I was sitting in a restaurant waiting for my order to be served. Just in front of it was a buzzing road. And on the other side of the road there was a wine shop. I gave it a look and also noticed that it was very busy with business. Many people came in after stopping their vehicles by the side of the road. They went away with a package or black polythene bag in their hand. It was an afternoon and it seemed the shop did a very good business. It was also because it was on the main road and in a very populated area. Next moment, I saw a couple walking in there. They were a young couple, the man was in his shorts and the lady seemed to be from the North Eastern part of India. They went in holding hands of each other and also walked out after few minutes in the same manner. I didn’t feel nice – it seemed to me that today wine and alcohol had entered into people’s daily life like never before. And such shops which made alcohol easily available – near their homes and anytime they wished – also contributed to their drinking habits. But then I tried to control my thoughts. Some drinkers would be young but they had the freedom to decide what was good and what was bad for their lives. I tended to be too idealistic and moralistic too – and hence I convinced me that may be it was I who was seeing too much into the whole thing. I didn’t drink; it didn’t mean no one should drink. Gradually, I let the thoughts fly away and started having my food. Just before I was to leave after finishing the meal, I watched something that disturbed me.
A father stopped his motorbike by the side of the road. He had a three year old baby girl in his lap. He carried her in his lap and entered into the wine shop. Few minutes later, he came back with a black polythene bag in his one hand. And his baby daughter in the other. The scene made me uncomfortable.
Agreed, that the young or otherwise parents had the freedom to enjoy their lives by drinking as and when they liked. But while doing so, were not they also bringing alcohol in the lives of their children? I didn’t know if they drank while hiding from their children; but one day the children would definitely know their habit. I had no idea how the parents would behave with the young children while in drunken state. But the whole picture revolving in front of my eyes – after seeing the father leaving the wine shop with his baby daughter in his lap – was not at all nice…
Does someone from the governments keep a tab on the number of wine shops and their vicinity with densely populated areas? Do they have any mechanism to prevent young children from getting exposed to others’ drinking habits and alcoholism from very early age? I don’t think so.
Then are not we doing something wrong somewhere?
- Rahul
A father stopped his motorbike by the side of the road. He had a three year old baby girl in his lap. He carried her in his lap and entered into the wine shop. Few minutes later, he came back with a black polythene bag in his one hand. And his baby daughter in the other. The scene made me uncomfortable.
Agreed, that the young or otherwise parents had the freedom to enjoy their lives by drinking as and when they liked. But while doing so, were not they also bringing alcohol in the lives of their children? I didn’t know if they drank while hiding from their children; but one day the children would definitely know their habit. I had no idea how the parents would behave with the young children while in drunken state. But the whole picture revolving in front of my eyes – after seeing the father leaving the wine shop with his baby daughter in his lap – was not at all nice…
Does someone from the governments keep a tab on the number of wine shops and their vicinity with densely populated areas? Do they have any mechanism to prevent young children from getting exposed to others’ drinking habits and alcoholism from very early age? I don’t think so.
Then are not we doing something wrong somewhere?
- Rahul
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