MY DAD DRINKS AND DRIVES

“Your son is good in academics and he is a very obedient boy.” the class teacher   told us. It was the half yearly parents & teachers meet and as parents we felt very proud of our son. The teacher added “We have the new CBSE directives where in co-scholastic skills are to be improved in the kids. We have continuous and comprehensive evaluation (CCE) for high school students. We have started implementing CCE for your daughter as she is in the 9^th standard. For 3rd standard CCE is not necessary but we have some activities of similar type lined up for your son and kids of his age. We are allotting two periods in every week’s schedule for these activities “.

Though very little went into my mind I smiled and replied “Very nice madam, we know that our kid is in safe and good hands”. “Madam I have a doubt in the project work to be completed by this weekend” my wife said and she started discussing with the class teacher. They both became engrossed in the discussions.

My son looked out of the classroom and told his teacher “Miss, Can I go out and play?”  . The teacher replied “Oh yes”. He ran out of the class and joined his best friend Rahul to play in the ground. This was the best opportunity for me to go out. I got up and gestured to the teacher that I too wanted to go out. Coming out I stood below the tree next to the classroom and started watching them play.  After about five minutes they stopped playing and started talking.

I heard Rahul telling “My father drives the car very fast. I love sitting next to him when he drives. We go for long drives many times and visit tourist spots during weekends. I love my daddy”. My son replied “My Dad drinks and drives”. I was shocked to hear his words.

After about 10 minutes my daughter and wife came out of the classroom and started going towards the car. I called me son and asked him to step into the car. We then drove back to our house with me still in a perplexed state of mind.

It was afternoon and the time was about 2 PM. “Lunch is served” my wife said. I went to the dining table. My son and my daughter were already sitting on the chairs. I pulled the chair next to them, sat on it and started eating.

 After about 5 minutes I looked at him and asked to tell me when I had driven after getting drunk. He  replied with all his innocence that I had done it three times. The answer shocked all of us. Before we could say anything he explained “Dad I have seen a hoarding on the road. It is written - do not drink and drive. At signals when you stopped the car, you did drink water from the bottle kept next to you. You have not followed the rule. Instead you have broken it. This has happened not once but three times. Therefore I told my friend that you drink and drive. ”

I looked at my wife. We did not have any answer. I smiled at him and realised that he was right in his place as he interpreted the social message in the best way he could. After lunch I got up and sat on the sofa in the drawing room watching cricket match in TV. My son came running to me and said “Dad hope you remember that we have to go to Rahul’s house today in the evening “. I nodded gesturing that I remembered the same. I closed my eyes and started thinking.

We grow up and develop some cache wherein we identify and understand language automatically. We do not look for the exact grammatical meaning of words. Language upgrades from being a communicating tool to a much higher level and we start getting other meanings out of it. For us drinking and driving obviously means consuming alcohol and driving. We associate the word drinking with alcohol consumption.

For a kid it is pure grammar to the extent he has been taught. Drinking water while driving amounts to drunken driving for him. Also, the new age kid is growing in a world wherein he gets information more than what he can comprehend. The parents should keep a constant watch on the kid and discuss often to know what the kid is thinking.

“Dad, get up and get ready. We need to go to Rahul’s house” my son jolted me out of my semi-sleep.

It was an occasion which none of our family members wanted to miss.

After about 25 minutes of driving we arrived at his house. Rahul came out, held my son’s hand and both of them ran into the house. I could see about a dozen kids in the hall. All the boys then started playing with one another. I greeted Rahul’s mother with a warm smile and wished the other ladies who were sitting in the hall. It was a festive environment and Ranjeet (Rahul’s father) had taken care and the  arrangements were excellent. I sat on one of the empty chairs in the hall.

“Hello sir, this is not the place for you” Ranjeet remarked and pulled me out of the chair. He winked and I could guess that he had made arrangements for a cocktail party in the first floor. I followed him to the first floor. We entering the room in the first floor and were greeted by many familiar faces. Friends and some relatives of Ranjeet were already comfortably sitting on their chairs. One common thing was that all the people present in the hall were males. Most of them were having glasses of scotch in their hands. There were about dozen of them.

Ranjeet patted on my back and went straight to the corner where he had set up the bar. He took one glass having about 60 ml of scotch and added soda and water to it. He called me and offered the glass of scotch.

I looked at him and smiled. I gestured that I was not interested. He smiled back and tried to handover the glass to me. I said “I do not want to drink. I have to drive back home.”

“What?” Ranjeet replied. He looked amused. He started laughing and said “Come on man I cannot take this from you. I know that you do not mind drinking and driving”. I was not amused. I looked at him and told him that I meant what I was saying. He came closer to me and whispered in my ear “I know that you drink and drive and you have done it thrice”.

 I peeped down and saw the kids playing. I saw my son playing and laughing with his friends. He looked very cute but his innocent remarks had created problems for me. He told Rahul about drinking and driving in the morning and Rahul would have informed his father about this.

I turned back and found Ranjeet waiting for my verdict. His eyes were filled with expectations that I would take the glass of scotch from him. I was not willing to disappoint him either.

“Well Ranjeet, I cannot refuse if you insist.” I said and took a glass of water and drank it. I laughed and added “This would be my fourth case of drinking and driving”.