This post or perhaps a series of posts with this topic will be for me and just me. There are many good and bad memories while I was growing but I wanted to preserve them.
The first one I wanted to share here is about how I stopped drinking. My father was smoking and drinking in my childhood but later he stopped completely with no looking back. Whenever the parties take place at home, me and my younger brother are very curious and excited. The attraction is not for drinks. It is more on the items that the participants eat. There are Cashew nuts, Chips, Pakodas, Pa-pads Mixtures, Onion rings in combination with Lemon. We also used to have a mini party in separate room with these items. For drinks we had alternatives. It required lot of preparation and time. We used to buy Poppins packets. We open them and segregate Poppins of each color. In each tumbler we fill water and put the smashed pieces of same color. We managed to get two Glass tumblers to get the feel of Party. Once the Poppins are dissolved in the water, the juice will be in that color. We have orange, green and other colors of juices. More than drinking, preparing them was quite exciting. We have a Foot stool (a simple seat without a back or arms) and there are two fold-able Iron chairs. the chairs are rusted so we covered them with towels to bring better look Even the stool is covered with whatever cloth is available. We place all the items along with drinks and start the party. We had same level of enjoyment that the other group might have enjoyed.
My father very soon gave up the smoking and drinking. Parties were no longer there. There were a few, but with my father just hosting them without participation we also lost interest.
When I joined NTPC, I was doing elevated role much bigger to my age. The role involved handling of contractors as big as BHEL and small local contractors as well. I had the signing authority to pass the bills of large values. The work used to be like Overhauling, Erection & Decommissioning and there used to be no holidays as timelines were quite aggressive. Once we complete the mission, there used to be parties. My team, contractors and my seniors used to take part in those parties. I again came across the new items like Fried Rices, Biryani, different types of bread and lot of junk food. Along with them, there were drinks as well. I was part of a minority group which preferred to have Coke or Pepsi. My seniors used to feel a bit embarrassed about it and my boss tried to explain that he is not drunkard but he wanted to relax after tireless schedule of commissioning activities. I was tempted to take the drinks but every time I realized there is an expiry date or time for such temptations. If I just restrain from taking them for a few minutes the interest dies. I replied him that I do not see any wrong in that but I enjoy Pepsi like the way they were enjoying whiskey.
The real reason on why I should stop drinking was different. One day I went to my colleague on my scooter in the afternoon. As it was afternoon, I didnt go with winter cloth. We spent a few hours and it became cold by the time I was returning. When I was worrying about cold, my colleague prepared a Pan and gave me. He asked me to kick start the scooter, eat the pan and go immediately. I realized that my body became quite warm after taking the pan and it was just sufficient to keep me warm till I reached home. That's the point when I started eating pan. My attendant in NTPC plant used to bring 5,6 pans in the beginning of shift. I habituated to take Pan. One day he forgot to bring pans. First time in my life I shouted at him. I immediately realized that it is the first time when I shouted on office support staff. For the kind of pay they get, they don't deserve such shouting from me. I immediately apologized and told him not to bring pans any more.
Thats the day I decided I stop drinking because I knew I am not good at resisting addiction.
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