Balancing

Bhayya, one plate pani puri please-
He is quick to ready a plate;
Puris placed demurely
Broken only at the top-
(As though an egg is tapped on its top for yolk)
Stuffed with appetising fillings:
Boiled potatoes, onions, chopped chillies-
And then the elixir of hunger:
Meeta and tika - jaljeera pani
A rush now- that ends with a hiss when spicy masala hits the palate
Bhayya gets ready with one after the other;
Stirring the urge to be lost in crunchy delight-
A faint virtue develops-
That of 'Balancing';
The mouth, the puris and my shaky hands;
Quite tactfully blended; along with the salt from bhayya's hands,
All until he signals- "hogaya!"