Whisky on the rocks

I don’t know how long it is going to take now. It’s been almost an hour sitting at this bar table with this fellow who has shouted, "Yar!! Tu hain na asli dosth!" over ten times by now. I am glad he considers me so, but I am definitely not sure if he will stay straight without puking until I take him home. The bartender made another whisky on rocks for him and placed it on the bar table.

"Another chicken wing for me, please," I answered to the bartender before he could ask me if I needed anything more. It is not that I do not drink. But today I knew that he needed a bad drink, and I would be the one to drive him home. Also, it’s been a long time since we've hung out at a bar after his new job. It feels good to sometimes travel back to the good old days.

"Why is everybody obsessed with success?" Pratik spoke, stirring his glass.

"I don’t know. Maybe success feels good to everyone." I tried answering.

"yeah maybe.. I have another question." He continued.

"Why is everybody obsessed with success?" He uttered it again. It was clear he was dizzy, and he wouldn’t really understand even if I told him that I had just answered the question.

"I don’t know. Why do you think?"

"It is because everybody is obsessed with success." Pratik gave a crystal-clear answer. I didn't want to spoil his delusion. He looked quite satisfied with his own answer.

"oh, shit Yaa. How could I not think of it? That is exactly the reason." I played along.

"Everybody wants a big house, a rich car, a good, lively neighbourhood, and most importantly, everybody needs that dam success." He continued his monologue.

"Not everyone wants a rich life, Pratik."

"don’t you??" This time, he literally looked into my soul to ask that question.

"I don’t think I would if there was enough happiness." I tried to give a pessimistic answer.

"well... agreed. Al right! And do you know something else?"

"What?"

"Everybody is obsessed with success." He was back to square one.

"Oh, I see."

"Yeah, and why exactly do you think people are so obsessed?"

"No idea, man! Maybe I can answer it to you on the way home if you quickly complete here." I answered slowly.

As I sat there eating my chicken wings, I couldn’t help but overhear a conversation from the neighbouring table. The table already had a plate of the same chicken wings that I was having. They looked like a couple who had just begun to go out. The guy had dressed himself in a neat white t-shirt, and the lady beside him sat all dressed up in a purple maxi. She had gulped down an entire bottle of beer and was talking to him dizzily about her day. All I could hear was, "How could the clients just take such a sharp decision?". I figured it was her work frustration too. The guy sat just like me, listening to her and nodding at everything. I could feel exactly how he was coping with listening to her whole chatter.

"Another beer, please." The lady spoke, emptying the bottle in her hand.

The bartender bought her another chilled one. The guy stood up to greet someone who looked like another friend who had just run into them.

As I heard the latter conversation, yeah! My assumptions were right. It was someone they knew.

"Hey man!! How have you been?" I could hear the intruder talk. I know it's not a good thing to listen to other people’s conversations. But what can I say? It is so fun to do that.

"I’m good. How are you?" The guy in white spoke.

"Hi sana! Owwww my! How many beers have you downed?" The intruder spoke, looking at the two empty beer bottles on the table.

Hey, let's just not talk to her now. She is in a bad phase. All she needs is some good listeners and some bloody good alcohol." The guy spoke to the intruder with concern.

"Of course! She is lucky to have a guy like you, man! Someone who would take care of a drunk girlfriend It's really sweet. See you!"

I wanted to listen to more of the conversation. But Pratik looked like he was over the success-obsession monologue.

"Should we go home now?" Pratik said something sensible after a while of drunk talk.

"Finally, are we done here?" I asked him, gesturing for the bill.

Yup, I am, of course, absolutely perfectly done and fine." He reached into his back pocket to grab his wallet.

"You really think you can even look at the figures on the bill right now? Let me get this." I shot my answers.

" Yarrrrr!!! Tu haina asli dosth!!" It was the 13^th time, to be precise, that he told me that today.

"Dudee, let's go!" I helped him get up from one of those high chairs, and he managed to stand up straight.

As we walked towards the main entrance, Pratik gave out a huge burp, and that was followed by something that I strongly wished not to happen.

Yes!! He puked!

"Shit!! Pratik!!!! That’s why I asked you to drink carefully. But that’s okay! Well, get you washed up."

I managed to take him to the restroom area and looked to see if I could find anyone to help me.

"Need any help, ma’am?" It was the same guy who was talking to the couple a few minutes ago.

Yes, please. Can you take him to the men’s room for a quick washup?"

He walked Pratik carefully to the men’s room and they were both out in the next 10 minutes.

"He’s all good to go. He just threw up once" The guy spoke to me.

"Thank you so much."

This conversation followed a two-minute awkward silence as I tried walking along with a drunk Pratik.

"By the way? You don’t deserve this." He spoke after a pause.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean a pretty girl like you being here for a boyfriend so much drunk and handling with patience."

"Oh really? Why would you even think so? Also…" Before I could speak, I was interrupted by another voice.

"Ma’am! If you don’t mind, could you help her to the ladies’ room? She isn’t really able to manage herself." It was the same guy from the table beside mine.

I didn’t know what to say to the guy who had been judging me and my partner all along. I really wanted to bash him with an entire five-minute monologue talking about how men need some pampering too. Instead, I just made sure I looked into the guy’s soul and then looked back at the lady in the maxi and spoke,

"Oh wow. You are so lucky to find a guy who takes care of you like this."