The Disappointment (Story)

The Disappointment (Story)

It all started with Vinay’s email on 14^th Feb. We were all in the office that day. In the email, Vinay had written that he is going to quit drinking and smoking as he found a thing that he longed for his whole life. To celebrate and share his happiness, he would be hosting a last party on Saturday at our regular pub. He would disclose the reason for quitting drinking and smoking only at the party venue.

Before I tell you further, I have to tell you briefly about our group ‘Katte Boyz’. If I have to translate it to English it would roughly mean something like ‘laid-back people who sit on a bench outside the town and chat leisurely’ or something similar to ‘backstreet boyz’ or ‘cool guys’.

There are many visitors on and off, but regular members of katte who meet every week on Friday evening are Keshav, Vinay, VSS, Hebbar, Sadyo and myself. On-and-Off members include many, Dr. Atmaram, Yogesh, Sripathi, and Vatsa. Off late doctor has become quite regular. Most of us work in IT field; we meet on every Friday for drinks and dinner and of course, for recreation. Vinay is Keshav’s cousin. Keshav is three years elder to Vinay. Both accuse each other for spoiling themselves with good habits. You know what I mean by good habits!

Hope that introduction of the group is enough to start the main story. After seeing Vinay’s mail on Thursday morning we were all shell-shocked. A good guy like Vinay giving up smoking and drinking was totally unacceptable. Only reason we could guess was a love affair. Especially VSS was convinced that it couldn’t be anything other than a successful love. February 14^th, the day Vinay sent an e-mail was also suggesting the same thing.

Vinay publicly used to swear that he would never marry. Keshav and his friends would tease him that he would fall in a marital trap soon, and there was one lakh rupees bet between Keshav and Vinay that Vinay will get married before turning 30, and Vinay would always enthusiastically deny it. Some time whole group used to discuss about what we could do in one lakh rupees. How many party we could host in that money or how many beer cans we could buy and all that.

Since Vinay was hosting the party on Saturday, we cancelled our regular Friday meet, so that we can all be fresh and enjoy the party on Saturday. We were all excited about the party for two reasons; party starts at 2:00 PM, will go on till 10 to 11 PM and Vinay was hosting a party for some reason, which had created quite a suspense.

The pub, where party was hosted, is at the outskirts of the west Bangalore, a mile away from Bangalore-Mysore Road. Pub is located in a cool and a calm place. In open air there are small huts where people can sit in private and enjoy. Service was good.

---*---*---*---

VSS and Keshav were the first to arrive at the party venue. Vinay, Hebbar and Sadyo were supposed to join the party directly after a short journey from Mysore. VSS had come to the party with full preparation in his own way. VSS is self-proclaimed poet. Your guess is correct. He had come with a poem for the occasion. Title of the poem was "Hunter being hunted."

There was a delay from Vinay in reaching the venue on-time. Keshav and VSS are married beasts, called each other, and met at the venue at 2 PM. Neither of the two cared about the absence of the host, and in true Katte style they started the party. In his inimitable style, that day VSS was drinking beer directly from the pitcher. He felt that we should not waste time in pouring beer from pitcher to mug. A true Katte person! As party began VSS tried to get that secret out of Keshav for he suspected Keshav would be the reason for the party. Keshav asked him to be patient till Vinay makes the announcement.

Finally Vinay, Sadyo and Hebbar arrived to the venue from Mysore around 4 PM. Hebbar had started drinking on the way from Mysore, and others were idiots to not to do so. Whole environment was charged up with an expectation of what could be the reason for the party.

All sat down for a drink, then VSS proudly stood up and announced that he knows the reason for the party and will recite a poem, which he has written it for the occasion. Everyone became curious and looked attentively at VSS. Poem was about the hunter being hunted, falling in love madly, gusty man submitted himself to a beautiful lady and all that. It had obvious reference to Vinay and his supposed-to-be lady love. His guess was, Vinay has proposed to a girl for marriage with a success and Vinay would be getting married soon.

After all that speculation, Vinay stood up and announced that he would be relocating to Germany for long term through SAP Labs where he was working. He said he is not going to quit drinking or smoking and that he just said that to sensationalize the matter. All of us knew Vinay was very crazy about moving to US or Europe. He used to crib for not getting the opportunity early enough.

Except VSS, everybody felt happy and congratulated him. Though VSS congratulated him for the relocation, he was not that happy. Sadyo, who works for Robert Bosch, had been visiting Germany for short trips. He started planning where all they could party in his next trip to Germany. Sadyo and Vinay are childhood friends.

When all of us settled down with news, VSS argued that it was not a good news to celebrate and host a party as Vinay was moving away. He was clearly disappointed that his guess was wrong. He felt only Love should be celebrated in grand style. He was also wondering why Love has become so light now a days.

As group had gulped down considerable amount of beer, everyone started opening up. The whole group got in to discussion why a person falling in love has become a rarity? Why duration of love affair has become so short? And people hardly feel anything about breakup or make up in relationship, and discussion became heavy with arguments and counter arguments.

Later group switched to other lighter topics, but VSS seems to be hanging-in there and was a bit sober through out the party. Usually VSS is very lively in party, but that day he was little out of the place. May be he expected a grand love story from Vinay, but at that moment any other reason for party seemed sillier to him.

Hebbar is a heavily bit tall man. He used to believe in love as a verb than noun. He was amused by VSS’s sober mood. He whispered to Keshav ‘these poets are a bit lunatic’ with a smile, to which Keshav replied with his trade mark compassion in his voice ‘may be they are… but VSS is a good man. '

May be there was something connecting between VSS’s disappointment and Keshav.

We all enjoyed the party till 11 PM and reached home safely without getting into trouble with traffic police. Later, we gave farewell party to Vinay. Vinay flew to Germany on 29^th February.