train chai dream.
Click link below to hear chai call!
train platform chai callllllll
You wake up into a dream somewhere in the middle of India. The rhythmic rocking back and forth that first lulled you to sleep is suddenly disrupted by the high-pitched screeching of metal against metal and a jerking halt — almost throwing you out of your bunk — followed by doors banging, cold wind blowing and the frantic sound of ‘foreign’-speaking travelers fighting to get on and off the train. Then, an echoing chorus of baritone voices all singing the same repetitive two-syllable melody, “chai-ee, chai-eeeee, chai-eeeeeee!” weave together into a cacophonous symphony cutting through all the other noise.
The dream blends into reality as your eyes open to the blurry vision of a steaming aluminum teakettle and a bucket of clay cups attached to a dark skinny man behind a thick black mustache moving up the isle. You are not dreaming. Desperately fishing your tired fingers through pockets wrapped up in a twisted sleeping bag, you finally procure 4 rupees and return the call, “Ji, ek chai!” One chai, sir! You meet eyes as he navigates through the luggage-laden throng to your bedside.
With pointed awareness, he pours a dark, thick stream of chai into a small clay cup, raising the pot as he pours, for a frothy finish, without spilling a drop. He places the hot cup in your welcoming hands, warming your fingers and dampening your face with tea-perfumed moisture. The earthen cup touches your dry lips and the sugary, spiced chai rolls over your tongue, awakening your taste buds, slowly spilling warmth across your throat and down through the center of your chest into your stomach, warming you to the core. Ahhhhhhh, yes. All the painstaking travel has just paid off again with another perfect cup of Indian chai.
What a great narrative Patrick! I could feel the train jostle and rock and well….even taste the Chai. I only hope it was as good tasting as the brew you personally have treated us to.
Love,
Mom Ady
27 Jun 2008 at 1:08 pm
Beautifully written Patrick.
I took some time off to see every black and red words in your blog. It is lovely. you just wait for more comments ok.
love and miss you
Surya
01 Jul 2008 at 5:42 pm
Wow… Beautiful and so incredibly true! You took me back to India for a while there, thank you so much for that. I just stumbled onto your blog by chance, now I’m not able to leave.. For an India-starved soul in the middle of icy winter, this is truly medicine.
05 Feb 2009 at 4:12 pm
This is exactly how I remember it from 25 years ago–the chai callers waking me up on the train, the smell of chai filling the car.
Thank you for sharing this.
Julia
PS. Your website is lovely. I like your photos and your blogs are wonderful. Your book will be a big success I’m sure.
07 Oct 2009 at 7:48 pm
hi Julia, isn’t it nice that such a sweet memory of a place and time and sound and taste can still be so alive? i love that about a good cup of chai, too…it instantly takes me to back to India. Somehow, that (and making this book) help soothe my homesickness for India. Also, thanks for sharing your sites! I poured thru them one late night with a sleeping baby on my lap. very inspiring, especially since i work from home and we plan to homeschool our daughter. thanks for sharing! jenny
09 Oct 2009 at 9:06 am