there he found some potteries of ancient Kachhari tribe kingdom which were dated around 1400 AD..  While talking  publishing books he had already published one but he planned to publish about north eastern region of India's civilization. 

After sometime tea was served and they left with happy memories.

After few days Jan called wanted to know how Potato chops were made. I sent her the recipe and she said her chops came out good. Photos below were taken on 12/18/21

Jan and Jamuna

Jamuna with jan's gifts on the table

Jamuna, Vik Nuenu, wife Jan