I got up earlier than usual in the morning of my date with Asha.

We promised that we will both come up with a plan so that we will get to know each other better.

After much deliberation, I decided that I want to share my dreams with Asha. If she knew what I wanted to do in my life, I figured that should tell her the kind of person I am. That was the only thing that came to mind. For me, my dream was the most important treasure.

And my dream was to give back to my parents. I’m sure there are much cooler dreams I could’ve thought of but this was the first thing that came to mind.

I had always kept them on their toes but they never failed to come to my rescue. They have always been on my side. My parents, my treasure.

Both mom and dad are your ordinary office workers but was extremely generous, curious, ready to learn, and have always faced up to the many challenges life had thrown at them. Veterans of life, I should say.

I wanted to make them happy, put them at ease, to make them feel incredibly happy. I wanted to do this in my own powers.

My dream is to give back to my parents. Nothing would make me happier for Asha to learn what amazing parents I have.

The best thing is for her would be to meet them in person but given the sheer physical distance, this was not possible. So what to do…

That’s when I remembered. When I was small, come the weekend, three of us would often go to this large park out of the way.

I remember the boxed lunch mom would make for those trips. It was simple, rice balls and some deli assortments but the taste of eating with them on a picnic sheet was so good, one that I still remember.

That taste was because of my mom’s love.
That joy was because of my dad’s generosity.

That’s when it hit me. If I make that tasty lunch box that my mom used to make for our lunch together, that might tell Asha about the kind of people my parents are. That’s it! I’ll pack the lunch and we’ll head for the park and do a picnic, just like how we used to do it.

The plan is set. I’ll make the lunch box for two for a picnic on the grass at Central Park.

The lunch box that my mom would make have different flavors of rice balls, accompanied by sausages, egg cakes, fried chicken, and apples for dessert.

I would prepare the fried chicken from the night before. On the day, the rice will be freshly cooked with which I’ll make the rice balls and do the other deli menus. I’ll ask Toko-san who looks after me in New York to give me some of the dried seaweed for the rice balls.

Will Asha like the menu? The thought just got me excited that I couldn’t fall asleep. Can’t wait.