New Year’s is always a special time of year, with new beginnings and a hope-filled vision of the future taking precedence over mostly everything.

This year was no different – it was fabulous. My family and I went to one of my Dad’s hotels to bring in the new year. The hotel is in Baga, Goa, and there was a great party planned. It was tremendous fun, even the part where we spent close to 3 hours in traffic to get our butts there. The party was awesome, the DJ was competent (which is a LOT considering the kind of music one usually hears) and the food was yum.

J was there too, because my dad had hired him to provide security. He called me about 20 times from 11 onwards (when we were still in the car) asking where the hell we were, because he had been planning to leave. We arrived and being the colossal idiot that he is, hugged my mother, nodded to my aunt, and COMPLETELY ignored me. To be fair, I was so preoccupied with talking to my dad, I didn’t notice him come and go. We really are a ridiculous pair.

Anyway, after bringing in the new year on the dance floor, my mom and aunt returned to our table, while I stood watching the fireworks. And who should I see at the bar? A.

I wasn’t as surprised as I should have been, considering he specifically said he was NOT bringing her – but that is J all over. Full of hot air and, well, crap. She didn’t see me, thankfully, and she went back to a boozing J on the dance floor.

Frankly this whole thing shouldn’t have bothered me, but it did. I don’t even know why, but it did. I gave myself a very stern talking to, and by and large I was back to normal.

After about an hour, mom wanted to stroll around, so we walked towards the entrance of the hotel. I espied A filling up a plate at the buffet, and I figured I can rise above my irrational irritation at having her there. It was new year’s after all. So I went up behind her, and tapped her on the shoulder. I felt a little better about myself that my smile and wishes were genuine, because I honestly don’t wish this girl any ill-will. I introduced her to mom as ‘A’ and we proceeded on our ramble.

While walking down we saw a rapidly dissolving J draped in a chair near the security counter. He blinked at us, slurred something about ‘security’ and proceeded to eat the food that loving A had brought to him.

I hardly know why, but my mood picked up after that. (Okay, feel free to call me mean.)

On our way back, I was horsing around mom, imitating everyone in sight – when we bumped into J and A again. He was REALLY drunk. And this is where all the funnies of the night happened.

Mom: “You’re drunk, J!”

J: <mutter, mutter something coherent and something incoherent>

I wasn’t paying attention, because I had just seen my dad walking towards us.

K: “Hey! What’s up?”

Dad: “Nothing, what are you guys up to?”

K, very chirpy and in the mood to be a pain: “Nothing! Dad, this is A, J’s wife!”

Dad and A: <pleasantries>

J turns to glare at me behind my dad’s back, something which is not lost on either mom or A. I smile sunnily at him, knowing perfectly well why he was so mad with me.

A: “Wow, look at the way he is looking at you!”

K: “Ah, I’m used to to his death glares.”

Dad moves ahead at this point, as he had some work to see to. J is still glaring at me. I am grinning like a Cheshire cat because I’m finding the situation vastly amusing.

Mom and A start talking about J and his health, and him needing a check-up, etc, etc.

K, following up on something about getting his chest examined: “… and his head too!”

J’s lips split into a smile, but it is a totally humourless and mirthless one. Boy, was he MAD with me! This of course had the effect of making me chirpier.

K: “Kyun, kya hua? Mu pe aaj tala lag gaya kya?” (Why what happened? Got a lock on your mouth?”

J refused to stop glaring at me, and all the while mom and A were talking. He started moving closer to me, and I saw something shift in his gaze. And of course, being the tongue-happy idiot I am, I said in a undervoice: “Tsk, tsk.. biwi ke saamne?” (in front of your wife?)

Which stopped him dead in his tracks. Whew. He grinned that awful grin, and said: “I’ll deal with you later.”

Mom and A had big question marks on their faces, so I explained that he wanted to cuss me out, but couldn’t because mom was there. He stormed off while mom was talking, and called A after him. As she scuttled off, I remarked in a tone loud enough to reach his ears:

“Good luck, A! You’re going to NEED it.”

Happy New Year, folks!