Not ready to be curried away…
Undeterred by the Coronavirus lockdown, the Poolie NON-vegetarian Curry Club who meet a few Thursdays a year for an Indian meal, a few lagers and a lot of Pools banter, decided to attend a virtual meeting, organised by Nick Loughlin through the Zoom App.
The get-together was scheduled for just after the NHS clap which, despite its dodgy title, celebrates the hard work of not only the nursing staff and doctors but also all key workers who put their lives at risk on a daily basis to help people overcome this deadly threat.
A few of the members had ordered a takeaway for the occasion and some even praised the newly-reopened Mumbai. Others, like me had prepared their own versions.
I cheated and defrosted a Vegan curry I had made last week and some pilau rice. But to stick to the Club’s NON-vegetarian ethos, I also grilled a pair of tandoori chicken legs.
So, just after 8pm, I settled in the conservatory and began trying in vain to log onto the Zoom meeting. The hitch was something to do with my settings.
As I couldn’t join in, I decided to dine alone and reluctantly downed my now-overcooked, dry Indian feast washed down with my first beer of the year.
However, if you really know me, you will no doubt realise that I’m not one to admit defeat very easily.
I kept on trying and more by luck than judgement and a bit of help from my friends, I managed to join the Curry Club well after 9pm. Apart from organiser, Nick, other club members present were Phil, Nik, Stuart, Paul, Phil, John, Bob, Mark… Ron was there too.
The banter was already in full flow by the time my ugly mug appeared on the screen. The usual suspects had already consumed their Indian offerings, including an omelette. Wine and beer flowed. Two quizzes expertly compiled by Phil kept the conversation rolling. The evening was peppered here and there with Pools memories and a few odourless farts and burps.
Later, the London-based German comedian Henning Wehn, a good friend of Stuart’s, popped up after his recording of “Have I Got News For You” episode, which was aired on Friday evening.
As the gathering drew to a close, we made the promise of visiting Mumbay for our first Indian meal after lockdown.
Namaste!
