My friends love to hang out. I love it too. Such time is when we have the opportunity to reflect on life generally and discuss business. So, usually during the weekends, we would tho to a pub to have a chit-chat over a bottle of beer. Most times, it could go out of hand when the discussion is becoming more interesting. Fish pepper soup or Nkwobi (meat made from cow legs or skin and goat head). Our discussions were mostly business related and I can tell you that it was one of the memories I may not be able to forget for the rest of my life.
Haven't you heard people saying that ideas are mostly birthed under the influence of alcohol? That may be true to a large extent. One of my friends caught the vision to brand palm oil in transparent plastic bottles the way vegetable oil was being packed. He caught that idea when we were on a beer round table talk and today, he is shipping his brand abroad.
However, I have since stopped taking beer and all alcohol brands. I used to be addicted. It wasn't like I can't live without beer, but once it was weeknd, I had to take a sip from a beer tumbler. As soon as I got married, my wife worked on that aspect of my life. She ensured that I forgot that beer or any other alcoholic brand ever existed.
The Ugly Dance
One Friday evening, as usual, we assembled at the bar to have our usual chats but this time around, Sly (a doctor friend) came around with so much money that we booze away since we got the opportunity to get free bottles of beer and to suppress the intoxication with a plate of Nkwobi or catfish peppersoup.
As we were busy downloading the beer, I got tipsy. But Sly continued asking for more supplies of beer to our tables. We drank till very late in the evening.
Suddenly, discussions around football, history, trado-medicine, modern medicine, finance and all that started. We talked from one career to another. I was catching the groove so well that I forgot that it was already late in the evening. Th sound of Osondu Owendu by Onyeka Owenu rend the air.
We started to dance by first nodding our heads and then we moved to stamping our feet, then we graduated into taking over the dance floor. Ordinarily, I am a shy person, I don't dance in public, I rarely do. But that day, to my greatest surprise, I took over the dance space and became the centre of attraction. The dance moves I made were never seen anywhere before. This made it more hilarious as Imovede like a snake. My friends hailed me and clapped me to arouse my ego to dance more and I fell for their trick.
Something happened afterward. I stopped being shy. Each time we came together and needed to express ourselves, I took centre stage. I could say that in this regard, alcohol was instrumental in pushing the expressive side of me out.
I Know Better
Over the years, I have come to know that as a young person, I decide how my life will be shaped and take responsibility for it. One thing that made me quit alcohol was that I was getting addicted and that was bad for my health.
As I grew older, I saw the need to quit because my body was not getting funny at all. I began to grow a big tummy which was more or less obese in the making.
There was also the side of finance. I could hardly save up money for myself. In fact, my friends would say that the money we use in having fun will not stop from achieving our pursuits in life. My financial life was terrible. I could not account for what I use my income for except boozing. It was that bad and it had to come to an end.
Today, I can testify that life has been fair since I stopped spending my money on alcohol. There are better and more rewarding ventures one can deploy his or her money to other than taking alcohol. I have explored those opportunities and today I can say that I am glad that I did.
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