The day before my next-door neighbour moved out, I prepared a humble dinner for her. In spite of the ready-made sauces (thanks to my friends in Singapore who sent them), it took me two full hours to get the food ready. And as with all events, we know that things do not always go the way we plan. It's been a while since I experienced Murphy's Law.
Despite my planning in advance and getting all the ingredients the night before, I forgot to thaw the meat before I left for my class that morning. I realised it only after I got home in the late afternoon and immediately went off to the supermarket again to get fresh meat. The trip to the supermarkets left me a little disoriented and it took me a while to gather my wits back to work on the next issue - how to optimise the two pots and few bowls that I had with me in my pitiful kitchen.
The whole meal preparation process turned out to be a mad rush to get the starter (Prawn noodles) and main course (Singapore curry) ready. I was fortunate that another neighbour whom I had also invited helped to cook the rice. And as the time drew near for the Guest-of-Honour to arrive, I still had dessert left to do.
I was planning to make corn starch pudding with Azuki beans. The Azuki beans were already cooked the night before to save time. But there was still not enough time in the end. But my other neighbour saved the day again when she brought dessert with her, along with the rice she had cooked, to my pleasant surprise - milk pudding and Japanese chestnut wagashi.
Although it was a drab evening that brought heavy rain and chilly winds, the mood at my place was a celebratory one. My next-door neighbour had found a job here. I think the best feeling in life is when you know your hard work paid off. We were really happy for her.
It was with a great sense of satisfaction that I received the words "Gochisousama deshita" * from my guests at the end of the meal. As I wrapped up the event for the day, I couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy that we would all be going our separate ways soon.
On a lighter note, I am excited that I will soon be able to eat the original prawn noodles and Singapore curry in a hawker centre. I can imagine me recounting my Kyoto experiences and talking about the amazing people I have met here, with the people waiting for me in Singapore ^^
An expression used to express appreciation for the food after eating. "Gochisou" literally means "a feast".
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