The episode of Harish bhai successfully herding me to the famous farsaan shop – Jai Ambe Farsan- on the fateful morning Harish bhai got emboldened yesterday.
“Rajen bhai, what are you doing tomorrow?” Harishbhai’s question was a loaded one. I better be careful this time.
“Oho Harishbhai!” I expressed a fake surprise, ‘, kind of busy”
“Now don’t tell me you are busy on the World Whiskey Day, tomorrow, May 20 th”
I knew something huge was going to hit me.
“Well, I know what a whiskey is but World Whiskey Day – sounds a bit far-fetched. Where is the need to create an awareness of the benefits of whiskey?” I blurted out.
“You are and will remain a stickler of the right etiquette. Try and relax tomorrow”
‘But … Gujarat is a dry….”
“Never mind. We will go to Daman’
“You know, Harishbhai … I am a teetotaler” I thought I settlerd ther argument.
‘Not so soon, Rajenbhai, I know you are a God damned … what do you call it? Teetotaler
‘Aha…. Great. So you can carry on with your Whiskey lover friends, go to Daman, … Timbaktu.. wherever you fancy” , relieved, I patted myself for being so diplomatic
“You have to come with us, you can have your mocktail but come you must”
The only risk – that of being caught by the traffic policeman or the prohibition gang on the way back but it was Hari…….sh ichchha.