The Price of Donuts

The most recent time I had a donut was at CS Tea Time: A weekly gettogether of fellow CS nerds at the department of Computer Sciences at UT Austin. Surprisingly this is one of the few times when the samosa is valued more than a donut. Although unverified, a samosa may be bartered for as much as 2 or 3 chocolate and cheese filled donuts. Not that I am any different, I am one of the first to grab a samosa, then one for Priyanka.... but then while I wait for a second round of samosas, I do justice to the donuts, pick a glazed one up, and relish it reminiscing the days when that very bite was the best thing in the world....

My first memories of eating a donut was the "Monginis Doughnut" that amma would get. Amma would get it for chai naashta almost every Saturday, on her way back from work.. along with some veg puff pattice/chicken puff pattice.... I would wait with great anticipation....and after finishing off my share of chicken pattices, would relish the doughnut... telling amma how much I love them...

She would often tell stories of her first job, when the doughnut was her favorite snack... a means of celebrating the little joys of life... a commendation by her superiors... a small raise... a totaling error found.... Amma would spend about a rupee a day on traveling and food... The train and bus tickets would cost maybe 50 paise and she would spend the remaining 50 paise on donuts sometimes... it was a great luxury in those days for her... and she would enjoy every bite of that subtly sweetened cream in between the softest of O shaped bread, pretty much my reaction as a kid.

I remember buying donuts as a 10 year old kid... for about Rs. 5 and then later as a college kid for about Rs 8, which was about 16% of my Rs 50 daily allowance. As I've grown up, I have picked up a lot of my parents' traits... cherishing food and using it as a form of celebration...

The donuts we get here in Austin cost between 50 cents and a dollar (about 25-40 INR)... the prices have come a long way for me... but donuts are and always will remain special... One high calorie bite... and I'm that kid again...waiting for my hardworking mom to return from work, on a warm Saturday afternoon. Now can there be any high-enough price for that?