Expand Your World

#63: Journey from Cheese Roll to Curry

This Friday night is different. Normal ones usually consist of a group of 3-5 very close friends yakking heads and hearts out over dinner and dessert. A few days ago, I decided that this particular one should be used to expand worlds.

Chewing on a cheese roll (this soft, sweet bread a bakery nearby sells for Php2.00 a piece) two Saturdays ago, I realized that I haven't been meeting many interesting new people lately. The ones I've been meeting are always connected to work one way or another. And I'm not sure we'd all want to hang out with each other for over 12 hours.

7 of my friends. 4 of Roy's. It's not a fair exchange but at least it's aligned with the objective of "widening social circles." Masas didn't have a table for 13. Nor for 10. Heck, Masas didn't have any free table at all. (Dang. And I've been dreaming of their Bistek Tagalog all week.) And so Chimara it was. It's a Vegan Fast Food joint which serves otherwise inedible stuff in edible forms. Sampaloc-tasting Green Tea, Tofu-Onion Soup and Meatless Taco, anyone?

The movie was Hitch - which is a good choice if you want everyone to feel that they've had a good night out even if they hadn't been able to gel that well with the people that were present. Roy's 2 doctor-dudes went home immediately after the movie. (Better quit while you're ahead, I guess.) 2 of my girl-friends from Globe left a few minutes after. (Hmm. You think they met up with the two MDs somewhere else?)

Bollywood was the last stop. To be honest, I loved the place. It was thematic and very charming. The music was very engaging too. (Well, at least for me.) I noticed after 45 minutes or so that I was the only one still "grooving" to Indian songs and eating roti drenched in curry. The rest were barely awake. That or itching to leave. Roy, for one, ended up sitting very far away from his date. When the Indian band started playing the song used by Ginebra San Miguel in their "Bilog Ang Mundo" TV ad, his date grabbed her hair and squealed. With all the noise, we thought she finally snapped and the music finally drove her nuts. Above the cacophony, Roy explained that she just loved that particular beat. Cool.
Me: "Shall we all dance then?"
Everyone: "No."
Roy: "Check please."

20 pairs of kohl-lined eyes watched the group scurry out. I would've wanted to stay longer. But I guess, unlike misery, weirdness doesn't love company. Not even on a Friday night.

Bollywood, I'll be back.