Dhaba on the Highway

This dhaba had witnessed a lot of people and situations in its life of 22 years. It had seen rich people, poor people and people who wanted to take no sides between either rich or poor. It was time for the dhaba to witness a rather unique person , SAMBHAV. Sambhav was a self learnt , happy go lucky guy who knew that the road travelled was more important than the distance itself. Sambhav's car stops in front of the dhaba, which was empty during the very early hour.

"Come Sir have a seat" Dhabawala said.

"Thanks. I will give the order in a while" smiled Sambhav.

Sambhav takes the seat and looks around for the mens room. It was a long drive indeed. He returns and sits on his seat again.

"What will be your order ,Sir?" Dhabawala said.

"What do you have for me in this menu?" Sambhav replied.

The dhabawala started to recite the menu melodiously. Sambhav interrupted.

"What do you have here thats just for me?" Sambhav said.

"We dont have anything special at the moment,nothing outside of the menu..Although there is something i always wanted to try to make." Dhabawala said in a smiling tone.

"What is it?" Sambhav replied.

"Paratha stuffed with aloo, mint leaves and honey". Dhabawala said.

Sambhav smiled and asked " I will have that. By the way who stopped you from making it earlier? . You seem to be a good cook and the dhaba seems to be yours ,isn't it?

"Yes Sir, No one had come up with such a request earlier. Everyone wanted a subtle change like more salt , chilli or spices. No one wanted an entirely new thing." Dhabawala replied.

Dhabawala enjoyed the new challenge that he had just received. He wanted to cook this paratha for a long time. He earlier cooked it for himself , but today he was doing it for someone else. Dhabawala noticed that Sambhav is indeed unique. Dhabawala quickly got the arrangements done and cooked the meal. He made some for himself too and decided to have it with Sambhav.

"Here is your paratha Sir. If you dont mind can i have breakfast with you?" Dhabawala said.

"Yes sure, that would be a pleasure" Sambhav instantly replied.

"Who are you sir and where are you heading?" Dhabawala asked.

"I am a lost man who is on a journey to discover himself and in the process make other people realize what they truly can be." Sambhav said.

"You sure made me realize one thing sir." Dhabawala said.

"What's that?" Sambhav replied.

"When i was young and was learning to make the correct choices in life, i made a few choices as what others said.All the items in the menu are a result of that. They were not wrong but they were not the best either. Today you made me realize again that the best choice is not interdependence but independence." Dhabawala said.

"Yes thats it. Life is indeed like a menu card with people demanding things from it. The items that will be economical and quick to make will be demanded the most. You will get love , respect and recognition as the value for those items. But the best item will be the one thats not on the list. Waiting for someone to explore it or help you to explore it. Once it has been explored then it permanently gets added on to the menu card. I am on the hunt of adding on items in my menu card." Sambhav said.

"Sir,this is fascinating and i can see the menu card in a different light now. Sir , every time you come here the treat is going to be on me." Dhabawala replied.

Dhabawala felt almost like a new man. Sambhav knew he had done his job.

Summary

All their life was spent not in laws, statutes, or rules, but according to their own free will and pleasure. They rose out of their beds when they thought good: they did eat, drink, labour, sleep, when they had a mind to it, and were disposed for it. None did awake them, none did offer to constrain them to eat, drink, nor to do any other thing. In all their rule, there was but this one clause to be observed,

DO WHAT YOU WILL.