After walking for a while, I saw many food hotels and restaurants ahead.
In a hurry, I entered one of the restaurants.
After washing my hands and face properly, I sat at a table and started looking at the menu card.
Everything seemed quite expensive.
A normal rice and lentil porridge cost 80 taka, and two flatbreads were 40 taka.
But I was very hungry.
So I ordered four flatbreads, a portion of vegetable curry, and a poached egg.
After a short while, the food arrived.
Without wasting any time, I started eating quickly.
I was so hungry that it felt like I could finish everything.
I hadn't eaten since noon the previous day.
So it felt like my hunger was even greater.
The flatbreads went well with the vegetable curry.
I also noticed small pieces of meat in the curry, which made the taste even better.
After finishing quickly, I went to the washroom, washed my hands, and had just sat down when the waiter brought the bill.
Seeing the bill made my head spin.
I had spent 200 taka on just four small items.
The vegetable curry alone cost 100 taka never had I seen such expensive vegetables, not even at home.
But what could I do?
I was hungry, so I finished it all.
Now, I had to pay the bill.
After paying and leaving the restaurant, I started thinking about what to do next.
It was 11:30.
After thinking for a while, I decided to explore Chattogram city and see what it looked like.
I started walking again.
But as I walked, I realized the city couldn't be that close.
I would have to ask someone.
But whom?
I didn't know anyone here.
And I couldn't really talk to anyone freely.
What should I do, what should I do?
If friends were here, I wouldn't have to worry so much.
No, I couldn't think like that.
I had to handle this on my own, using my own wits.
So what could I do now?
I decided to go to a small shop, buy something, and ask for directions to the city while paying.
I saw a shop in the distance.
I hurried toward it.
The shop owner was an elderly man.
Good people like him usually answer kindly.
Inside the shop, I couldn't decide what to buy.
Then I remembered I didn't have water, so I took a bottle and went to the counter.
I asked the uncle,
"How much is this?"
"30 taka."
"Okay, uncle, how can I go to the city from here? I mean, I want to go to the shopping mall."
He said,
"You go straight from here and take a left.
You'll see a bus station.
Get on the bus and tell them you want to go to the city; they'll drop you near the shopping mall.
It's about an eight-minute walk to the bus station from here."
"Thank you, uncle. You've helped me a lot."
"Oh, what help!
It's our duty.
If someone doesn't know the way, we just show the correct route."
"Alright, thank you, uncle."
I paid him and left.
On the way, he said, "Come again to the shop."
What a kind man.
That's why elderly people usually give directions or help when you ask them something.
I started walking quickly and reached the bus station.
The uncle had said, "A bus comes here every 20 minutes."
It took me six minutes to reach here.
I thought the bus would arrive shortly.
Before I could stand there for long, the bus arrived.
I got on and said, "I want to go to the shopping mall."
Paying 50 taka, I sat down and moved toward the window.
The bus started moving.