A DizZyINg NEW YEAR
So… after a fairly enjoyable Christmas and a likewise ‘Kali Pujo’, the only thing to look forward to was the 31st. And the plans were already lining up with a couple of old friends planning a rendezvous at Hiland Park and my beloved ‘para’ friends planning a covert outing, which would ultimately turn disastrous, and will make it one of the most memorable New Year Eves ever!
My school friends had planned a meet as well, but it had indeed been a long time since I had seen Aparajita and Soumya. And I reckoned it would be a little unfair to ignore the two lovebirds again since I’ve been sort of ‘not’ accepting their ‘invitations’ or ‘plans’ during the course of the year after a fallout during February-March… but then, let’s not cling to the past… So I had to cancel the plans with my school pals, and as far as I know, they eventually didn’t meet that day either. I don’t believe I was the cause.
In any case, a little surprise was waiting for me at Hiland Park (when I got there 20 minutes late; I’m eventually growing out of my habit of reaching everywhere before time!) as the two were flanked by another old friend I didn’t expect to see, frankly! It was mostly catching up with each other and reminiscing old times, sitting there with Soumya, Sanchari and Aparajita… and it got kinda boring… apparently, they were badly missing my jokes (Phew! At least three people miss them). I contradicted them; they weren’t missing them as badly as I was! And funnily enough, this comment garnered a few chuckles.
Anyways, I excused myself an hour and a half later for the “date” with my para pals, who, as I mentioned before, were planning a covert little operation, which would cease to remain covert at the end of the evening… but let’s not go out of sequence!
I came to the Tollygunge tram depot (20 minutes early! My bad!) where the big Babu-da showed up first, and we were both feeling rather hungry (even though I had eaten something; don’t remember what, at Hiland Park), and so decided to gobble a few Reshmi Kebabs until the others came calling. As the rest gathered in half an hour, we took a bus and headed for Topshia. Apparently, we were headed for Chinatown… so now comes the question: why cover the distance when you can get booze and chopsticks much closer to home (and maybe even for less dough)? To start off, there was a minimal chance of someone we know catching us “drinking” at far off Chinatown… and secondly, a couple of my friends had their friends who met at Chinatown to drink every 31st, it was their ‘year-end tradition’ or something!
So I was off, riding from Hiland Park, Tollygunge and then back to Bypass, for Topshia… and quite suddenly, I was seated at a plush table with seven others, who were ordering something or the other, and Ripujoy-da began consulting me for drinks.
Ya, I was about to lose my ‘drinking virginity’, which I had protected like an 18th century maiden all this time, even after some trips to nightclubs and stuff! To be fairly honest, I’ve felt like drinking for the past few days. And reasons notwithstanding, this was an opportunity… and I said to myself, “what the heck!” and I said to Ripujoy-da, “let’s go for whisky!”
Even with Limca and ice-cubes, let me guarantee you, the taste is AWEFUL! I was wondering after the first sip why people waste their money (a nib cost us around 150, I think, and me and Ripujoy-da were sharing) on this shit when they can waste a hundred bucks in a hundred constructive ways. I finished my first peg, not too willing for the second, but I couldn’t just have one peg and let go! So next came a small one (I made this) and this was as bad as the former. Then I tried one small raw, and that was worse (what was I expecting!) and then another with three ice-cubes, and to my slight disbelief, I was a little dizzy… and its from this point onwards that things get a little blurry and I have to wrestle my mind in order to locate the details.
I think I went for a couple of more pegs after that. And I was asking Ripujoy-da, seriously enough, if I’d end up vomiting coz it was my first time! And he said maybe. And I was wondering why the waiter (who was obviously a Bangalee) wasn’t speaking Chinese! And I guess I added that I didn’t know Chinese, a friend of mine did who was in Delhi… and that I was doing English hons., so I knew English! And I remember trying to persuade the others that I and Babu-da needed one more nib, and then I remember dissuading him when others objected… they were saying I was drunk… I didn’t think so! I was just happy! You see, the last time I had an intoxicant (and I’m not proud of that), I remember being silent like an owl… no, I don’t remember… my “friends” told me later! In reality, I don’t remember anything of that! It was bad!
But this night… it was different. Everyone was a little drunk. I was fairly convinced I wasn’t, even though I was a little dizzy, and the road felt a little topsy-turvy. And I was singing something- I think it was the song, “We are the champions”. And there was a large banner ad of sale of flats which came with free car parking spaces! And I found that hilarious, “what if I don’t have cars?” To sum it up, everyone was happy… until… until… disaster struck!
Babu-da, who obviously had a little too much to drink, succumbed to the wrath of the cruel intoxicant and… well, in a sentence: he lay still on a boulder, vomiting at times, his brother tending to him and cursing him at the same time for drinking so much, and then bringing bottles after bottles of water, taking a taxi, bringing him near home (but not too near as to compromise the drunkenness of all of us), calling up Babu-da’s uncle… and then his whole house coming to know of the incident, and his ‘much-more-sober’ brother getting the butt of the household’s wrath… while we waited at a restaurant nearby… you see, we hadn’t had our dinners yet since there was a plan of visiting Park Street which was cancelled by those who were sober enough to take decisions (I don’t mean me!). I was still a little drunk, even in the restaurant, I suppose… and reportedly, I said a few things I wouldn’t have said if I wasn’t drunk… but thankfully, I didn’t say too much to put me in a ‘compromising’ position!
I returned home in my sober mask, and it was nearly midnight, so mom nor anyone else (my brother Prosenjit, I didn’t take him with me that day.) bothered to check if my breath smelled funny! And I was talking in a restrained manner, so that helped!
But little did I know that the aftermath of this night will continue for a little more than a couple of days! Simply put, Babu-da got the “case” of a lifetime! And with that his brother Baban, and with him all of us (indirectly enough) since everyone in their household now knows that we had planned on drinking on the 31st all along. Thankfully, they’re not bad enough to tell everyone’s parents about this… so technically, the rest of us are “safe”, but it sure has taken the kick out of my para pals’ future plans of evening-outs!
1st of January, my dad’s birthday, meant mom was busy from morning itself, cooking and stuff! Ya, we still celebrate dad’s birthday! And in the evening, I took my brother to South City, he hadn’t been there before (he doesn’t live in Cal), and this time, his nagging paid off!
Overall, it was a pretty cool 31st and 1st… I mean, all that ‘case’ of 31st… it’s not schadenfreude… it’s just accepting it all as a part of life and enjoying it (although I’m sure I wouldn’t have enjoyed it if mom came to know about this! On second thoughts, she still might! Shit!)
Signing Off,
-Jagannath (Jesse)
P.S. I’ve never really made serious new year’s resolutions! But this time, I have a list. On top of them- NO MORE DRINKING! (could make an exception if I REALLY feel like!) I must learn the guitar… at least start learning it! And ya, I should start working on my jokes again! I need some humor! There’re a couple of more resolutions… important ones… but let’s do the easy ones first!
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