The exquisite aroma wafting from the kitchen prompted me to leave my friends on the porch to get closer to the source. There they were, a young woman and a young man, playfully at work creating an authentic Asian meal for our gang of eight old folks. Apekshya, a government major from Nepal, graduated from Bowdoin this past June. Her friend Hassaan, an English major from Pakistan, will be entering his senior year this fall. Apekshya, who is staying with us this summer, had never cooked a meal for a large group before, so she asked Hassaan to help out.

They bantered and chattered and worried and joked throughout the process. “Is that enough rice?” “Don’t overcook the spinach.” “Which pot would be best?” And on and on…

At 8:05 p.m. the ten of us sat down at a long oval table to partake of the feast: a heaping bowl of biryani; potatoes cooked in an exotic way; and fried spinach. Spices and herbs played a major role: cloves, cardamom, turmeric, cilantro, mint, ginger, and bay leaves, among others.

The wine (in my case fake beer) and conversation flowed. We learned about Apekshya’s summer job; she’s helping edit a book by her government professor. Incidentally, this brilliant and charming young woman wrote her honors thesis on female suicide bombers. We learned about Hassaan’s summer fellowship; he got a generous stipend to write short stores. And we talked about his side job coaching an older man who’s writing his memoir.

We four older couples brought more than appetites to the table. We’ve taken several trips together over the last 15 years (to Quebec City, France, Italy, Greece and the British Virgin Islands) so we have many stories to share. Apekshya and Hassaan seemed amused at the repartee, laughing along with everyone else. They didn’t even mind when I tossed in a racy joke, although I might have heard Apekshya blurt out something, which sounded like, “Oh, God, David!.”

Everyone participated equally in the conversation; no one dominated. Age and cultural differences didn’t matter. We were building connections, not walls.

Old fashioned American ice cream topped off the fabulous three-hour meal.

Apekshya and Hassaan came away with Amazon gift cards (we all chipped in) and the knowledge that “old” need not equal boring. “You guys are so fun,” wrote Hassaan in a follow-up email.” “I had an amazing time,” reflected Apekshya, “it felt like home.”

We oldsters came away with hope for the world, if Apekshya and Hassaan are representative of future leaders.

We all emerged knowing that more light can shine when walls come down.

———

David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary or suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns at dtreadw575@aol.com.