CHEERS!

I used to drink when I was young, like when I was 23years old . But I had no mentor. Four of us used to meet in a friend’s lodge every Saturday evening, and buy any brand of Rum available, mix it with coke and drink. I really did not enjoy boozing, because it tasted so bad, but I liked being high. I never developed a taste for drinking. Therefore, the habit did not stick. Later I could not find the right company for enjoying booze.

 Years rolled by, and I did not drink. Therefore, I rather became a teetotaler. Once the organization I worked for had a conference at Bangalore. In the evening, booze was served, “On the house.”  One of my colleagues was a self- taught at bar tending. He caught me sitting empty handed. He asked me why I did not drink. I told him I did not like the taste of booze. He smiled charismatically, and said,” I will be back.” 

He came back with a glass filled with clear liquid, and lots ice cubes floating on the top. He shoved the glass into my hands, and said “Drink.”

I liked him a lot. He was a very nice genuine person. He was kind hearted and spoke to every one in a civil manner. He never hurt anyone with his words. He had married, an equally courteous woman and was a wonderful father, to two doting daughters.

So I did not have the heart to refuse h is request. It was the most wonderfully prepared drink. White Rum, with some soda and some water, ice cubes with a dash of lime cordial, sparkling with a mild fizz: all in the right proportions. I relished the first sip, and said, “Wow, how did you do it?”

He said, “With practice.”

He was kind enough to give me four refills, each consistent in quality like the first one.

He became my drink mate. Once when I was attending to one of my relatives, in a hospital, he called me to his home, for a drink.  I told him about my situation that I had to baby sit my relative. He said that I could get my teenage son to look after the relative, until late night, and then relive him after our booze session was through. I said, “Good idea, I will come.”

My son came and took over. I went over to my friend’ house, had a nice time, and returned to the hospital by 1 AM.  My son went home and I continued to baby sit my sleeping relative.   

Later we changed our offices. I continued in Chennai, while he shifted to Bangalore.  Once on a business trip to Bangalore, when I met him, his relative was in a hospital. But there were enough people to attend on him.  He invited me for a “Small.” I told him it might be inappropriate to drink when someone was in the hospital.

He said, “By us not drinking, my relative’s health is not going to improve. Let us go.” I thought that it made sense. Therefore, we went to a nice bar and had a wonderful evening. It was followed by a good dinner. Then I came to the station, and slept like a baby, in the Chennai bound train.

Life is good only when you have good company. When you mix good booze with good friends, then it is so nice: Certainly worth remembering and delighting in.