We know what ‘leftovers time’ means. No, not ‘leftover time.’ Not even ‘left overtime’ nor ‘left over time.’ The one that I am going to talk about is where left and over come together and the ‘s’ determines the direction that life takes.
‘Obviously, nothing to do with left wing or right wing in politics,’ asked Specky, my wife, as she finds politics much more meaningless than daily newspapers in India think it is.
I said, ‘Nothing to do with politics.’ In fact, I find politics a lot like a soap opera – full of drama, but without the likable characters. Or it is more like a game of musical chairs, where everyone is scrambling for a seat, but no one wants to sit down and do any work. I added. ‘It isn’t about the limited time left after a certain age nor about time being trounced by those who are anyway left floundering in the power struggle in Indian politics.’ The three words – left, over, and time – have a multi-layered existence.
Specky mulled over this and asked cautiously, ‘What is that doing in leftovers?’
‘It is there because it gives life to being leftover,’ I said.
Leftovers are philanthropists. Life-givers. Lifesavers. Call them by any other name and they will still be that teeny-weeny heartbeat of life that helps a day be less exhausting. All one needs to do is to open the fridge and spend a couple of minutes in utter silence and awe at all the work done in the past week.
‘Take your pick!’ shout the leftovers, ‘Your choice matters!’ No one says, ‘Take me’ and this is what makes them a notch better than MLAs and MPs who now do not have a ticket for the next election. Some of us choose to call them introverts but they are the ones who are quietly waiting for their time to emerge out of the shadows. They have allowed the gravy, hints, and seasons of their curry to get thicker and better. Time is the best cook is the motto that they follow, and they know that every life does what it must, which is the same as every good thought of a writer turns into a readable format. Publishers and readers need to understand the gravity of this philosophy and so must the electorate during any election. Another maxim they follow is that life always grants second and third chances. Specky knows this well as she takes ages to drink that one cup of tea, and she always wants her next sip to sizzle hot. You get the drift, I presume.
I call leftovers the Cinderellas of the culinary world. They move over from the remotest corner of the fridge right on to the plate. The reheating transforms them to become the star of a meal in just a few seconds. As I have said before, they are now bursting with flavours that have improved with age. It does not matter if the dish is leftover lasagna or hing-jeera aloo sabzi or even the half plate of veg-noodles that Indra, my grandson, did not want to finish. These leftovers have a broad mindset and are willing to be a part of my extreme and wayward culinary experiments. I do a rumba-samba with mix-in-match and the result is always a winner for the tastebuds.
The sequence is always the same.
Too tired to think of what to cook?
Answer: Leftover this or that with a little this or that.
Feeling exhausted after binge-watching a show on the TV?
Answer: Leftover this or that with a little this or that.
Need a quick snack?
Answer: Leftover this or that with a little this or that.
Sudden arrival of guests who want something to eat without you getting lost in the kitchen?
Answer: Leftover this or that with a little this or that.
Want to continue reading that book with a minimal gap?
Answer: Leftover this or that with a little this or that.
Leftovers never disappoint. They are never judgmental. They are the eco-warriors in the heart of every home. They are the ones who help us improve our fiscal stature by letting us know that every morsel wasted ends up increasing the size of the dumpsite of smashed-up dreams. They help you understand that a wee-twist or a wee-mix redirects creativity to turn every moment in life into a masterpiece. Leftovers are sustainability in action.
It is time even for CEOs and ex-founders of major corporations to know that we are at an age of leftovers. Start looking beyond ‘fresh talent’ and aim for ‘wholesome experience.’ Well, if Narayana Murthy reads this and gets to the heart of the issue, he may just decide to send me an offer-letter in my mid-sixties.
.
.
.
Arvind Passey
Written on 11 February 2025
.
805 words
