Sunday Night Soup Showdown

Diyah taste tests her famous chicken noodle soup. [Photo by Owen Spillios-Hunter]

The knife slams against a wooden board. Four people cram into the room.  Clattering dishes and the hum of the washing machine reverberate behind a wall of voices. Hungry students clash in the small galley kitchen, each with competing ideals for a late Sunday night dinner.

Diyah anxiously putters around, weaving in and out of the other bodies to throw away some packaging. Garlic, herbs, onions, and more are thrown into the sizzling instapot. She’s making her famous chicken noodle soup. 

Her focus is split between the garlic bread in the oven, the noodles boiling on the stove, and the soup on the opposite counter. Soon it’s all too much. 

“Sometimes I just spin in circles ‘till I remember,” she says. 

More is plaguing her mind than supper. She’s put in an application for the Ottawa Fringe Festival. She’ll find out if her name was drawn from the lottery in a matter of minutes. The play she’s producing, alongside a friend, will place a therapy session in a WWE arena. 

Adding fuel to the fire, a scrappy little dog joins the mix, nipping at her heels, hoping a stray vegetable will fall his way. Diyah excitedly recounts that he’s already had his fill: he caught one of the seven bits of carrot he was graciously offered moments earlier. A good showing. 

He normally misses them all. 

Once the instant pot is safely sealed with the soup inside, she wanders over to the living room for a break from the chaos. The dog trots down the hallway after her, swerving back and forth, tongue wagging. 

Diyah plops on the couch and pulls out her phone. Her face is glued to the screen, constantly refreshing her messages. A dimple on her right cheek pops in and out of existence as she purses her lips. Soon she has her answer.

The therapy room showdown will have to wait another year.

At least she can enjoy some delicious soup.