Tragedy: 2 Peg ke Baad

By Nikita Lalwani

FUN: 2 Peg Ke Baad puts together short stories of fun and adventure that kicked in after 2 pegs, in an inebriated state. World’s greatest stories are created when people are high – masterpieces are painted, universal truths are realised, models on billboards are befriended, lovers are united, butts are kicked, confessions are made, and relationships are sorted.
This is a part of a book started as a blog with people from across the world sharing their stories, ideas, confessions and beliefs, and the elixir of some of the best stories is here to reveal what lies beyond a conscious mind.
Though the book does not intend to encourage drinking alcohol in any sense, here’s to celebrate every emotion that kicks after a few pegs. Cheers!!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Srishti Publishers
• Release date: Jul 3, 2018

Book preview

TRAGEDY

2

PEG

KE

BAAD

TRAGEDY

2

PEG

KE

BAAD

Nikita Lalwani

Srishti

Publishers & Distributors

SRISHTI PUBLISHERS & DISTRIBUTORS

Registered Office: N-16, C.R. Park

New Delhi – 110 019

Corporate Office: 212A, Peacock Lane

Shahpur Jat, New Delhi – 110 049

[e-mail]

First published digitally by

Srishti Publishers & Distributors in 2016

Copyright © Nikita Lalwani, 2016

This is an extract from Nikita Lalwani’s 2 Peg Ke Baad.

This is a work of fiction. The characters, places, organisations and events described in this book are either a work of the author’s imagination or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to people, living or dead, places, events, communities or organisations is purely coincidental.

The author asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the Publishers.

Introduction

My mother always said, After two pegs, nothing can go right.

But I feel the world’s most interesting stories surface only after two pegs. So, here I bring to you my ‘after two pegs’ short story collection. The book includes stories in various genres from different people from across the world. The book does not encourage drinking alcohol in any way, though there is no denying the fact that every euphoria, high, dysphoria or unconsciousness of mind has brought us incredible events which at times have turned out to be life-changing. The stories are wrapped around almost anything that kicks the mind 2 pegs ke baad!

CONTENTS

Introduction

Papier Blanc (The Blank Paper)

Kicking the Butt

Car No. 88

Papier Blanc

(The Blank Paper)

16th June 2004

Delhi

It was around 11’o clock in the morning on a Wednesday at Cafe Coffee Day. I still remember those confused eyes searching for a French word in an English-French dictionary, sipping her cafe frappe and slurping on the straw to suck out the last drop. I had known Kiara for about one-and-a-half years now, but it seemed we had known each other forever. Only six months back she had moved in to my apartment from her hostel.

Bonjour, Madam Suzane, Kiara closed her laptop and picked up her study material and left me with my coffee and her morning greetings.

You are leaving already? I muttered seeing her leave.

Yes, I have my class in ten minutes and as always I am already late.

Kiara was learning French those days. She has been quite a writer at the same time and wished to study French literature and eventually write books in French. Long story short, I had no idea of what she spoke most of the time except the one word that she taught me – ‘hurluburlu’ which meant eccentric.

Pushing the door that clearly said ‘pull’, she left.

January 2013

(From Suzane’s diary)

Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences,

Delhi

I have never liked hospitals. The stark whiteness all around, the smell of blood and spirit and the glow from the OT lights that were switched on were in itself enough to make you realize that things were not going so well.

I was asked to wait outside in the visitors’ room by the time the patient was prepared to meet me. Sanatoriums and mental health care hospitals have their own rules about allowing patients to meet their concerned visitors. An advance request, a