It was customary in Brussels to be present on everyone's birthday. Don't remember who had actually started the tradition, but it made you feel wanted when you are miles away from home.There was off course the minus points to it also. But somehow the joys outweighed the pain.
People would start arriving at the venue from 11:30. The cake cutting would start exactly at midnight. Everyone apart from the birthday boy would be in delightful mood. The poor guy ( girls thankfully being spared ) would know what was coming next. Birthday's meant a bruised bum. He would be held by four people while the remaining took turns to give him bumps. For the more loved or hated one's it would never finish with a single round. It meant multiple rounds of kicks till the guests finally gave up.
Everyone had some specialty. Kumbhu was famous for his kungfu kicks. Baaji made it a point to wear his special Woodland boots for this occasion. There was Jawan who was notorious for beating up with just about anything. Be it a slippers lying next to him or a cricket bat.
There was this instance when Andy had produced a fake medical certificate of a tail bone injury just to save himself from the bumps. The faking had cost him more pain than relief. I still have a photo of Lalla fully in tears on his birthday. It still remains a mystery whether he actually was hurt or faked his escape. Papa needs a special mention. He was the only person who no one had dared to touch. I had overheard an instance were he had taken up a kitchen knife when people tried to pick him up. That one act of bravery had saved him many painful birthday's during his stay.
Cake cutting would follow with cake fights. The whole party would end up plastered in the cake. It all started during Kutti's birthday bash in Chausse Saint Pierre. Leave out the people, even the doors, floors and the walls were not spared from the cake. What would start next was a tale of revenge. Finally Chotu would put an end to the saga. For his birthday he would get a single pastry instead of a cake. Logic being - smaller the cake the less messier it would be.
I have pondered what made those messy, painful birthday's memorable. Just being their for each other, being part of the laughter, fun and madness, walking home after midnight after the last bus/tram. Those were some crazy times worth remembering.
People would start arriving at the venue from 11:30. The cake cutting would start exactly at midnight. Everyone apart from the birthday boy would be in delightful mood. The poor guy ( girls thankfully being spared ) would know what was coming next. Birthday's meant a bruised bum. He would be held by four people while the remaining took turns to give him bumps. For the more loved or hated one's it would never finish with a single round. It meant multiple rounds of kicks till the guests finally gave up.
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| Random Pic @ Birthday Gathering |
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| The Sober Beginning |
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| The Messy End |
Everyone had some specialty. Kumbhu was famous for his kungfu kicks. Baaji made it a point to wear his special Woodland boots for this occasion. There was Jawan who was notorious for beating up with just about anything. Be it a slippers lying next to him or a cricket bat.
There was this instance when Andy had produced a fake medical certificate of a tail bone injury just to save himself from the bumps. The faking had cost him more pain than relief. I still have a photo of Lalla fully in tears on his birthday. It still remains a mystery whether he actually was hurt or faked his escape. Papa needs a special mention. He was the only person who no one had dared to touch. I had overheard an instance were he had taken up a kitchen knife when people tried to pick him up. That one act of bravery had saved him many painful birthday's during his stay.
Cake cutting would follow with cake fights. The whole party would end up plastered in the cake. It all started during Kutti's birthday bash in Chausse Saint Pierre. Leave out the people, even the doors, floors and the walls were not spared from the cake. What would start next was a tale of revenge. Finally Chotu would put an end to the saga. For his birthday he would get a single pastry instead of a cake. Logic being - smaller the cake the less messier it would be.
I have pondered what made those messy, painful birthday's memorable. Just being their for each other, being part of the laughter, fun and madness, walking home after midnight after the last bus/tram. Those were some crazy times worth remembering.
lolzz. ...beautifully written Shubhu. ...refreshed some of my memories too like andy's tail bone problem and lalla's tears...lol...one shld also not forget jitu's bdy parties which were an alcholic's delight :). ...he made sure that no one left his party without losing his or her mind
ReplyDeleteThanks Ananda..nice that you liked it. For Jitu's alcoholic's delights I have no clue;) Will have to check with the guys for more details :P
ReplyDelete