ek tha EURO!!!! 1

Kiev, Ukraine, night after the Euro cup finals

Currencia Bar

It is an alley in the Kiev downtown that this once-majestic-now-in-shambles bar stands. Currencia Bar. A grand bar, once upon a time in the days of the Soviet Union when the rich and the regal used to frequent this place. Some memories are still visible in terms of framed photographs of the USSR Generals having a good time, another one showing Gorbachev having a pint and some more sepia toned memories of the days gone by.

Rupee enters the bar He has been in this Ukranian city for the last 3 days, having come here to watch the Euro cup finals. Very excited to have come overseas once again, Rupee sadly remembers his teen years when his father Raj Licenseraj - a strict disciplinarian, used to deny him many simple pleasures and pursuits of life. Now things have changed- he is the patriarch of the family now. He can live his life on his terms.

Not much to his liking - this football, he was shouting out hoarse from the stands - Sachin!!! Sachin!!!!.

He is a bit tired, his tall burly frame needing some rest and his brain ..some tonic. Over the last couple of months - he was very active and just recently he has started slowing down a bit. A small spring in his gait does not reveal the tiredness, though. He pushes the door and enters the dimly lit bar, strides towards the counter and orders for a double whiskey. He takes a large sip and as the elixir of life burns its way through his throat- Rupee gives out a nice happy sigh. He realizes that there are some other people in the bar and turns around his bar stool to survey the surroundings. Some familiar faces around....

At the corner table, under the dark red bulb casting it's eerie glow is Sterling Pound. He is sitting facing the wall with his back to the bar. Some things never change, says Rupee silently...to nobody in general. Rupee remembers that many many years ago, his family was in services of the Pound family. Those were the glorious days of the Pound family. What pomp and what grandeur!!! Rupee had heard many stories from his grandfather Aanasaab Paisaraj. Now, sadly those days have gone by and a new aristocracy has emerged. Alas, Pound still reminisces about those days of glory and spends most of his evenings nursing a scotch. Alone and sad.

Further towards another corner, there is a loud laugh and a gregarious ambience. Mark, Frank and Guilder, probably laughing out heartily on some of their usual toilet humour laced jokes. Their table is full of food and drinks and it seems that they have been having a nice time for a good couple of hours now. Sitting at the same table and also tending to the drinks are their cronies - Escudo, Markka, Kroon and some others who Rupee does not recognise. Retirement suits them just fine- thinks Rupee wishfully imagining himself in their places. Rupee has had some good memories of Frank and Mark. They used to act as his guide when he used to visit Europe. Debauched womanisers of the first order they were!!!! but were always aimable with him though. Frank spots Rupee and waves out to join their revelry. Rupee waves back but prefers to sit alone.

Focussing back on nursing his drink, Rupee suddenly hears a shrill whistle and many drunken shouts and catcalls. Swivelling his bar stool towards the door, he literally chokes on the sip taken in just then. OO LA LA!!!!! all the men are cheering and whistling for the three ladies who have come in just now - Drachma, Lira and Peseta.

Three most beautiful women that he had ever seen in his life!!!! Though they are past their primes - the regal beauty has still not faded away. Unconsciously, he runs his tongue over his lips lustily, takes his glass and downs the remnants in one straight neat gulp. Orders another.

Of these three, Drachma had always been his favourite - the object of his teenage lust and fantasy. Greek Goddess was she!!!! in her youth!!!!! As he lazily runs his eyes over her, "Tota maal"- says to himself. There is a lot of commotion as many men amble over their seats in a rush to greet the three ladies. A lot of air kisses and embraces. 

Rupee never could manage courage to talk to the three ladies. His father was ... well less said the better when it came to matters of women.

Strangely though, neither Frank nor Mark nor Guilder make any overtures of wishing the ladies. Pretty strange thinks Rupee for these 3 were always ladies' men. Neither do Lira, Peseta or Drachma make any effort of stopping by their table. Drachma just fleetingly gives a slight nod to Mark when the latter catches her gaze. Mark, still laughing out on some silly joke cracked by Escudo - gives a slight nod in response. A nod so subtle that it could have just been missed out but for the keen eye of Rupee who is watching this with some unknown interest.

The ladies make their way through the crowds towards a corner table at the extreme right of the bar. Peseta shouts out a greeting to Rupee, "Hola Senor Rupee, como te va?". Rupee just manages to bring together all his innate courage and just about whispers aloud, "Muy Bien Thank You" - the limited Spanish he still remembers.

As he turns around and faces the bar counter for another drink - it just hits him all at once!!!!! The entire glance thing just made sense!!!!!! Of course, it had to be that scandal!!!!! How could he not tie in the threads towards this logic??? That big scandal!!! A scandal of shame, an act of dishonour and disrepute!!!! Of course he knew it!!! Everybody knows it. It was all over in the news and papers. It was that night which changed or rather, ruined many lives forever.

It was the night when......