It’s only Tuesday, seriously I thought it was already Friday. Monday went by in a fast blur.

When I got to work this morning, I had like 20 reminders going off at once, reminding me that there was yet another teams meeting about the new system. I completely forgot about this teams session. I am excited but I mean seriously another meeting, I haven’t even had a chance to fully absorb everything, and the meetings are coming one after the other. I am getting tired of winging it. Yes, I am aware the saying is “Fake it till you make it,”

I thought that after the teams meeting, my day would be simple and easy and a walk in the park. I just didn’t expect the park to be Jurassic Park. I very seldom talk to other branches over the phone, e-mail, whatsapps and messengers are all my preferred methods of communication. I hate talking on the phone and for good reason. I received a phone call from one of our clients that needed some help from another branch.

Long story short, I was given a lecture on how to do my job by two people from that branch and then they both asked me a simple yet deadly question. Did I understand how the system works. That was the straw that broke this camel’s back. I very seldom use my real name and position when I deal with other branches, what does my position in the company have to do with the fact that a client needs assistance? For all they know I could be an undercover CEO and I was testing them. Everyone knows me as Bobby, so when I use my real name, you know you should run, run fast and you better start running now, because you have awoken the professional beast in me and I will come after you with the English dictionary and use jargon and big jaw breakers that will send you crying for your mummy, just kidding…NOT

I wasn’t rude, I was polite, and I thanked my two lectures for their words of wisdom, and I completely understand that a person in their position at the branch could only do so much and what I was asking was something only someone with more authority could assist me with. If they could transfer my call to someone more senior it would be appreciated. I didn’t need to say that, because all they had to do was listen to the client and they would have seen that all the customer needed was to fill out a standard POPI form and his credentials would automatedly be verified. They wanted to play hard ball, so I just had to have my fun, I like having fun with difficult people. Life is too short to be so boring man. I did try sending my new bff’s from the other branch a message, but unfortunately there was and still is only one tick. To the blocked line naughty Bobby goes.

Then when I got home, I was all for takeaways and lots of junk food and my old faithful friend COKE. My dad had other ideas; he was crying that all he asks if for is a simple curry. Nothing fancy and none of that weird food I make, just a simple curry. He of course had no idea that I was looking a neck to break and his was very close to being snapped by me. Every day, every meal I make, and all this man wants is a simple curry. From now on, I am only going to make curry and his going to be eating curry till it comes out his ears and Lord help him if he complains.

The only thing that was not frozen was a tray of neckbones and well since I couldn’t break any necks, I might as well make neck curry and eat my frustration away.

Verdict, it was okay, I am not really a neckbone fan. I like bones with marrow, and although neckbone is a bone there just isn’t enough marrow for my liking. My father liked it to an extent. He didn’t like the fact that I had added green peppers. My mother makes her neckbone with curry and my dad never complained. Now I added green peppers and suddenly his Gordon Ramsamy. I give up.

Ingredients:

• 2 x packs Neckbone.
• 1 x onion, finely chopped.
• A few sprigs curry leaves.
• 4 x tomatoes, blanched and liquidized.
• 1 x green pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped.
• 2 x tbsp Masala.
• ¼ x tsp turmeric powder.
• ½ x tsp jeera powder.
• ½ x tsp dhania powder.
• ½ x tsp ginger garlic paste.
• Salt to taste.

Method:

• Heat some oil in a pot.
• Add the onions, green peppers, curry leaves and salt.
• Sauté till the onion edges start to go light brown.
• Add the liquidized tomatoes, cover the pot, and allow to cook till the tomatoes have released all their juices.
• Add in the ginger garlic paste and give it a good stir.
• Add in the spices and mix.
• Cook for a few minutes uncovered.
• Add the neckbone pieces and toss so that they are coated with the spices.
• Add enough boiling water so that the bones are covered.
• Cover the pot and allow to cook till the meat is soft and the gravy has thickened.
• You might need to add more boiling water to prevent the meat from sticking to the pot and burning.