A Town of Memories...: Whiskey down de throat...

A Town of Memories...: Whiskey down de throat...: This happened a week ago.. on the auspicious occasion of Vijaya Dashami..   Four tired souls ~ Sonu, Pompy, Pearl and myself, laid on the ...

Whiskey down de throat...

This happened a week ago.. on the auspicious occasion of Vijaya Dashami..

 

Four tired souls ~ Sonu, Pompy, Pearl and myself, laid on the rug in Sonu's living room, starring wide-eyed at the television screen at 3 in the night, watching a horror movie. We had another film lined up in row to be watched after this. In the interval, by chance, our dear Pearl felt an urgent urge for water but somehow did not have the nerve to fetch the bottle from the kitchen herself (none of us, actually could go alone at that hour!). So all three of us accompanied her. After the slow-motion task of tip-toeing to the kitchen, to switch on minimal lights to not wake up anyone, to drink (water) and then keep back the bottle.., we were just about to return back to our 'theatre', when my sister suddenly spots a whisky bottle at the back of the shelf.  "Wanna try, girlz??"... "Are you mad?", we shouted in unison. But somehow, youthful instincts and some kind of wild curiosity deep down wanted it to pass down the throat.. once!

"Umm... by the way, I'm okay with one sip", I said. "I'm fine with it too", Pearl seconded. "Not me.. I'll stand at the door and keep vigil.", Pompy backed out and chose to be the door-keeper in stead.
Sonu carefully takes out a small glass and pours a little bit of whisky.. Pearl's adrenaline levels shoot up in no time and before any of us could react, Pearl had gulped down the whisky.. as raw as it could be. The moment passed slowly.. the alcohol passing down her throat, Sonu standing with the bottle of water in hand, and Pompy and me, glaring bewildered! And suddenly the next second, Pearl was jumping mutely all over the kitchen shouting in whispers that her throat was burning as if some one held a flame to it. We helped her with some chilled water, which, it appeared, she swallowed faster than the whiskey!

It's my turn now.. and I am nervous. My first time.. and I don't know how it'll turn out. I'm already a little scared by Pearl's incident [read: accident]. I hold the glass carefully and sniff.. it smells like the ethanol in the chemistry lab! The glass is just inches away from my lips and Pompy panics.. "Hurry, hurry.. aunty woke up. The lights are on. Maybe she's coming this way. Faaaassssttttt!!". 

The situation in the kitchen, a second ago, was.. Pompy alert at the door, Pearl still caressing her throat at the dining table, I'm about to take my first sip and Sonu looking at me encouragingly. And now.. Pompy is jumping, Pearl runs to seal up the bottle like before, I dump the glass on the table and ask Sonu to drink it all, and poor Sonu, flabbergasted, has no option but to down half the glass at a go.. holding the glass with one hand, and shutting her nose with the other!!

And then Pompy says. "Chill, lights off again. She's back to bed." Relief spreads around. And before I realise, the glass is back in my hands.. Sonu and Pearl glaring down.. "Drink. We won't drink that entire thing again." But I'm too nervous. I grab a spoon... dip it into the glass and extract out a generous 'drop' of whisky and push it down my throat. The next minute heard me saying all kinds of disgusting words I could say at a go and I pacify only after taking 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and a pledge that I would never again, in  my life, put that 'ghenastic' liquor to my mouth again! Pearl downs the other half. Pompy's still at the door. We check our breaths.. it stinks. We grab some more peanut butter and before we are suspected of the 'sin', we tiptoe back to the 'theatre' to watch 'Delhi Belly'.. what a perfect atmosphere built up.. ;-)

Earlier that night during 'RAAT'. From back : Pompy, Sonu and Pearl.