Cookies

8:00 am

I wake up with a throbbing headache. The alarm keeps ringing. Beep,beep,beepbeep. I have to change that alarm. It's just too annoying.

I lazily rub my eyes, trying to open them. Even opening a tiny bit made my head ache even more. The soreness and the puffiness had still not gone.

I reach for the water on the side table and take a sip. It doesn't really help.

I get off the bed and groggily head to the mirror.

I look at myself.

I look horrible.

11:00 am

I look into the mirror again.

The shower and the hair do did help. But my eyes were still puffy.

I sigh, looking at the clock hanging from the wall. Only 11?

It feels like an eternity.

I jump on my bed again, and flip through a cook book.

I see a recipe for chocolate-chip cookies.

1:00 pm

The ingredients are in place.

I'm ready to cook.

I search for my apron, when suddenly my cellphone beeps.

Beep Beep. Beep Beep.

My heart almost skips a beat as I make a mad rush towards it.

I start sweating as the message loads, my hands shaking.

"Citibank: Win a million dollars just by answering one simple question"

I throw the phone on the counter and get back to cookie baking.

1:30 pm

The dough is ready, and I smile looking at it.

I dip my finger into the moist concoction and put it in my mouth.

Mmm...that's good!

I make small scoops and lay the dough in small amounts on the baking sheet.

Beep Beep. Beep Beep.

My phone again. I pick it up, once again very nervous.

As the message loads, the memories flood my mind and tears wet my eyes.

I hurriedly wipe them and look at the message.

"Sanya: Do u wana hang out dis fri nite?"

I don't bother to reply and keep the phone on the counter again, extremely annoyed.

3:00 pm

The cookies have been baked and were cooling on the rack.

I look at them, admiring my work.

Each of the 12 cookies looked scrumptious. Dark brown, with flecks of tiny chocolate chips.

I can't wait to dig into them.

I quickly make myself a large cup of coffee, grabbed my copy of 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist' along with two cookies and I sink into my bean bag chair.

I'm going to take a bite off my cookie, when my phone beeps again.

Beep Beep. Beep Beep.

With frustration, I pick up my phone and stare into it as the message loads.

I take a bite of the cookie.

I look at the message.

I smile.

I do make the best cookies, if I can say so myself!

Mmm..Joey's Pizza!

The recommendation to order in from this place came from a very unlikely source -- My mother. She's usually a "wholesome meal" kind of person, but this Sunday evening, she let loose and decided that we order in from this new Pizza place.

So the place in question (if you haven't read the title yet!) is Joey's Pizza. Since we were ordering in for the first time, we decided to go all out and order some outrageous stuff! So I decided to go in for the "Chicken Mania", which had the toppings -- Chicken Sausage, Chicken Salami, Plain Chicken and Onions. Ok so it does sound like KFC exploded on the Pizza or something, but for a Chicken lover like myself, it sounded like Paradise. My sister, on the other hand, decided on "Joey's Special". No, it wasn't two pizzas, à la Joey Tribbiani from F.R.I.E.N.D.S, this one had Chicken Salami, BBQ Chicken, Roast Chicken and Onions. So it doesn't really sound so different from the Chicken Mania pizza...but hey, it was Joey's Special! So it was obligatory for it to live up to Mr. Tribbiani, since it derives its name from him!

Mom, being vegetarian, stuck to Veg. Delite which had Capsicum, Mushrooms, Corn & Paneer (She substituted Black Olives for Paneer..she doesn't like them!)

After having decided the orders, I called in at exactly 8:30, and placed my order. The phone operator told me that the pizzas should reach us in about 40-45 minutes. Thinking it would hold true to its promise, all of us waited in baited breath, already drooling at the prospect of tasting potentially excellent pizzas.

9:10, and no pizzas. I became a little annoyed, since Dominos would usually have delivered the order by then. Still, we decided to wait for 10 more minutes.

9:30, and still no pizzas. I became much more annoyed, scowling at the menu card, deciding whether to call them or not.

9:40, nope, no pizza. I'm way beyond annoyed now, and so is everyone else. I decide to dial, when suddenly the bell rings. An angel arrives at the doorstep, taking the shape of a Pizza-delivery guy. The bill is paid quickly (495 bucks...not bad!) and we're ready to pounce at our pizzas.

The boxes are opened swiftly and skillfully (yes, we have experience!), but then confusion sets in. Which one is which? The boxes are not labelled, so you can't tell which one is which. One pizza is white, while the other is red. "Is that Chicken Sausage?" I ask, pointing at the red pizza. "I think that's my pizza cause it has onions!" my sister says, pointing at the white one. "Dude, both pizzas have onions!"

We finally sort things out, and eventually, the red one ended up with my sister and the white one with me. I dove into the chicken laden pizza and take a bite. What came next was almost a daze. I was in Pizza heaven! The succulent base, the soft melted cheese, the delicious chicken --- all came in perfect harmony to make a perfect pizza. Even Joey's Special pizza was delicious! Tribbiani will be proud! The size of the pizza was also so huge, I couldn't finish it all and had to save some for the next day!

Enough to say, Joey's has left me truly impressed. Dominos can go take a hike!

However, there are some downsides also.

1. Service can be faster!

2. They don't have any beverages!

3. For some strange reason, this particular branch serves NO PORK..so that means I can't have my favorite topping, Pepperoni! So I guess Dominos can stay back, because they make a good Pepperoni Pizza!

All in all, I'm certainly going to shift my loyalties a bit, and eat from Joey's whenever I can!

All hail Junk Food and Trans Fat!