Thursday, March 12, 2020

Hookah memories-From smoke to smoke


There used to be a time when Kaleidoscope stayed back for the exciting canteen of the university. It's top floor location was the primary reason for such attraction. A few of his friends were hostel boarders and he knew for sure that if it's too late he can always stay back at the hostel! 

A couple of his teachers were regular evening time customers of the canteen. Of course they had a separate place to have something. A relatively confined place. Kaliedoscope and his friends could only see their back side so as to make sure that whenever Kaleidoscope is smoking his trachers are not looking at. Smoking infront of one's teacher was forbidden. 

Once, Kaleidoscope found their teachers were smoking a hookah! The traditional one with coconut base. It was owned by Gour da, the defacto canteen owner. Gour da was old, large built and kindhearted. 

So, Kaleidoscope thought of giving it a chance. After their teachers left, Kaleido and one of his very close friends approached to Gour da. Gour da was kind enough to allow them to smoke from the same hookah! 

Ah! The sound of smoking coming through the water, the feel of holding the coconut base and appreciating the smoke that was coming out of the lung overwhelmed Kaleidoscope! The added charm was to be able to smoke from the same hookah where two legendary anthropologist just smoked!

Years later Kaleidoscope tried the hookah bar thing in a couple of Kolkata bars. One at Beer republic and another one at Traffic! The smoke came out heavily, took him to the nostalgic past for a while. But the loud noise and confinement was unbearable. He always searched for the university top floor while smoking the hookah! 

It happened as he smoked a hookah from one of the rooftop bars of the newest part of the city! Memories came back. Like a long lost link the smok created a quick recaptulation of the the colourful moment of the canteen evening... The smoke was establishing a connection through the cityscape... Through the timescape that made Kaleidoscope what he is! 

Smoking, causes memories come back... Apart from causing cancer!

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