Under The Influence

The following events are true and have taken place in my life. Although the names have been changed for obvious reasons.

Date: 11^th April, 2019, Thursday.
Time: 6:40 P.M.
I was walking out of my office with my laptop hanging over my left shoulder and my cell-phone in right hand. While I was scrolling through the pictures in my Instagram^® feed, a Whatsapp^® Message popped up on my cell-phone screen.
Shreya: Got a new Mercedes… Lets go for a drive someday…!!!
She sent me picture too and I loved it…!!
Me: Sure. Whenever u say…! 😊

Date: 14^th April, 2019, Sunday
Time: 9:30 P.M
I was watching Avengers Infinity War on my laptop snuggling comfortably between sheets with my shorts and tea. Thanos had just snapped his fingers and wiped half the universe. I was a bit emotional when spider-man got swept away and then she called me. She does have a bad timing when it comes to calling me.
Shreya: Hey, where are you now?
(she was excited as always.)
Me: Was watching Avengers Infinity War. Why? What has happened now?
(I smirked and enquired.)
Shreya: Me and Vineet (her brother) are waiting outside your home for a drive around the city. Run and come fast. We are waiting.
Me: I had dinner a few minutes ago. I am too dizzy to go for a drive.

After few minutes, I was there, they were there and it was there too. A perfect black S class Mercedes with the much-seen Mercedes emblem on the front. I stepped in the rear trying to fit in without scratching anything. The Car looked extravagant from the inside with its brown leather seats and controls on the steering. Vineet was on the driver seat and Shreya was sitting on his left.

My family had owned a sky-blue Maruti Suzuki ® WagonR for years which I had learnt to drive a few months ago. So, I could only imagine sitting in a Mercedes let alone sit in it. Naturally, I was anxious and fascinated with the numerous buttons and function that the car performed.

Vineet connected his cell-phone with the music system and tuned to punjabi songs as he zapped through the traffic. He would speed up as he got space on the road and brake suddenly as he had someone or something ahead him. I had cursed him a lot for this.

Vineet: Where we should go?
Shreya: Let’s go to meet Vishal (our common friend whom we hadn’t seen for weeks) …!!
And we agreed.
I was feeling sick after few minutes of drive but I judged it would be over soon. Obviously, I was wrong.

After a good twenty minutes of feeling motion sickness and food churning in my stomach, we had reached Vishal’s place which was across the town. He wasn’t picking the call so I went upstairs to bring him down to hang with us. Though he was reluctant but he agreed. I asked him to bring a bottle of water with him.

He got a bottle with basil leaves floating in it. Obviously, everyone drank but we made sure to make fun of the basil leaves. Soon we left and were driving towards home.

Me: Vineet, STOP THE CAR…!!! (I screamed.)
He thought that I was joking and he continued to drive.
Me: Vineet, STOP THE CAR…!!! (I screamed again.)
He got serious and stopped the car after finding a spot to park.

Seconds before he parked, I had puked all over my clothes and my hands so that the car didn’t get dirty. I unlocked the gates with my one clean hand and puked on the road side. Shreya offered me a half-filled water bottle which obviously wasn’t enough. I ran across the highway to get water from a small hut and wiped myself. These two idiots were sitting in the car and giggling at me.
I was in the car, again. The car smelled of my vomit. I hadn’t stopped feeling sick.
It was my turn to be made fun of and these two morons left no stone unturned to do so. Well, that’s what friends are for. Isn’t it? I cursed his driving skills relentlessly. He even sprayed perfume all over himself and me. We three would remember this drive for the rest of our lives.

Soon, we reached the gates of my colony. I asked them to drop me and drive home safely. I wanted a walk. I had some water from a tea stall and a boy at the stall walked me home.
I reached home at 11:30 P.M. I underwent a serious interrogation. Well, don’t judge me. I come from a Marwari Family. We sleep at 11:00 P.M.
I changed clothes and hid them and slept laughing at the past two hours of my life.