As far as I could see, the street was deserted. It was the sudden change of climate that was keeping the people inside. I had wrapped myself up pretty well. A jacket made from fur, a woolen cap knitted by my grandma and a muffler round my neck were enough to keep away the chill. As I walked down the lane hurriedly with my hands inside the pocket, I realised that I was being followed by a shadow. That shadow could not be mine. It had four legs and a snout. I turned around to find two eyes looking at me. It was a dog. I wanted to hush him away but I could see in his eyes that didn't want to be left alone. I let him come along.
I reached the place I started for. I was about to pull the door when the dog started licking my shoes. He wanted to come in. "Tiger", I named him instantly,"Go away. You are not allowed to come in. Go."
I rubbed my hands as I walked into the bar. It was warm inside. I took off the cap and unwound the muffler. I looked around. Every face in the room looked familiar. It was the regular bunch of people who visited the place often. All were busy chatting.
Of all the places I visited, this place was my favorite. I would come here every evening, talk to my friends, listen to their never ending non-sense, get drunk and forget all about the hectic day that had just passed.
I spotted my peeps sitting in a corner and a smile blossomed on my face. I started rushing towards the table. I almost bumped into a waiter. God knows how he managed to avoid the collision. Sorry I said but he was too much in a hurry to care.
There were five of us. Peter, David, Star, Singh and me. A gang of oldies. "Hey, boys", I greeted them and pulled out a chair. I noticed there was one another seat empty. "Star absent?", I asked. They were too busy to reply to the greet or my question.
Pete, among us all, was the most talkative man. He would talk senseless things and always find a logic behind every non-sense he said. He was very proud of his sense of humor. "It is God gifted", he would say. Nobody ever found his jokes funny but everybody laughed at them. "How big are the dinosaurs? Very big. Hahaha.", and our laughs would follow. Nonsense.
Pete was keeping them busy this time too. "You don't know the answer? Too bad. It is so easy.", he said. "What is the question, guys?", I asked the other two. No reply yet again.
I wanted to call out for the waiter but I could see none. Why is Star not with them? Is he not well? Too busy? Just then Pete's laughter broke out on the table. "This makes no sense. You made this up.", Singh was protesting while David was beating the table with his palm, "I knew this one. I should have guessed it. I am forgetting things. I am getting old", he said shaking his head in disappointment. I wanted to laugh out loud but retrograded . Singh never liked people laughing at his failures.
"Drink. I need a drink. Waiter!", Pete called out, "Drink at table no. 5". "Make it two", I said. The boy came with drinks in a minute. With just one drink! Why was everyone so indifferent? "Are you still angry at the way my wife behaved? That was two weeks ago. Stop behaving like kids.", I tried to talk to them. They were not paying any attention.
My wife, Lisa, didn't like my hanging out with these people. "You come home late and you come home drunk. Need I say more why I hate your friends?", she would say. My friends knew about the way Lisa feels. We would go to Pete's, David's, Star's or Singh's after getting drunk but they never came to my house. That one day had they dared to come, Lisa got really upset and showed them out of the house. I wanted to stop her but she didn't listen.
None of the three answered. Pete was staring at his glass, shaking the liquid. "Any word from Star? How is he now?", he asked. "Talked to his son in the morning. The accident was too bad. He is recovering.", Singh replied. "And Lisa? How is she coping up?", David said, "Anyone talk to her?" His question made all uneasy. "Not after she pushed us out of the house and didn't not let us join the funeral of our dear friend.", Singh replied in disgust.
I remember the last time five of us met, we all got drunk. Star was too drunk- too drunk to drive. He met with an accident that day. I was with him. In that car. Thank God, I was not driving. Lisa would have been angry with me too. She still doesn't respond when I try to talk as if I am not there.
I wanted to tell them that Lisa's anger was genuine. But they started to leave and so did I.
