The smell that took me back to a miracle

The sweet time of fall in Canada. I love it. I was in my apartment when I decided to go on a walk. That's when I smelled the faint smell of something that I smelled before, in fact ate before! It was a smell like no other, but this smell took me back to an old trip down memory lane. It all started when Christmas begun, and I finally decided to go to Pakistan. I always wanted to go, I never knew why. I had a feeling. A Pakistan feeling. The first day of winter, I packed up my belongings, booked my flight, and off I went the very next week. I was very excited, as if seeing my dream land wasn't enough. I decided to sleep on the airplane. Most people there were Indian, Pakistani, or Bangladesh. They were speaking a language. One that I could not understand, of course. When the plane finally landed, I got my bags and my carry-on and left the plane. I was in Pakistan! It was very cold. A tiny bit of snow. I looked around for my tour guide. There he was! His name was Asif. Off we went! We first went to my hotel, where I would be staying for 3 weeks. I put my luggage away in the closets. I looked around. Wow! So tidy. We then went to the Bazaar. I smelled lots of spices and food. It smelled so good! It was the most crowded place I ever saw! There were people all waving and smiling to me, I felt like it was home. There were also Raksha's, which Asif told me were like little buses. Then, I don't know why, we went into this old lady's house. I smelled something. It smelled very, very, good. Asif asked me to come sit down. He said we were having their special dish. Special dish! Boy was I excited. I heard about the special dish, but I didn't pay much attention to it. At last the old lady put down 3 plates of Biryani (That is what Asif called it.) I sniffed it. Yummy it smelled great! I picked up the spoon full of biriyani. Asif and the old lady were staring at me. I gulped, nervous to try it, and I popped the spoon into my mouth. And, oh my goodness! I had never tasted anything like it. It tasted like the best thing I ever had! It took me to a feeling. The Pakistani feeling I had before I came. It was a good feeling. The best I ever had. After some more biriyani and some more of the greatest feeling, I was full. I asked Asif if we could find some more biriyani restaurants, and he took me to about 10 different restaurants. He made me take some Mango Lassi, one of their special drinks. I sipped and I felt a cool breeze and nice smell of mango. It was like I just stepped into a refrigerator filled with fresh, juicy, tasty mango. After that I got some more biriyani. I was filled with delight! Then he gave me some julaybi a special dessert. A special dessert indeed! I wanted more! We ate our biriyani. I could just not get enough of it! It was too good! I asked for the recipe, and as we went to our hotel, I decided to try something new. It was time to make my own. I franticly rushed, as I had invited Asif and his family to dinner. When they finally came, we tasted my homemade biriyani. It tasted like no other! This was the best biriyani I ever had! More better than the restaurants biriyani! It took me to that nice, hot, yummy, spicy, amazing feeling I ever had! I loved it. I was having the time of my life here in Pakistan! Later, Asif finished the rest if the tour, and just like that, it was time to go home. I waved goodbye to everyone, and of I went, feeling sad that the trip was over, Which takes me back here, in Canada 2 years after, so when I smelled the hot, spicy, yummy smell, I went right over to the restaurant and had some biriyani, and that's when I had the urge to go back to Pakistan again. So I decided, I have to move there! I loved the warm, welcoming feeling people gave me the first time I went there. When I arrived again, Asif was there. He looked at me in shock, then smiled. I lived in an apartment, so I didn't have much to move. He took me straight to the bazaar again. This time I bought a couple of spices. Then we went to a familiar place. The old lady's house! I was excited. This time, when we entered, there was no smell of fresh, spicy, yummy biriyani. Instead there was people, lots of them, looking very sad, and gloomy. I was worried. What had happened 2 years ago? Where was the old lady? Then just like that, Asif gave me the sad news. The old lady, had gotten very sick after I left. I gulped. Then I thought to myself, I am not going to just sit around and do nothing. I was going to do something about it. I started getting out ingredients. People who were weeping saw what I was doing and decided to help. After about 40 minutes, it was done. A masterpiece, I should say. We went over to the hospital she was in, and surprised her with biriyani! She smiled. I felt a huge relief. We all enjoyed the biriyani, and two weeks later, she recovered fully! Thank god! I was so happy upon hearing this! I went to her house, and finally smelled the yummy smell of biriyani again! I was so happy, and Asif, the old lady, and I, ate the whole big pot of biriyani. The lady's name remained mysterious, and Asif said, nobody knows her name. I was a bit suspicious, but my hot, spicy, biriyani feeling, washed the suspicion away. I became the best Canadian biriyani cook, and if tourists came, I would take them to my shop, and make them taste my biriyani. They all loved it and always wanted more. I started to learn the Pakistani's native language, Urdu. I was delighted to learn such a language! I then became one of the best tutors, because I taught them English, but of course, I gave them biriyani every day. They loved it, and the students who I were tutoring, told other kids about me, and they told their parents, and by the next month, I had about 500 students! Can you believe that? I can't. Then just like that i started in my 20's and now I'm in my 60's. I had to retire. I am grateful for learning more about Pakistan, and when I decided to move here, I made the best decision of my life. I am very thankful that I get to live in such a place and here I live, happily ever after.