One month had passed. Today, on 7th February, I was going to get my first salary. But more than happiness about getting my first salary, I was feeling tense about the torture that my boss might inflict on me. 

In the evening I was talking to Ankur when my boss saw me. Noticing him, Ankur hurriedly said bye to me and rushed down the stairs, cursing him. I couldn’t leave, although I desperately wanted to, because to get my salary, I had to go inside my boss’s office. But I had not expected to bump into the joker like this.

He asked me to follow him in his office. He was chewing a paan, with another paan  very prominently displayed on his table. As I sat down on the chair, my gut feeling was that this fucker was again going to irritate me today. And I wasn’t wrong. The first ‘intelligent’ question he fired at me was “Where did you tell me you were from? I have been trying to recall the name of the city, but seem to have forgotten.”

“Faizabad, sir. Where your sister-in-law also lives”

“Oh, yes, yes. Now I remember - Faizabad. I told you my sister-in-law lives there. Unfortunately, she passed away two days back.”

I thought that this was really sad. Instead of the sister-in-law, this bastard should have died. But apparently, I condoled her death.

“This is a terrible news, Sir”

I was also a little worried that my boss might stop my salary payment in this mournful mood. But thankfully, that didn’t happen. He took out a packet from his drawers, and handing it over to me, said “Here is your salary”.

It was an incredible feeling, holding my first salary in my hands. I thought of calling my mother and giving her the good news. I immediately asked my boss if I could leave.

“Yes. But come on time tomorrow. I have also added 2000 rupees towards your bonus.

You have done a good job. Keep working hard – you will go very far.”  

“Yes sir. Thank you very much”.

I happily rushed out of the office, to find Ankur waiting for me by the roadside. But more than me, he was waiting for the drinks party which I had promised to give today. He walked up to me and whispered in my ear, “Today again Kalua Bihari irritated you?” And we both had a good laugh.

“So, today you are giving a party. Do you remember your promise, or have you forgotten it?” he teased me.

“Of course, I remember it. Was thinking if I should also invite Aarav. We could have a party together. What do you say?” I said.

“Oh, sure, call him. He stays with you, so he definitely deserves it.” he said.

I called Aarav several times, but found his phone switched off. I couldn’t think of a reason why this was so.

“What happened?”

“Nothing, his phone is coming switched off.”

“Don’t take tension, he must be busy with his girlfriend. Let two of us have a party today. Tomorrow is Sunday, so you can have a party with him separately. What do you say?” he suggested.

I knew that Ankur would not take no for an answer. Plus he used to daily drop me home in his car. If I had refused, he would think I was trying to save money. So, I agreed, and we left for a bar.

Inside the bar, I looked around and found an empty table and two chairs.

“Let us go there. Rest of the bar is full of drunkards”, I said as I moved towards the empty table.

He smiled – “What difference does it make? Today we are also going to become like them. Let’s go, else someone will occupy these chairs also.”

“What will you have, Sir”, a waiter appeared as soon as we had settled down.

Before I could say anything, Ankur, who had been eagerly waiting for this moment, said

“Do one thing. Get two Beers, and some snacks. And yes, can we smoke here?”

“No sir, to smoke you will have to go out.” he said.

“Oh fuck, what is the purpose of a bar if we can’t even enjoy here?” Ankur got angry.

The waiter remained silent.

I intervened and asked waiter to get beer.

The rounds of beer started and in no time we had consumed seven bottles. I had no more capacity left, and Ankur had, in any case, lost his senses. Still, he ordered one more beer to test his limits, and gulped it down too.

I wondered how he would be able to drive his car in that condition. He was completely out. I paid the bill, and somehow helped him come out of the bar, and asked him if he would be able to drive the car in this condition.

“Whose car do I have to drive? Tell me… I will fly it!” he said. Clearly he was out of his senses.

“Your own car” I said.

He started laughing like mad, as if I had told him some joke.

“Are you crazy?” he said. “I knew today you will be giving me a party and after drinking I won’t be able to drive. That’s why I did not bring my car, and drank so much.”

Now I realized that Delhi people were really very clever, as I had heard. Out of the eight bottles, he alone had drunk six. I had had just two bottles, as I knew my capacity. I was also afraid of losing my salary lying in my pocket, so had drunk very less. Although I was a bit intoxicated, but was still in control, not mad like Ankur. But how could I forget that we had not come to the bar in his car?

After somehow pulling Ankur across the road, I stopped an Auto-driver. On seeing Ankur’s condition, he refused to go. After lot of requests, he agreed. I asked Ankur his house address.

Since Ankur was completely out of senses, I thought of dropping him at his house. On reaching his house, as I was trying to pull him out of the Auto, he started vomiting. I was totally embarrassed. Why the hell did I get caught in this nonsense? Why do people drink so much that they lose control? He had completely messed up the Auto.

The Auto driver was staring at me. I knew he was abusing me in his heart, but I was calm. Somewhere, it was also my mistake. The Auto driver and I somehow pulled Ankur out of the Auto. I pressed the door bell of the house. It seems Ankur had decided to completely humiliate me today. He started kissing me like mad.

“You are my best friend. If you have any tension, just tell me. I will see who touches my friend.” He muttered.

How could I have told him that, at that moment, he was my biggest tension. I pressed the door bell again, and an old man opened the door. Now Ankur started kissing him.

“Dadu, I love you. You are my life.”

I was shocked. Despite being in this condition, Ankur was not at all ashamed in front of his grandfather. I thought of apologizing to him on Ankur’s behalf. I bent forward and touching his feet said “I am very sorry grandfather. He has had a little more than he should have.”

Hearing this, Ankur started laughing.

The old man said he was not Ankur’s grandfather, but his servant. Since he was a bengali, Ankur called him ‘Dada’.

I couldn’t understand all this drama. I was feeling really embarrassed. But externally, I pretended as if nothing had happened. I asked the old man to take Ankur inside. Ankur hugged me and said “You are my friend. I swear, today I really enjoyed the party. Next party will be from my side.”

I had got so frustrated today, that having a party again with him was out of the question. But this was not the right time to say no. I nodded at him, and asked Auto driver for the fare.

He asked 115 rupees for the fare, and 150 rupees for getting the Auto cleaned. Today’s party proved really expensive. Without any argument, I paid him the fare, and took another auto for my home.

On the way, I called Aarav several times, but his phone was continuously coming switched off. I was a bit worried as this was the first time that his phone was off. I wondered what kind of a problem he might have been in.