the chai stall uncles roped me into something unexpected… again

thought i’d just swing by for a quick cup of chai, maybe exchange a few jokes with the uncles. but no—apparently, i’ve been promoted from “chai regular” to “unofficial problem solver.”

this time, the crisis wasn’t about shutting down the stall. nope. it was about a rivalry with another chai stall that had opened down the street. the uncles were dramatically convinced it was “the beginning of the end” for their beloved adda spot.

so what did they do? did they brainstorm marketing strategies? improve their menu? nope. they dragged me into it, asking, “beta, how do we win this chai war?”

long story short, i ended up standing in front of the new stall, pretending to be a chai critic (yes, that’s apparently a thing now). i gave them a serious review face, took a sip, and declared loudly, “hmm… not bad. but it’s missing that soul.”

did it work? who knows. but when i got back, the uncles were laughing like they’d just pulled off the greatest heist. and honestly, the chai did taste better after that. maybe it’s the laughter—or maybe i’m just too invested in this weird little saga.