He and She VII

He was giggling quietly to himself and a soft giggle was heard from the bedroom at the same time. Everyone in the living room was surprised.

Grandma was also listening in to the story from her bedroom. The both of them were reliving the memories that were solely theirs.

The way how things were at that point of time.

The way she spoke to the boss, the way how the boss of inn reacted. His expressions on hearing how she had rebutted the boss of the inn, the way how the both of them giggled upon being issued the challenge by the boss of the inn.

These are memories that we can never indulge in, images that we can never reproduce. We can only imagine them...

The breeze picked up strength, as if trying to urge my grandpa to carry on. The moon shone even more brightly then just now. Instead of illuminating the whole room, it stopped shy right outside the window.

Maybe, waiting there so that it could hear my grandpa a bit more clearly...

"She looked at the boss of the inn after our laughter died down. She then looked at me and nodded to me. I looked at the boss in the face and told him to prepare his kitchen for us.

He was surprised when he heard my request. Upon seeing the surprise look on his face, she told him that we do not have to bring him anywhere to find the dishes that were better than his. His kitchen would be the place where his challenge would be answered.

The boss stare at the both of us and with a sneer told us to go ahead. However, if we fail to prove that the dishes that we made is better than his, the both of us would have to pay for the expenses that were incurred by the customers.

We looked at each other and nodded. She turned and told the boss that if the dishes that we made were indeed better than his, he will not charge a single cent to any of the customers.

Without batting an eyelid, the boss accepted it! We were amazed at his acceptance of the other end of the bargain.

With a lofty look and a sarcastic tone, he said that we will never be able to do it. We were baffled by his statement and asked why he was so confident that we could never come up with something better than what his restaurant has to offer.

He simply said that we are too young and too inexperience."

He took a quick sip from his cup. He was smiling gleefully, like a child who was up to some mischief.

A shuffling of feet was heard. It belonged to my grandma.

My dad push the other rocking chair and set it beside my grandpa.

She placed her hands on the cane woven rocking chair and eased herself slowly into it. Aunt poured a cup of tea for her and then moved to the corner where she previously occupied.

He took a look at her with a smile, showing all his pearlies whites, dentures to be exact.

And then, the magic of memories reminiscence started again...

"The both of us moved to the kitchen with the boss in tow. The moment we stepped into the kitchen, he ordered all his staffs to stop work. He pulled the chef to one side and told him that we are going to challenge him.

The chef took a look at us and sniggered. He jerked his big fat thumb at us and pointed it down.

He told us that if we could make something better than his, he would quit his post at the drop of the hat. We then asked him whether did he make the dishes that was being served to us.

He arrogantly nodded his head and says that there would be no one who could make any dishes better than his. We nodded our head and told him that we would do our best.

He laughed at us and ask us what dishes we would make. She told him that she would make the Siew Mai and I, the noodles. The same exact dishes which he is so proud of.

He nodded his head snobbishly and with a wave of his hand, tell us to go ahead.

We looked at each other and told ourselves that we will bring out the best of what we have to offered to show them.

I started preparing the mix for the dough and she too, started the preparation for the skin of Siew Mai.

When the both of us started kneading at the same time, the chef let out a gasp. The boss looked at him and asked him what's wrong. He simply looked at the both of us and told the boss that we do not look like rookies.

To him, the fluidity and smoothness of our movements was out of his expectations.

The thinner than paper thin Siew Mai skin and the impossibly long noodles struck him with awe.

He stood there with his mouth opened wide and his hands trembling slightly. The boss stood coolly beside the chef and kept on assuring that we would not be able to make anything that was better.

By the time we were done, the boss of the inn has already gathered ten customers to be the judges. He said that it would be unfair if he was to taste the dishes.

I told him that I had no objections and I threw a look at her for approval. She told the boss that it doesn't matter who are the judges. The taste buds of anyone would tell the truth...

The boss was hard hitted by her confidence and both his face and neck turn red again. However, this time he kept his cool, turned towards the ten judges with a smile and reminded them to judge fairly.

She presented her Siew Mai to the ten customers first. The moment the ten judges took the first bite, the results were instantaneous..."

He smiled at grandma and then took a long draw from the tea cup that he has been holding on all this while.

The moon was now shining on her instead of my grandpa.

She was full of smiles ever since she sat down in the old cane woven rocking chair. Her hands were no longer trembling, she looked fairer, and her wrinkles seems to become less.

The restless light breeze was dancing with her hair. She suddenly looked young, like the time she was, in the yellowish photos...

To be continued