The taste of freedom

The taste of freedom
He had forgotten

Until he saw a cafe
Crossroads, was its name
Where you had to petition
Your lunch order

Regular or medium?
Serve me a bloody thaali of the whole thing, he said
Plus a topping
Some side dish too

We've spoken to the authorities
They say, as a special case, you can have a tiny portion
Nothing is free, you see
In this free land of our

Either you pay for the meal
Or you cook the damn thing
Experience has taught us that too much of a good thing
Give the wretched of the land, a tummy upset