I went to Candies in the morning for breakfast.
It was crowded as I have grown to expect it to be these days. I am normally grumpy in the morning. This didn’t make it any better. I Tweeted and Facebooked saying how I needed to find a new breakfast spot. Then a familiar face, Cynthia (?), took my order. My hot coffee and tuna sandwich arrived. I spotted an empty barstool. Sat down and munched on the sandwich. Soon a table emptied and I moved there. Looked into the garden. Sipped coffee. Read a chapter from Tony Bourdain’s Medium Raw. The world slowly began to look beautiful again. I could heard the birds chirp. I could see the sunbeam burst through. Mollified I headed to the Khar fish market.
People have often questioned me on my love for, and advocacy of, Candies. It is crowded on most days. The service can’t manage the chaos. Most would find it intimidating. The food is precooked and heated in the microwave. Not really gourmet fare. The standards are wonky and your coffee could occasionally be too limp, as could be the sandwiches or the roast chicken. So why am I so loyal toCandies? Why did I look for it while I travelled in Malaysia last week.
Well I guess the answer is more right brained than left. One of those things that one can’t reason about. I guess we all need a touch of the familiar as we set out to explore the lonely world. You need your little nest you can come back to after navigating through the trials and tribulations that life throws at you. A place where you feel a familiar buzz. A place where you feel comfortable in. Enough at home to overlook the chaos and faults. Just like they had Central Perk at FRIENDS or Sinefield had its neighbourhood Diner.
Even I get frazzled by the crowds at Candies. I do gnash my teeth and go away occasionally. But I still know that in a world where everything in uncertain, there would always be a place for me at Candies.
Do you have your Candies? If not I hope you find one.
