Sandra stared out, "Is this right place? I know I have a cousin who lives down on Louis and cradle but this couldn't be it." The words alone stuck out like a Indian market, screaming hot and musty, "BIG BANGERS DELI", in red intoxicating letters, three feet high each, and the top was the shape of the Taj Mahal.  "Okay I guess this is is, what other Eastern deli would have the Taj Mahal as its pinnacle? "

Walking in, a tall, lanky guy brushed past her, in a plaid buttoned, down shirt, rolled up sleeves and gray khaki pants, plus a belt that held up his pants tightly, as if there was anything at all to hold in, after all.



This guy reeked of common seeds and sweat, his big, bulging glasses were the last thing she noticed before entering the establishment.  Walking in; it was noon rush, and the place was jumpin'; families with small tykes strode everywhere, it was Friday, she was surprised though at how so many people managed to decide to come here, all at one time.





On the far corner was a family of four Hindus, on the right corner; an Egyptian famil,  two tables over was group of Somali men, and in front of her were three tables full of older, Indian women; sitting with saris tucked over themselves, their voices seemingly being the only ones in a hushed manner.



Loud gestures came from the far table, "slap, slap crunch crunch." A mixture of conversations is all she heard:



"No, no no you got it all wrong", a debate in full throttle at the Somalian table.

  "Don't let me tell you, what happened,"



 "It was at work",



"You don't say"

 "That couldn't have happened to my poor Pishon" coming from the Hindu table. And from the other far table, you won't be sorry, this is something I've been telling you it happens to us all.





Sandra's interview with the deli man went hazily, she remembered....So after that, she decided to make a brief run in with Josephine, another Muslim girl who she remembered spending days with at a similar deli.Upon entering Josephine's house, Josephine gave her the low down on what was happening to some kids from her high school, and asked Sandra what she was up to.







Joe seemed mildly impressed and made it her business to ask about Chris, Lalise, Miles and Riley as well as other kids they sat with, at lunch,  in high school.  Josephine -Joe they called her...was intrigued to know about the goings-on of some people. and spoke her mind rather indignantly at some responses.



"That ain't right, I know you all used to be friends", and continued her slang with "that's why I'm asking.  You heard about  Milo? Yeah, he served some time for drug obsession.....ah huh, I swear that's why I'm tryin' to do something with my life, Yeah me and my daughter live over there on Halifax , we tryin' to get a permanent place further up north, closer to my work, yuh know what I'm sayin'? Cuz my mom's lives over there and yeahhhhhh girl, we don't want to be on the bus all the time, too many hood rats."







She stopped suddenly to glance at a Buick pullin' out of the driveway. Sandra glanced too, wandering if she recognized the individual.





Joe continued, "Well, yuhhh see that? Reggy, my ex, had tossed my stuff out, and then he tried to come and find me, but I ain't hearin' none of that cuz I got to be at work. My friends in the hospital, I'm headin' over there right now, taking the 5."



"Oh, I'll right I should get goin' " said Sandra. The sun was beginning to set, and Sandra still had to get home to jot some notes on the deli, before dark, and before writing ideas were depleted.  She had a few calls to take care of as well, for Ron, the studio's manager who wanted her to ask her about the studio's mortgage and if they were making ends meet this month.  She hoped so, as this was the month that she'd return to school, and there were many things to do.











Josephine sat looking at her.  Sandra knew what was going to happen this happened every time she tried to leave Joe's house...And she really didn't have time for it.  She had a few more hours to put together things at her home, and she didn't really have time for this nonsense....But Joe did it once more.."You want some Chapati?" she asked.





"Chapatti.  Where the heck did Joe learn to cook Chapatti?"Sandra mused.  Sandra was tired, she took a her diet coke that she brought with her, from her car, and sat down on the sofa, she wandered for how long Joe would be in the kitchen fumbling around behind the shaded door that ran, but she just decided to fish out her cell, and call a few people while she waited...A fast meal on her way out, "Why not?" she thought











Joe was a short,  Asian girl, whose family immigrated from Laos.  Attentive, creative and hard working: she lived in a four, bedroom home, on Lexington.  Her home smelled of cat, FUD, and had a look of an artist, brightly featured with an art room mural with cats  that wore sweaters, and characters that resembled veggie tales.  Green painted rustic walls, and an Aztec looking painting.  Her bedroom was in the right corner, a small door way led into it.  A high, ceiling doorway led into a high, ceiling kitchen, with plants.  The aura felt unfamiliar, yet pleasant, with books, antique radiophones, and more plants.  The upholstery reeked of white cat hair, that stuck to chest drawers that held stereo equipment not entertainment centers.  It was not the run of the mill emptiness, that made most homes.  It was the home of natives, juxtaposed with an elder feeling, crafty reefs hung on the doors."Home Sweet Home".  All throughout the house you found technology on top of technology, Wii boxes sitting on top of clock radios, clock radios, sitting over grey stereo systems, held there by shoe boxes that stood as their base, instead of shelves...



The whole house felt like you were stepping out of one garage sale, only to step into the home of another garage sale, picturesque. 



Josephine could tell you stories of friends.  Friends of intelligent people she knew from around the globe.   Friends who came to the US only to graduate and look for jobs that would make them a lot of money...their individual situations changing, but somehow managing to be the same...





As Sandra sat there she thought of the front yard of her own house, you expected that the kitchen would be as pleasant. The bathroom was the only place unexploited by all the art and such.  Yes, Josephine may have been peculiar but some things suggested otherwise, some things suggested that the only thing Josephine did was study and eat in the home. 



Josephine was the "go to" person for anything that was to be done, or planned out, she had her hands in the pots of many and could put together a feast for 20 without thinking twice about it...



 "I grew up with 11 brothers and sisters" is what she said all the time....Thinking of this Sandra walked into the kitchen.  "Can i be of any help in here?" Sandra asked Joe. Joe gave her a chopping knife and told her to start chopping, my eyes are going to start crying, she said.  And Sandra knew her strength in  this area, and just started chopping alongside her..







And with that, Joe she was back to cutting onions and tossing them into a frying band with the quick shuffling of the cutting knife across the board....When you talked to Joe, Sandra thought, you talked to her while she was cooking. Joe must be in her own world...standing just below the cabinetry that flooded its orange light at you from above, and a women's makeup mirror placed just in the right corner, so that when you were cooking, you weren't just cooking, you were reminding yourself like a driver in a car looking in the rear view mirror, that you were on a mission, and your hair and your appearance needed to be in place while you did just that..and so with that you looked on, and continued talking with your friends, and gossipped and talked about the newest languages you were learning, and what the words meant to you.....

More on Sandra in an earlier post:



http://trincarl07.blogspot.com/2010/07/sandra.html 

http://trincarl07.blogspot.com/2010/07/brenda.html

http://trincarl07.blogspot.com/2012/01/sandra-finally-made-it-to-her-own-home.html[image error]