Tales and Stories

Chapter 5 - Chai

Baba Gene finished and as the contents of the cauldron came to the boil he threw in a cup of sugar, a handful of tea leaves, cinnamon bark, green cardamon and grated nutmeg. The aromatic fusion drifted out of the cave and attracted the attention of a nearby monkey. One look at the strange inhabitants of the cave, however, outweighed his desire for the sweet chai and he slunk away without hesitation.

“Very sweet.” Kifkef observed with intermeshed fingers. “Utterly heretical, of course but what else might I expect from an idolatrous religion of temples, gods with blue skins and the rest of the superstitious voodoo.”

He took the proffered chillum from Gene and with both hands clasped about its base he puffed like a steam engine to get it going.

“But now,” he wheezed, passing the chillum on to the senorita to his left, “This cave has become altogether too solemn. What is life without laughter and, might I say, how else should we meet death but with a full-hearted laugh?”

“Armed to the teeth?” Gypsy Lou suggested.

Kifkef considered this.

“Myself, I will have a bag of the finest rubies ready as baksheesh and maybe I will be able to buy myself a few more days. But in truth there is no price on a good sense of humour, though as my story will show, it can be something of a burden to always be the cause of others’ amusement...

The Story of the Comedian of Istanbul