We made last minute plans to go to a New Year Eve party. As soon as we entered the party hall, I almost got run over by a pack of screaming 10-year olds. And as is usual in all desi parties, there was no place to sit. After exchanging pleasantries with a few friends we met there, my wife and I decided to get drinks.
I tapped a gentleman on the shoulder and asked him where the bar was.
"This is the line for the bar," he said.
"Really?" I said. "But I can't even see the bar from here!"
"Its a long line," he said, as he shrugged his shoulders.
That was an understatement. The line seemed endless. By the time I would be able to get a drink, it would be the new year already!
"Let's go down and get drinks at the restaurant," I said to my wife.
So we walked to the restaurant, a floor below the hall and bought a few drinks. In spite of the fact that our ticket to the "Grand Party" included unlimited drinks. After a while we thought of going back up to the party. A security guard blocked my path as I tried to walk up the steps. I held up my wrist and showed him my entry bracelet.
"Sorry sir, can't let anybody go up there," he said.
"What?! We have tickets," I said.
"I'm really sorry. The fire marshal's orders, there are too many people. Nobody is going up."
Well, that was that. I looked at my wife and we both burst out laughing.
"So let's get this straight," I said to her. "We paid a lot of money to get tickets to this party, we couldn't find a place to sit, we bought our drinks ourselves and now we can't even get into the party. This has to be the mother of all Desi parties!"
"Let's just go out for a walk," she said.
So we stepped outside the hotel and walked onto the Reston Town Center. The weather was nice and people were dancing outside, to the music from the numerous restaurants lining the streets of the town center. It was one big party. So we joined in at a couple of places. This was better than the party we had paid for!
After a while we decided to head back to "our party". This time they let us in, and we were able to connect with our friends and kids inside before the start of the New Year. The food, as expected was gone, but luckily, our friends had saved some for us, so we would not go hungry.
All in all, we had a good time in spite of the chaotic organization, enjoyable because my family and friends were with me. And at the end of the day, that is all what matters.
"At every cocktail party there are two kinds of people. Those who want to go home and those who don't. Trouble is, they are generally married to each other!"
P.S. "Wishing you all a very happy & healthy New Year!"
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