I’ve lost all enthusiasm about going for picnics. Today was the annual office picnic and although I have been attending these since I’ve joined, I gave this year a miss. Many people asked me why. I just didnt feel like going this year.
The funny thing is I always give this theory when people act pricey about attending social events especially when they’re expected to be present. The theory goes something like this:
There are some people (in this world) who will always say that they wont be going and the rest have to beg, plead, cajole and whine for them to finally consent. That is only if the following sentences are uttered – Come on, it will be no fun without you. Please come, it wont be the same. And so on and so forth.
Theory not applicable here, of course.
The definition of a picnic isnt a fun event for me anymore. I dont know what kind of picnics you guys go to but the ones I end up in usually involve a group of people playing cards from 10am till 5pm. Last year, the winner made about 4000 rupees by the end of the day. A worthy task indeed and much boasted about till this date. Another group of people will be dancing for approximately the same period of time, watched by The Audience who probably dont know how to play cards and dont know how to dance either, in my opinion.
And before anyone asks, I belong to the dancing category.
And there is one teetotaller who will be given the most important job of being the bartender. He will be immensely popular that day and will be everybody’s friend as long as the drinks keep coming. The moment the bar closes, he runs for his life and a commotion is guaranteed at the empty bar.
Happens every year.
Two years back, we had a small problem concerning the amount being collected per person for the annual picnic. So a brilliant solution was thought of which stated that alcohol consuming people would pay more than the ones who wouldnt. Simple, wasnt it? No fuss except that someone would have to pay close attention at the bar and make sure that non paying people didnt get a drop to drink. Thats right, not even one drop.
The plan didnt work out so well because by the end, no one really bothered to guard the bar and also because some non-paying people ended up droning around the poor bartender like moth to a flame. They had to be bribed off with a bottle of our famous Sikkimese Hit beer but that just sparked off a chain reaction instead.
At that time, we used to have a safaikarmachari who was a well known alcoholic. While initially content with drinking the cheapest whiskey available, he started demanding the other – more expensive – stuff the rest were having. (Yes, we have a hierarchy of alcohol serving, dont you?) Therefore we were surprised to see the bartender pour out some scotch for him. We were later on told that the ingenious bartender poured cheap whiskey in an expensive bottle and the drunk didnt know any better.
We have a local fermented millet-based alcoholic drink called Chhang, which is poured in a tall wooden jar and sipped with a pipe. It’s a common drink in most village homes and was automatically voted by most people as a must-have in the picnic. Since individual jars could not be provided for everyone present, the Chhang was placed in a large bowl and everyone had to bend down and sip the drink. And by everyone, I mean just everyone took a sip just to see what it tastes like.
Later on we got to know that there were such participants who probably didnt know where to put one feet after the next and who also drooled (in copious amount) all over the bowl in an attempt to taste the by now popular drink. One of the most unpleasant discoveries some people’ve had till date.
It had been fun all these years, I admit. Just gets on your nerves once in a while. This year was it. Maybe it’ll be fun going to one next year. Till then, cheers!
The story was very much the same this year too
, and you could not have spelled it out any better 
and there were no fights at the end.
In addition to everything u mentioned, we had guys working on their tan and swimming, something we girls could not do
The dancing category did miss u a lot, we were lost, just the two of us ( u know who ) ha haa so, not much dancing today.
The highlight of the day was the barbecued chicken, you know how everyone was starved for chicken with birdflu and all
So all is well that ends well.
I knew I’d miss out on a lot… esp barbecued chicken (drool w.r.t bird flu) I knew I’d live to regret it
Damn, shall have to wait for next year now!!!
Hi Rinchen,
You said it. All picnics are like that only. That is unless they decide to include the game of Housie and make it take a turn for the worse! I for one hate Housie.
Your posts are very engaging.
Keep posting!
I forgot to mention Housie! They call it Tambola here and my good friend does the counting; only he doesnt know the nepali name of the numbers and makes everyone laugh!
Thanks for your visit. Your gravatar is soooo cute!
very well written!
keep Blogging! Adding you to my blogroll!!
Thanks
Welcome and have added you to my blogroll too!
Hello Rinchen,
Great post about picnics. Plz go next time its a lot of fun.
Thanks for visiting my blog often. I am pleasantly surprised to see my blog in your blogroll.Thanks for that too. Your blog will be added to my blogroll within a week.
Happy Blogging.
Will go next time cause many people told me I missed out on a lot of fun
Btw, I used to be a totally non political person with no interest in whats going on – your blog has made me sit up and think. And realize its important to pay attention. Esp when so many atrocities are being committed in the name of culture, religion and what not.
Probably, it was all in your mind. boredom occurs to everyone and at uncertain times. I had been to a class trip and it was the best one ever. prolly, by the next time i’m called for a trip, it’ll be in some office like ours, and i think i should take a clip for my nose. I hate alcohol.
Next time, make sure u learn playing cards, if u dunno already.
Hi Rinchen
I like this ‘Blah unlimited’.
By the way, i am too in the dancing crowd but i dont drink.
Tell me how do u pronounce your name??
Also, you are my first friend from Sikkim and north-east.
Happy blogging and keep smiling.
@Su Playing cards not for me. Unless its 29 (also called 28 esp in engg hostels! ) Then I’m a lets-play-till-3-am kinda person
@IP Rinchen is propnounced as “Rin” as in that blue washing soap we use and “Chen” as in a one syllabic utterance rhyming with pen
Nice to meet you too!
Angu,
Love, J
Remember the picnics we had, under the ‘iskus ko jhyang’, above the ‘sungur ko khor’, the Land of peace and once we had a cup cake and orange juice picnic in our guest room. I think Chung Chung was Santa Claus and we painted her nose red. Once we were picnicing at Deer Park, the ‘maalis’ stared to throw stones at us. We ran clutching our flasks of tea.Do you remember…? Wish we had digital cameras back then. Your blog got me cracking up at 4 am in the morning:) I remember getting bored out of my wits to see dad and gang play cards all day and No! I was not in the dancing commitee either. The food used to make up for everything though. Keep the blogs rolling… I am your faithful reader
Aww… how can I forget our innocent little picnis although that maali chasing us with stones from the park is funny not to mention really bad mannered
Thanks, Jaya. You make my day, really! With lots of love and fond rememberances…
Hey, how about the birthday picnics we used to have in the REC Valley? That was fun, wasn’t it?
I still have some pics of the tug-of-war we used to play!
Hey yeah! Send me some pics
And welcome back after a long hiatus.
hi ,
Finally i have added you in my blogroll.
Thanks once again for adding me too.
Happy blogging.
This post was Blah Unlimited. Unfortunately, it didn’t have your usual sense of humour. So cheer up.
Thanks
Will try to do that. The cheering up thing 
rinchen
u all had that type of picnics ya jaya never mentioned ya god if that tea had been felled then u would leave the flask ya.
where was the iskus ko jyang ya no more these days ya .
i remember we all the family members went for a picnic to the chalagara where the dhan is taken out when the rain stops.