Lockdown, Liquor and foolhardiness.....

Lockdown, Liquor and foolhardiness.....

Day before yesterday"s announcement of opening liquor shops was like a bolt from the blue, Covid 19 be damned! Like thunderbolts men made a bee line to the liquor shops ( I was told that in Mumbai some shops were kept open only for women too). Parched by a forty-five day lockdown they probably needed to lift their spirits ! It appeared that people were so crazy for buying liquor that all norms of social distancing had gone with the wind. Neither were they concerned that they were endangering their lives as well as those of others.
On my way to office, I was stupefied by the queue in front of the liquor shop which almost wound upto a kilometer. A teetotaller like me has never been able to fathom people's craze for drinks. In contrast I have always been at the receiving end for being a "non-trendy", "unfashionable" teetotaller. I am almost condemned at most social dos, a misfit at most getogethers official or personal. Many times people look in disbelief that i do not drink. And then there are those who will recommend gin, the ladies drink. Some even suggest that one can be breezy with breezers or spritzers (?) while others say the wine is certainly sinless. Most pass jibes on how much I was missing in life while some suggest lacing it in such a way with some soft drink that nobody would know !
While I can overlook most of the comments in good humour I always get amused with the "nobody will know" whispers . I always find it strange that people limit their conscience to others knowing what they do and not to their own conscience.....
The degree of being 'uncool' and 'far away from the times' multiply manifold when one discovers you are vegetarian. Their biggest woe then is what do you do to enjoy life? And then their heart.goes all out to me in commiseration of what all I am missing in my life . My opinion of being happier without losing my balance hardly matters to them nor the fact that besides alcohol there are umpteen pleasures in life. Being gullible to their own weakness my strength must be surely unsettling to them. No wonder efforts are made by some to prove the futility of my attitude and approach or even make me feel little at times.
I have witnessed the pettiness of guests ordering drinks at a party hosted by me much to my chagrin. I had to bear the heights of love for alcoholic drinks during a recent study tour where public transport was emphasized to save taxpayers money while they ended blowing up same on endless drinks in the evening.
Each experience has made me learn that isolating myself from such occassions is better than convincing them because my feelings would not matter to them anyways.
So normally I would keep myself away but today when the nation is in crisis with hundreds dying of Covid 19 and when thousands are working tirelessly in hospitals, on roads and other places it is highly unfair to come out in hordes like mindless sheep upsetting the cart. I have heard that with alcohol comes irresponsibility but the nonchalant crowding on roads , the melee to reach liquor shops throwing all caution to the wind reflects the most inhuman face of alcohol consumers.
The administration had no choice but to roll back the order of sale of liquor but the damage has been done. This reckless rush for purchase of liquor can lead to a spike in Covid 19 cases due to the total absence of social distancing. Another fallout was closing of non-essential shops which had been opened. The repercussions of such thoughtless behavior by alcohol consumers can be drastic on their own health and well as others. Much as they won't like it, I hope good sense prevails and they stick to soft drinks. Just like a funny line I had read, " Dont drink alcohol and be an alcoholic, drink fanta and be fantastic"