Chai (Kenyan tea) which is a mixture of milk, sugar, tea leaves, and boiling hot water is served daily at 10:30 AM. I don't know of a Kenyan (baby, teen, or grandmother) who doesn't take Chai (you don't have chai, you don't drink chai, you take chai.) First rule of Chai: If you come, you must take. Try sitting without a mug of chai in your hand and it quickly becomes awkward...Doctoriae no Chai today?... Doctoriae will you take chai?...Doctoriae why don't you take chai?...Doctoriae how can you not take chai?
Second Rule of Chai: You must retain the mug in your hand at all times like the ladies above. Like a Nascar fan and his beer, a fisherman and his rod, or a prom king and his queen, a chai-drinker and his mug are inseparable.
Third Rule of Chai: If you think something is more important than chai time...take a look around. At Chai Time (10:30 AM) everything in the hospital stops. Doctors in ER retreat to the chai room. Clerks disappear to the Jiccho. Scrub Techs descrub. Nurses are suddenly done rounding. For a brief moment the earth stops rotating.
Fourth Role of Chai: Chai is the high-octane petrol that keeps one going. It's served piping hot to warm the tummy. It's loaded with sugar for instant energy. It's loaded with whole milk (straight from the cow) for high fat long term energy. Lastly, the chai leaves are loaded with caffeine to keep you alert.
I did ask a friend; Would you go a day without Chai? "That, I would even remain a single day without Chai....it would be unimaginable."
3 comments:
love it, and I'm craving some chia right about now
Oh does this bring back memories and it is servied so very hot I can't drink it! Did Nancy and Sarah like the American chai from tea bags? Mom F
Since I can hardly go a day without Chai, I am glad to know that the verb in the sentence is "take". I love that. I don't think a US hospital would ever stop everything and line up at the coffee cart. Wouldn't that be a sight now. It would be a good break if we could ever do it. I won't hold my breath, but I will enjoy my Chai.
Kathy in Bend.
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