Two drunks

It was late at night in the small town. The weak yellow streetlights cast eerie shadows and two drunks were staggering and swaying down the deserted street.

'I could have killed him with one blow. Pata nahin apne aap ko kya samajhta hai! He doesn't know that I am a black belt in boxshing.' Ghanne the older of the two was telling his much younger companion Manne.

'You are very brave Ghanne-bhai. I was scared when the big mucchhad came to beat us up. After you told them that we wont leave till we had four more glasshes.

'Ha! I am not scared of anybody! Or anything! Did I tell you about the time I scared away two ghoshts?'

With some difficulty Manne shook his spinning head and Ghanne continued.

'This was many yearsh ago. I was coming back alone from the shop and jusht about here where we are now I saw two ghoshts.'

Ghanne paused the story and stood swaying looking around.

'Haan, it was just here on a full moon night like thish that I saw them. They were black from head to toe with red eyesh and hornsh on their headsh. I shouted GHOSTHS I WILL KILL YOU, and they lifted their lungis and ran away.'

Ghanne and Manne stood laughing in the middle of the road. They laughed even louder when they noticed that Ghanne's shouting had frightened some stray dogs and they were running away.

'Jusht like the ghoshts!' said Manne and both of them almost fell down swaying and laughing.

Their laughter stopped suddenly as if cut by a knife when they saw the two ghosts crossing the road in front of them. As they passed under the streetlight Ghanne and Manne could almost see the red glowing eyes. The ghosts did not look at the drunks and vanished down a side street.

Ghanne and Manne stood trembling violently. 

'Jai Hanuman gyaan gun shaagar....' Ghanne started the Hanuman chalisa in a broken voice and both of them clearly saw Hanuman with a lit beedi crossing the street behind the ghosts.

The ramleela actors going home cured our drunks for life. They drank only water and always shuddered while passing the street where they saw the ghosts. 

(Illustrated by Dinkar)