to study them in the past was because that distracted me from my parents’ fights.
I revised chemistry to prepare for my first class.
I also went to my Sardar-ji neighbor to find out the best way to procure
chicken and beers.
“Who is coming? Punjabi friends?’ he asked.
‘Work people,’ I said, to stop him from inviting himself.
‘Be careful when you take it up in the lift,’ he said.
As he told me, I went to the Delhi Dhabha in Nungambakkam, less than a
kilometre from my house. I triple-packed the tandoori chicken so no smell came
out. I went to the government-approved liquor shop, where they had trouble
establishing my age. ‘Are you over twenty-five?’
‘No, but will be soon,’ I said.
‘Then we can’t give you,’ the shopkeeper said.
‘Even if I pay ten bucks extra a bottle?’
It is amazing how money relaxes rules around the country. The shopkeeper
packed the three bottles in brown paper, and I further placed them in a plastic
bag, so one couldn’t make out the shape.
‘What’s in it?’ the liftman asked me as the bottles touched the ground noisily
when I placed the packet on the floor.
‘Lemon squash,’ I said.
‘You should have coconut water instead,’ the liftman said.
I nodded and reached my apartment. Ramanujan saw me place the bottles in
the fridge. “what’s that?’ He wore a lungi and nothing on top apart from a white
thread around his shoulders.
‘Beer,’ I said.
‘Dude, you can’t get alcohol in this building,’ he said.
‘My girlfriend is visiting me. She likes it,’ I said.
‘You have a girlfriend?’ Ramanujan repeated like I had ten wives. None of my
flatmates had a girlfriend. They were all qualified, well-paid Tamil Citibankers who
planned to be auctioned off soon by their parents.
nora
(Nora)
#1