Ranbir was drunk, so all he needed was a bed to lie his body on. He wouldn't have even minded a thorn woven mattress to sleep upon, as if he would even realise it.
I and Ishaan sat on his bed talking about loads of different aspects of life.
We very often had this type of general discussion, very much like that mature people talk. It was as if the burden of taking care of half the world had crest fallen on us.
We were getting bored in the room, so we went to the balcony to enjoy the fresh air breezing through.
"This people in U.S. are so useless. They can't do a single thing by themselves, need our help at every move, and still blame us for all world crisis."
Ishaan started of with his hatred for the States.
Somehow he had this seed of hatred towards all Americans growing within him. There should be some reason behind it, but I still haven't dared to ask him. No idea why.
"Actually you are right. What right do they have to blame us for all this inflation."
Just adding fuel to the fire. I was really bad to start a topic for conversation and way bad at changing an on-going one. People normally got offended when I even attempted doing so. So, I rather prefered playing it safe.
"Those losers, keep attacking other nations for fun, hamper the World peace and then play the blame game."
You can give him a few minutes of preparations and he can speak against US for hours non-stop.
"Because of them the oil prices have shot up and they blame the Middle East for controlling oil supply.", I said, adding to what he just said
"If ever I got access to nuclear power, even by mistake, the first thing I would do is blow up America. If no American will be alive, then what the hell will they be able to do."
I just smiled a bit. It was actually getting way to heavy for me. And I thought I better take the risk of changing the topic.
Silence prevailed for sometime, luck was in my favour I thought so.
"So, what plans after 12th?"
"Nothing decided. Might study here or back to India."
I guess that was quite obvious, as he wouldn't go to US or there allies like UK or Australia for sure.
"What have you thought? Here or back to India."
Mom-Dad were planing to send me abroad like a few of my cousins who had moved out a year or two back. But I better don't say that, else he will think me as an American and kill me on the spot.
"Same case dude. Nothing decided as of yet."
Again after a few minutes of silence.
"I haven't asked this to you ever, I guess. How do you feel here in a new country?"
"New city, new people, new friends, altogether a completely new beginning. Frankly speaking, its very different from India. A complete change of life style and environment. The only thing common is that 24/7 you are surrounded by Indians."
"So where do you find it better?"
"I can't comment on that. I have lived there for like 17years, so I surely find it better there. But Dubai is also good. And surely friends like you and Ranbir will make things better for me."
I am rather a Diplomat you see. I can't hurt anyone's feelings ever, so as usual play it on the safer side.
Ishaan replied with a laugh.
"Any doubt. By the way, I somehow feel that you like someone. Just an intution, not sure if its true. Eyeing someone?"
Now is it some serious talk or casual or has Ranbir opened his mouth. Does he know or he doesn't know. I was hell confused, should I tell him the truth? Is it the right time? I kept thinking, and completely forgot that I had a question to answer to.
"So temme dude.", Ishaan asked again, kicking me.
And spontaneously all my thoughts vanished and the reply to tackle this question at this point of time, also went missing.
"Yeah, I had a crush on a girl, and she is dating someone else."
Wait a minute. Did i actually tell that? Isn't Ranbir supposed to be drunk. Then why am I acting as one.
"So here finally come's the revealation. Whose the lucky girl?"
I wish I had opted to sleep and not chit-chat at this time of the night. Why do such questions come at such odd hours?
"Let's go to sleep Ishaan. I am feeling sleepy.", trying to yawn I said that, although I was completely woken up by the last few minutes of conversation, and I could also see my attempt going down the drain.
"Shut up, sit there, and tell me."
I can't lie and it was my time to die.
"Bhavika.", another quick reply. Am i gone crazy? I replied without even being aware of what am I saying.
Ishaan stared at me for a minute as if getting ready to spring upon me. And then he started laughing. I also tried to smile, though I was getting to feel uncormfortable. It felt like the silence before the storm.
But he continued to laugh and fell of his chair.
Did I crack a joke or I said something that he didn't understand.
I also continued to smile, though in a very awkward position.
"So why did you not tell me this before."
"I..I..."I was looking for words. All the words from my brains dictionary seemed to have vanished.
"Don't hesitate dude, say it. I am your friend after all. You won't share with me, then with whom will you share it."
He was right. Very few people understood me so well. And he was one of them, atleast that's what I think as of now. And gradually I started feeling better.
"Frankly speaking, I wasn't sure of your reaction. Coz initially I didn't know you so well, and then lately I didn't want a girl to cause problem's in our friendship. And I am very bad at making people understand the reality. They usually tend to not to believe me and then the friendship eventually breaks."
He started laughing again. What the hell wrong did I say now?
"I never knew that my Mumbaiwala friend took friendship so seriously."
"Well, I am that way only.", trying to act as if it was something to be taken lightly and was rather some sort of an achievment.
So finally I guess there is someone I can confide in. I am normally scared to tell things to people, thinking that as if they are already in excess of problems and why to add mine to there ever growing list. And some people take in the wrong way, assuming that I don't trust them. What they fail to understand that I am that way only and nothing on earth can change me.
"Nikhil, what if I tell you, I already knew this?"
And again he started to laugh on my shocking expression.
"I just wanted to hear it from your mouth, just to make you feel comfortable. Ranbir told me this sometime back."
"I am gonna shoot Ranbir dead."
"Why don't you trust me."
"Its not the matter of trust. But then still...", I paused, I had no arguments to defend myself.
"Still, what? Dude, there should be nothing hidden between the three of us."
"I will try me best."
It's great to have people like Ishaan around. So cool, simple yet they are special, unique. And they put you at such an ease that you just keep spilling everything out of your brain to them.
I have hardly had any friends to talk to me in this manner. I guess it was the beginning of a new era of friendship.
"Nikhil, I guess we better sleep now, else we might not wake up tomorrow for the big day."
Both of us started laughing and went off to bed.
I and Ishaan woke up early the next morning, well afternoon.
We woke up Ranbir who was still fast asleep.
Ishaan started off,
"Ranbir your Mom is in the next room. Your, mine and Nikhil's mom are discussing something. Have you any clue?"
Ranbir sprang up as if it was an electric shock.
"What's Mom doing here?"
And then I added.
"Ishaan, remember his mom saw him drunk last night."
Whatever left sleep he had also vanished.
"Maybe his Mom wants to stop all his outings from now on."
"That's not fair. I don't drink everyday. Its just occasionally."
"Improve your english. It's not drink, its Drunk."
And I and Ishaan started laughing.
"Nikhil, when was the last time you saw someone being beaten by a broomstick."
"Its been ages."
"Then see it live in a few minutes from now, directly from Ishaan's residence that is my residence."
Ranbir was going red already.
"What useless friends you both are. Instead of thinking of helping me, you are laughing that in some time I will be royally screwed."
I felt like telling him, that I would have been royally screwed last night, if Ishaan had a different outlook to the Bhavika case.
"Let's just go and meet your mom, right Ranbir?"
"Nowayz. Are you gone crazy? Even if mom asks what am I doing, tell her I am asleep."
"We can't lie to your Mom, right Ishaan?"
Ishaan was playing around with his cell, I guess calling someone. As soon as he left the cellphone, came a cracking of a voice,
"Ranbiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrr."
"Screwed." Thats all Ranbir said before going below his blanket, trying to act to sleep.
"Ranbir, your mom is calling. Lets go."
Ishaan started pulling him off his bed.
Ranbir came with us to the other room, actually hiding behind us. I guess the only person of whom he has always been scared of is his Mom.
But I found his Mom really sweet, nice and caring. I mean which Mom was going to allow her son to drink often, keep shifting girlfriends and yet hardly say anything.
"What do you think Ranbir you are doing hiding behind there backs?", shouted out Ranbir's Mom. She seemed in a ferocious mood.
I and Ishaan split open and Ranbir stood straight facing his Mom.
"Let Dad come back from China. I will tell him what his son has been upto."
Ranbir stayed there quiet.
Normally he blabbered that much nonsense that he could easily beat girls in the non-stop speaking competetion. And now this wild horse was quiet.
'Craaaaccckkkk...', suddenly a cracker burst right below Ranbir's leg and he immediatelly jumped up shouting out loud.
And almost a dozen people came pushing themselves into the room from wide angles and different corners and a few of them picked him up from his hands and few caught his leg.
And began the ever so musical,
"Happy Birthday to you....Happy Birthday dear Ranbir....Happy Birthday to you."
And the birthday song continued.
Ranbir swang from east to west and soon up and down.
As soon as the song got over, began the 18kicks on his back, that also halfway in the air.
And if that was less, he was thrown up in the air and left to fall flat on the floor. That would have been the worst fall ever.
And that was just the start of the roller coaster ride for a b'day filled with surprise. This was just the start. I guess the brromstick would have been less painful.
His mom then gifted him a new laptop, that he wanted to buy for more then a year.
And all his friends, including me and Ishaan gifted him a Cell phone. He was even wanting a new handset for sometime.
Soon we had the cake cutting ceremony. And instead of us eating it, as it happens in every other party, it was more used for make-up purposes.
Ranbir actually looked a perfect clown in the make-up, specially with the red nose. We all did our best as make-up artists, hopefully it was appreciated.
That was indeed an eventful afternoon. Even post the surprise party, he still was half-unconscious all the while, as if he was in some other world surrounded by dragons and dracula's.
He was still trying to recover from the days shock, totally caught unaware with the irregularity of the days happenings.
Well, the entire credit goes to his Mom and Ishaan for the awesome idea. I mean it was something different, rather unexpected. A lot went behind keeping it hidden from him. Ishaan seriously did an awesome job with it. He was a true buddy. Ever ready to do anything for friends.
Ranbir didn't even realise that it was all cooked up, still the last minute.
His expressions were the catch of the day. From the news of his mom seeing him last night, to the the cracker burst, it was a motion of unmissable and unique chain of emotions and expressions.
Well so it was eventually declared a HIT surprise party.
Well, later in the day we went out for a game of pool and obvously I and Ishaan didn't carry any cash, as we had the ATM on foot for the day with us.
Anything was just a call away. And he got everthing we asked for in the very first shot.
But then things had an unusual turn there.
We were having our game there, when some roadside gangsters came in and began to act oversmart.
And Ishaan was pissed. I found out later that earlier also he had a fight with them and a heated argument kick started.
If that was less, then I guess Ranbir also thought it was the right time to clear off old debts.
I was the only one left to enter the league, but it made more sense to not to enter into action.
After all I trusted Ishaan and Ranbir with there potential.
...to be continued...
2 comments:
heyy
i totally understood y u luved d first half :P
and ye u noe.. second hald thoda.. dragging laga! mujhe
and woh drunk wala.. i din get it..
wat i liked abt it was how easy it is to picture everytin thas happenin, nice job hardu.
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