Tea for Two Tuesday

"This is unbelievable," I grunted. None of the 'licensed' yellow rickshaws were anywhere in sight from where I stood in Gulshan 1 after my classes had ended around 4pm that Tuesday. After another 20 minutes of waiting and muttering to myself, I saw one approaching and waved at him before anyone else could and climbed aboard as it halted a foot away from me. 

I didn't really want to deal with this today. It was a weekday; I had plenty of studies, assignments and even a student to deal with once I returned home. The thought of the mountain load of due work made me cringe a little. 

I heard a low beep. "Where are you?" the text message said. 

"On my way," I sent out promptly and deliberated on my apology speech mentally. 

Scurrying my way through the lane in Banani where the rickshaw had dropped me off, I eventually made it to 'Chatime Bangladesh' located in Kemal Ataturk Avenue. As I entered the cozily set café, I spotted her sitting at the corner booth. 

"This place looks great," I tried to lighten up the mood.

Suraiya seemed to agree and said it was the best café for any tea lover. 

Before I clumsily blurted out my apology for not being able to attend her birthday party last week (which had led her to be so mad at me and hence I was trying to make it up to her that day), I decided to take a look at the menu. 

There was a plethora of beverage items to choose from: a variety of milk teas, smoothies, oriental pop and fruit teas, QQ slurpies and a handful of delectable mousses to go along perfectly with your drink. The prices were reasonable too ranging between about Tk100 and Tk300.                  

"One pearl milk tea, please," Suraiya and I both requested to the waiter, unintentionally in unison. My best friend burst into laughter, finally breaking the icy silence as she recalled our habit of ordering the same thing every time we went out to eat.

"Do you know about Tea for Two Tuesday?" she asked sipping her tea, becoming more normal and forgiving by minute. 

"I'm sorry for not making it last week," I smiled apologetically as I curiously Googled 'Tea for Two Tuesday' – a legit day held on 15th March when two or more people enjoy a cup of tea together. 

Sometimes a warm cup of tea on a Tuesday evening is all you need to fix a friendship and forge stronger bonds. 

By  Nafisa Faruque

Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed