Early morning, in the home of that elderly and typical Bangalore couple, Mr and Mrs.Rao….morning coffee, and the usual toast-and-butter, had just been eaten, and the newspaper read.

Mrs. Rao went into the kitchen, and then peeped out and asked her husband, "So what would you like for lunch today?"

"Well, a little hot sambar in this cold weather would be great," he replied, smacking his lips.

"OK, then, I’ll make some onion sambar and potato roast," Mrs Rao said, but was staggered to see her husband burst into the kitchen with a very alarmed expression on his face.

"Onion Sambar!" he exclaimed. "Did I hear you say ‘onion sambar’?"

"Yes, why?" stammered a puzzled Mrs Rao.

"ONIONS? No way you are going to liquidate our valuable investment!" cried Mr Rao, springing forward in front of the onion basket. "Each of those onions is already worth a fortune, and probably it’s going to appreciate even further!"

He showed Mrs Rao the morning newspaper (she had not watched the news on television the previous night), and together, they tenderly carried the onions into their bedroom, where they carefully put them in the locker of their steel cupboard.

"The maid won’t be able to get her hands on them now," said a relieved Mr Rao. "And those neighbours of ours…they’ll come around, wanting to borrow a couple of onions….no need to tell them that we have any," Mr Rao cautioned his wife. Mrs Rao nodded her agreement.

"The last time this happened, Indian people rose in revolt," said Mr Rao reminiscently. "I wonder what will happen this time?"

"Well, I can’t predict anything except our immediate future, which does not include onion sambar," retorted Mrs. Rao.

Mrs Rao was scared to suggest any other vegetable, as nothing was below Rs. 50 a kg….they decided to have a cup of milk each (before the prices went up!)….they needed to lose weight, anyway…

We’ll leave them, planning to watch the evening news and then decide whether to leave the onions locked up or to bring them out…..

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