Empty the Glass!

For as many years as a girl raised from a conservative family, I always thought going to a pub is a dishonest person’s job. It would assassinate my character as a deceitful person in my conservative society and later that would impact my marriage. There won’t be any guy willing to marry me. This is how our families bring us up in our society. My mom always thinks that girls in pubs will be asked to show off their cleavages or shorten the clothes as it is the dress code and they would be tempted or persuaded by their wrong friends to get drunk. Also the movies that we’ve watched have depicted girls being trapped by bad guys and are seduced. The idea of visiting a pub with office friends always scared my mom. She just wants me safe from alcohol and bad guys. Whenever she gets to gossip with ladies of her age from the neighborhood, she is often told that this girl or that was caught in the pub by her brother dancing with her friends and that brought trouble in the family which led to downfall of their marriages. Every time she gets to hear such stories her mind gets more narrowed down to think that if my daughter is in that place our family’s reputation would be at stake.

Hearing all this I was persuaded by those thoughts too thinking it isn’t a good idea if I’m going to be trapped by guys and seduced or raped by them. You never know, that you may even be taken a video or a nude picture of yours and be blackmailed because this is what I watched in some of the suspense and psychotic thriller movies and series. The act of getting blackmailed had always paralyzed me with fear. If at all I want to dance, I’d rather do it elsewhere apart from pubs with my childhood friends whom I trust the most. Also the incidents of getting into a row in pub with people who are ape drunk and end up with cuts and bruises on their heads. It is such a place of mess when one can lose control of himself. So as a matter of fact the thought of visiting pubs has limited me with lot of conditions and terms. If I ever want to visit a pub I would have to become well matured and have the strong ability to refuse alcohol offer from anyone is what I thought.

Although I have been part of a conservative community all my life, still there was some quality my parents possessed which stands out compared to others in my lot. They always trusted me no matter what. There were times I had lied to them when I had been for a movie with friends and sometimes with a guy. I used to receive calls from unknown numbers but never was objected to by them. It may seem strange but I do have friends whose parents kept hunting down about their every movement. My parents were unique in their own way.

Years later, after graduating from my college I got a job in an investment bank. Few months down the line, we were declared about a night out in the office to a resort on the outskirts of the city Bangalore where the office is located in. It is the city down south in India where I was born and raised. As days went by me and my friend were getting all set to go. Going on a night out trip away from parents was something which doesn’t happen usually with us.

Then, finally we were ready to set on with our trip. It was an Airbus journey. We were set on fire singing songs throughout the night during the trip. The next day early morning we reached our spot. It was indeed an awe-striking resort known as ‘The Silent Shores’. We went to our rooms, freshened up, had our breakfasts and took a walk around for selfies and then some activities in the afternoon before the lunch. The final and actual party that everyone was awaiting was in the evening at 6.

I kept myself ready to be cautious and to be a good girl. The most awaited moment came by. My friend and I reached the resort pub. It was delightful and it was my first time in life at the age of 22. Some told me that I can try some alcoholic beverages because I’m far away from my parents and some said I can drink something very light like the breezer. I tried an orange flavor which tasted nasty like the orange peel. So I just gave it away. I could have tried the alcohol but the thought of being dishonest to my parents stopped me from doing so. They have always trusted me although I cheated on them. So, I dropped the idea even though I had all the safety measures and responsible people in charge around me.

Then, the moment of rejoicing came about. The music was on and the DJ asked us to rock on dancing for the music. It was this moment I was yearning for. I started off with graceful movements along with the kind of music played. Usually, they start with subtle ones as a warm-up. The music was a fusion of different kinds from international to Indian music like the Bollywood from north, the Kollywood, Sandalwood, Mollywood and Tollywood of south cinema. I was beginning to flame with fire in me. My friend took a timeout as she was tired the very first half and hour of dancing. I couldn’t stop though I was sweating so badly. There was tiredness in me but the burning desire to dance kept me on for hours.

People who got tired and sat on the sofa were beginning to take steady watch on all of us as to who is dancing well. They started noticing me for dancing so ferociously non-stop. My friend asked me to take some air, but I was just filled with so much ecstasy that I was not willing to stop. The place and the music made me go crazy dancing about as though this is the only chance I have and that I’m not going to dance again in my life. I danced constantly for as long as the music played on until the end of the party. I was just loving it. When the whole crowd around me was watching me, I couldn’t see anything or anyone around me. It was just that moment of bliss that I wanted least bothered of having any delicious crunches or some goodies that was provided at the buffet.

Finally, it was time for dinner but I kept on dancing. My friend forcefully grabbed my hand and took me to the buffet spot and asked me to finish my dinner so that we would reach our room and have a good night’s sleep before we set-off the next morning. So, then because of aggressive politeness I had to call it a day and relish on my dinner.

I sat with a few guys from my office who were from a different department in the office. There was this particular guy who appreciated my dance and then he asked me with a surprised look on his face that how I was able to sustain the energy to dance constantly for four hours. Then, I was wondering, was it really four solid hours that I danced. Then, I retorted with a callous expression as though I was not alarmed with surprise, “It’s normal you know! When we are filled with joy from deep within and have emptied our minds, our body starts twirling, curving and zigzagging according to the rhythm without even a damn care". 

That was my first party in a pub and that was me who didn’t have to be dishonest to parents and disappointed in myself for not taking alcohol. Parties in a pub aren't necessarily ecstatic with alcohol. It could be a place of bliss even without that.

If one needs to fill up his glass to get rid of his sorrows, anxiety, bad relationships and so on, it is impossible to empty his mind. One has to decide whether to empty his mind or to fill his glass.