My Mango Cheesecake

Exactly 10 years ago on this very day, that is, 8 June 2003 something wonderful happened. Something wonderful that changed my life forever.

It was a Sunday, and I along with my parents took an hour plus long afternoon journey from Nerul in Navi Mumbai to the Domestic Terminal of Mumbai’s passenger Airport at Santacruz. There, very near to the Airport, at the Orchid Ecotel Hotel in a nice cozy hotel room we met Mr. John Paul Moolayil, who was there along with his beautiful wife Mrs. Valsa John Paul and their only daughter who was still pursuing her final year in Architecture from Satyabhama University in Chennai.

After a brief introduction, the seniors reminisced their good old forgotten days, most of which they vaguely remembered and talked about some common family friends from their past life in Baroda which, was followed by a string of modest unidirectional bragging by my dad, which instantly elevated me to superhero status. Notwithstanding my embarrassment at imagining myself flying with my undies over my trousers, which almost ended up with me burying my head into my shoe soles, the chubby, bearded and cheerful Mr. John Paul who was dressed in a silk white Kurta and Kerala Mundu allowed me to take his daughter down to the lobby for a ‘private’ chat.

Down at the lobby, we stopped by the Cake Shop and picked up a Mango Cheese Cake and two spoons. We found a table in the corner and posited ourselves there. On that table, I found out that she had three names, Elizabeth, Thara and Unni and she found out the Sweety was not just a pet name! There, we also talked about our college life, our friends, our religion, our aspirations and the movies that we loved.

As we talked, and she narrated on how her parents conned her into making this visit to Mumbai, I got lost in those eyes, taking advantage of which, she proceeded with raiding the Mango Cheesecake using both the spoons.

That day, I don’t know if it was her used spoon or the Chef’s handiwork, the Cheesecake tasted awesome. That day I fell in love with Mango Cheesecake. Somewhere in the days that followed, I fell in love with that girl.