The sunlight streamed into our room as it always did in the evening. It was Saturday and most of my friends had chosen to go home. I chose to stay. Had to grow up at some point right? I spend that afternoon like I had spent most, lying on my bed staring at the ceiling thinking of nothing important.I was the Zen master, the most depressed Zen master ever.
A noise from the other side of the room broke my trance. I tried not pay attention to it. I already knew what it was. My room-mate was turning around in his bed. He must have done so a few times already because he broke the not-too-awkward silence in the room. "Lets go to the city."
I continued to stare at the ceiling. With my room-mate you kinda let things flow. He doesn't normally mean what he says and even when he does its so ridiculous that you try imagine that he didn't. Don't get me wrong the guy is smart. One of the smartest people I know. But he is also as obnoxious as any of my earlier friends. He was after all the quintessential joker/jock. I remember his disappointment when he saw our female batch mates for the first."Where the fuck have I come to man! Don't they care about how they look at all! Why don't they wax and shit?! Ill pay for them!" What can you say to that? I just patted him on the back while struggled to keep a straight face. I guess he was used to better looking women where he was from.
"Lets go to the city!", He repeated. Making a face I replied, "Why?" "'cause life is short and we are stuck here doing nothing." I looked over at him half amused half annoyed, "You could have said this a little earlier you know. Even if we leave now it will be late when we get there." "Are you coming or not?" "Why, man? Its pointless to go home at this point." "I am not talking about going to your home. I want to see the nightlife at this city. Lets go!". I laughed aloud, "You are asking the wrong guy! I don't even know where to go." " Yeah yeah I know you have never been allowed. But isn't that good reason to go now?!"
I pondered this. Yes I felt that my life was controlled to the max and I was the sad SAP who was OK with it all this time. My big awakening occurred shortly after PUC. At that point I didn't want to carry on in my sheltered existence. So during CET I took a gamble and chose a college where I would need to stay in a hostel. I had chosen to break free. Wasn't that the whole point.
Finally settled on the point I noded and looked at him. "Fine. But I don't know what to do what to wear, and the cash.." " Don't worry about the money. Take what you have, I will spot you the rest. As for the clothes...show me what you got. I have seen you dress man, that is your bigger problem." "fuck off." "Haha! The truth will set you free my friend."
In a few minutes we were ready to go. I was wearing a white shirt and blue jeans ( "it will do" he said passing a critical eye over my attire). He was wearing a black slack with a t-shirts and a zipper jacket. Party wear. D(my roommate) was on the prowl. He loaned me a pair of shoes from Zara declaring my own Big Bazaar ones thoroughly inadequate. I liked those shoes. Party shoes. Made me feel spiffy.
And so D and I got on the 6:30 to the city. We got there by about 10:30 the entire way me being a petulant jackass reminding him time and again that this was a waste of time. He was very patient with me and after a while I kinda want along with it. The city center is a bustling maze made in the shape of a circle. We didn't behave like tourists gawking at everything. This was a part of a the city that I was familiar with after all. And both of us had one objective in mind. Shelter. We had no intention of letting my parents know that we were here and money was definitely a constraint so our options were limited. We looked around nearby and we were not disappointed... Relatively. An entire street lined with establishments that catered to our exacting demands while violating multiple building codes.
We chose a motel with a highly forgettable name. The manager, a creepy looking old man smiled at us and listed out the rooms available. At this point I drifted letting D handle the particulars. In the end we booked a double bed for 250. During the finalization of our transaction I experienced a minor panic attack when signing in my Name, address etc. I was actually going through with this!
Our rooms were small. 7.5 feet width and 9 feet long. No windows, no bathroom. Two narrow cots jammed in with a TV on a stool at the end. An ash tray was on the floor, cigarette buds littered around it. Casa de la super economy.
It would have to do.
We dumped our bags on the beds, freshened up a bit and headed out into town. ( Not before receiving a not so subtle wink from the manager.)
By now the time was 11. Pretty late in the city. Definitely way past the time I am allowed to stay out at night. We boarded a bus to the one place I knew we would find pubs, Brigade road. On the bus I tried to prove that I was no slouch when it came to socialization. I struck up an uneasy conversation with a random person inquiring about the nightlife in the area. In the beginning I am sure that he considered me clinically insane. Towards the end though we reach a mutually accepted rhythm - aka awkward silence. Getting off at our stop I remarked " See? I can talk to strangers." "Yeah sure man. I saw how uncomfortable both of you were. Maybe you were better at it before but now... No worries! I will hook you up!"
"We are here." I had seen this road a few times on my way back home from Mandya. I have only been here maybe thrice in my lifetime and never at night. Brigade Road. You want to be a part of Bangalore's nightlife Brigade road sure as shit had it. It looked kinda deserted with medium traffic flowing through the one-way. I had no idea where to go so we began to wander aimlessly for a while. It was weird how uncongested the roads were. Along the way D picked up a small bottle of vodka about a 100 ml I guess. He took swigs without any indication of discomfort. He offered me a little but I declined, keeping an eye on him wondering how different he would be when he is drunk.
We kept up our pace walking through the streets looking for a place to hang. While walking past our third crossing D stoped and cocked his head. "Do you feel that?" His hand was raised index finger extended moving in time to a beat I could not perceive. He turned and walked down that road, his steps matching the beat he felt. This guy love to dance. Shuffle. That's the word he used. And i could see it.
We reached a 4 story building where people were exiting in groups. D dove into the crowd pushing his way ahead until he reached the lift. I followed him of course but i was completely out of it, being unable to figure out our destination. We where finally ejected onto what i think was the 3rd floor judging from what I could see out of the window. We moved down a hallway towards a set of heavy padded doors. Every time it opened the sounds of drunken laughter and trans music intensified and a group of giggling or drunk people came out reeking of cigarette smoke. The bouncer a 7 foot hulk of a man leered at us while letting us through. The scene that greeted us was .... no other word for it .... unnerving. My hormone charged mind gave me a buzz as I tried to process it.
We kept up our pace walking through the streets looking for a place to hang. While walking past our third crossing D stoped and cocked his head. "Do you feel that?" His hand was raised index finger extended moving in time to a beat I could not perceive. He turned and walked down that road, his steps matching the beat he felt. This guy love to dance. Shuffle. That's the word he used. And i could see it.
We reached a 4 story building where people were exiting in groups. D dove into the crowd pushing his way ahead until he reached the lift. I followed him of course but i was completely out of it, being unable to figure out our destination. We where finally ejected onto what i think was the 3rd floor judging from what I could see out of the window. We moved down a hallway towards a set of heavy padded doors. Every time it opened the sounds of drunken laughter and trans music intensified and a group of giggling or drunk people came out reeking of cigarette smoke. The bouncer a 7 foot hulk of a man leered at us while letting us through. The scene that greeted us was .... no other word for it .... unnerving. My hormone charged mind gave me a buzz as I tried to process it.
There was smoke.. a lot of it. It had become something like stage smoke. The lights which were already dim had a tough job of making if through that. The music was beating a forceful tattoo against my skull. My pulse seemed to sync with the throb that I felt reverberating through the ground traveling up my legs, originating from the sound system. And the women .... Oh my god. Each one of them dancing and gyrating to the music. Long hair, ponytail, bobs all moving in unison forming a kaleidoscope that I felt blessed to see, future risk of lung cancer notwithstanding. There were guys obviously peppered in the crowd each one dancing his ass of looking like peacocks strutting about with their moves. I even saw something that I had only heard of .... A couple were dancing next to me, the girl as close to him as possible with her hips touching his. She was grinding on him! Completely distracted by this it took me sometime to tear my gaze away and look at D. He had been taping my arm for a while now. He pointed to a couple of empty seat. Noding my understanding I moved towards the seats.
I sat down, grateful for the respite from our trek, taking in the sight around me.
This was another world. As distinct from mine as the wild was to a city. The people here were the inhabitants who lived in a kind of willful and beautiful decadence. D was from here and I was ... just a visitor. He stood up, his intentions clear. He looked at me askance and I shrugged a smile playing at my lips, "Go on ahead, I'm sitting this one out. "He shrugged and moved ahead his feet already picking up a rhythm. And suddenly it all stopped. The music had reached its end and the Lights came on. The DJ came on the mike, " you guys have been an amazing crowd but that's all we got for tonight. We have reached curfew and we have to stop." The air was filled with moans. Please DJ! Come on DJ! One more song! D turned around in confusions to see me laughing my ass off.
This was another world. As distinct from mine as the wild was to a city. The people here were the inhabitants who lived in a kind of willful and beautiful decadence. D was from here and I was ... just a visitor. He stood up, his intentions clear. He looked at me askance and I shrugged a smile playing at my lips, "Go on ahead, I'm sitting this one out. "He shrugged and moved ahead his feet already picking up a rhythm. And suddenly it all stopped. The music had reached its end and the Lights came on. The DJ came on the mike, " you guys have been an amazing crowd but that's all we got for tonight. We have reached curfew and we have to stop." The air was filled with moans. Please DJ! Come on DJ! One more song! D turned around in confusions to see me laughing my ass off.
At that moment a bouncer grabbed onto D. He started screaming in Kannada barely audible over the noise the rest of the crowd was making. I was scared. People screaming at me or my friends have a way of doing that to me. D however just looked at me looking for an explanation. Not being able to find one he just shrugged. The man then grabbed D's hand and pulled it up. Clutched in it was the 100ml vodka bottle.
" I don't think we are supposed to -" " Got it."
The giant hauled D toward the bar where a a man was leaning against a table looking over the crowd as if he was in-charge of it all, he probably was. Reaching him the bouncer pulled the bottle from Ds grasp and gave it to this guy. Closer up he looked like an average guy, taller than me but then nearly every one is. Buff too.
The details get a bit fuzzy here because it all happened so long ago. He spoke in hindi of course, the defacto language one uses when one approaches a fair Indian. The gist of it was - you have broken the rules of my pub. No drinks are allowed from the outside. I am not gonna make this a police matter but you guys have to leave now.
I nodded my understanding eager to get away from these men dragging D along in my haste to get out. Once we where out D started cussing about leaving the vodka behind. A pity. I could have used a little just then. The time was only 12am. Yup that's Bangalore curfew time. No clubs are allow to operate beyond that time.
The giant hauled D toward the bar where a a man was leaning against a table looking over the crowd as if he was in-charge of it all, he probably was. Reaching him the bouncer pulled the bottle from Ds grasp and gave it to this guy. Closer up he looked like an average guy, taller than me but then nearly every one is. Buff too.
The details get a bit fuzzy here because it all happened so long ago. He spoke in hindi of course, the defacto language one uses when one approaches a fair Indian. The gist of it was - you have broken the rules of my pub. No drinks are allowed from the outside. I am not gonna make this a police matter but you guys have to leave now.
I nodded my understanding eager to get away from these men dragging D along in my haste to get out. Once we where out D started cussing about leaving the vodka behind. A pity. I could have used a little just then. The time was only 12am. Yup that's Bangalore curfew time. No clubs are allow to operate beyond that time.
I later learned that it had some thing to do with trying to control anti-social elements in the city. Not that I care. D on the other hand inconsolable.
So here we are, cold, hungry and thoroughly dissatisfied. Thankfully Empire was still open. Eateries are allowed to operate for a further 30min to 1hr. both of us ran to the "to go" counter and ordered rolls. Eating that spicy goodness like starving men we felt the warmth spread through our bodies. Our mood improved and we began to smile again. We must be thankful for the small things in life. Done with our small dinner we started to move towards our motel. Which was far away now. So damn far away. We would have taken the bus but after 12... so we walked for a long time. The streets were empty save for a random vehicle that passed us. We were one of the lucky few who got to enjoy that stillness.
20 minutes into our walk we saw an auto with the driver and a passenger parked near the sidewalk. We approached them and asked for a ride."200." He said with a smile. D was fimiliar with the distance now so he took over the haggling. In hindi of course. "It cant be that much! Come on! you already have a passenger!" The youth in the back spoke up, "Actually I am the owner." Eventually we agreed at 120 and got in. We learn that the young man (lets call him Deevesh) was a Fashion Designer. D was doing all the talking. A natural. He asked him about the auto, his job. Any events that are coming up and the possibility of passes to said event. Deevesh was of course happy to talk. He told us that he was from Meerut, how he had come here a few years back, his girlfriend who was a model. I was getting a glimpse at a skill that I suspected D already had. he had the ability to make you feel important and you want him to continue feeling that so you talk more than you should about things you shouldn't. The entire time I just looked outside shaking my head. By the end of our trip Deevesh was offering D a little bit of modeling work. We thanked them for bringing us to our destination amidst protests that we could crash at his place if we wanted.
We walked the rest of the way towards the highly forgettable motel only to find the gate locked. Thankfully the manager was asleep nearby and woke up quuickly to the sounds of the gates being shaken. He opened it with his trademark smile as if to ask, "Did you find what you where looking for?"
We climbed the stairs tired from the long night and got into the room. We didn't bother changing or anything, we just fell on the beds. I stayed up a bit longer to watch TV ( we paid for it may as-well use it right?) Californication . A show that D swears by because of the ridiculous amount of game the main character has.
I fell asleep within the hour before wondering whether I had done anything wrong. I had never slept better.
So here we are, cold, hungry and thoroughly dissatisfied. Thankfully Empire was still open. Eateries are allowed to operate for a further 30min to 1hr. both of us ran to the "to go" counter and ordered rolls. Eating that spicy goodness like starving men we felt the warmth spread through our bodies. Our mood improved and we began to smile again. We must be thankful for the small things in life. Done with our small dinner we started to move towards our motel. Which was far away now. So damn far away. We would have taken the bus but after 12... so we walked for a long time. The streets were empty save for a random vehicle that passed us. We were one of the lucky few who got to enjoy that stillness.
20 minutes into our walk we saw an auto with the driver and a passenger parked near the sidewalk. We approached them and asked for a ride."200." He said with a smile. D was fimiliar with the distance now so he took over the haggling. In hindi of course. "It cant be that much! Come on! you already have a passenger!" The youth in the back spoke up, "Actually I am the owner." Eventually we agreed at 120 and got in. We learn that the young man (lets call him Deevesh) was a Fashion Designer. D was doing all the talking. A natural. He asked him about the auto, his job. Any events that are coming up and the possibility of passes to said event. Deevesh was of course happy to talk. He told us that he was from Meerut, how he had come here a few years back, his girlfriend who was a model. I was getting a glimpse at a skill that I suspected D already had. he had the ability to make you feel important and you want him to continue feeling that so you talk more than you should about things you shouldn't. The entire time I just looked outside shaking my head. By the end of our trip Deevesh was offering D a little bit of modeling work. We thanked them for bringing us to our destination amidst protests that we could crash at his place if we wanted.
We walked the rest of the way towards the highly forgettable motel only to find the gate locked. Thankfully the manager was asleep nearby and woke up quuickly to the sounds of the gates being shaken. He opened it with his trademark smile as if to ask, "Did you find what you where looking for?"
We climbed the stairs tired from the long night and got into the room. We didn't bother changing or anything, we just fell on the beds. I stayed up a bit longer to watch TV ( we paid for it may as-well use it right?) Californication . A show that D swears by because of the ridiculous amount of game the main character has.
I fell asleep within the hour before wondering whether I had done anything wrong. I had never slept better.
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