Barbaric Barbasol !!!

I have always had this penchant for good perfumes, colognes and other accessories. Other than a decent collection of perfumes, I also had quite a few brands of shaving foams as well. Being in a B-school then and that too staying in a boy’s hostel my wardrobe was always in demand. Every day someone or the other would come to use these for impressing their dates. I dint mind it at all because I used to get a chance to flaunt my stuff especially when one knows that they are better than your peers.

It was the alumni meet of year 2007 in Our B-school and me being a member of the alumni team was getting all decked up in the evening. All the Alumni team members for that matter were trying to look their best by wearing their best suits and ties.( As if some alumni would come up to us and say" Boy You are looking stunning, what about a job with E&Y as the CEO of the company". Wishful thinking indeed!! But nevertheless it didn’t stop us from looking our best.

Sandeep Balan, my roomie, was not in his usual vivacious self that evening. It was sizably evident that he want appeased at all as he wasn’t in the alumni team and was not invited for the alumni meet (only junior alumni team members were allowed). A twitch in his eyebrows every now and then were insinuating towards a massive counter blow. I looked at the watch; it was Thirty minutes past six. I thanked god that I was ready in time and would reach college by 7pm.I knew there would be a rush of other hostelers of the alumni team coming to my room asking for deo’s and perfumes which I would proudly share with them after telling a story of how expensive it was and how I bought it. I loved the expression in their face when they said "mast hai bhai" without even ever hearing the name of the brand in their years of existence.


I finally decided to wear my tie and was tying the Knot when I heard a knock in the door. I asked Sandeep"Abe dekh kaun hai yaar"(Look who's there). He opened the door “Abe Tj yaar perfume dena” shouted an all wet Rahul who was already late and just came out of the Loo after taking a bath. His shirt was still unbuttoned. I was about to proceed towards my almirah to expose my precious collection when suddenly Sandeep interrupted “Let me attend bhai". I was struggling with the knot myself hence agreed to him. "Which one do u want Rahul Bhai", we have the best stuff in our room”? asked Sandeep with an evil grin. "Koi bhi chalega"(any one would do) replied the innocent Rahul for whom what mattered was ‘not smelling bad’ rather than smelling good. Sandeep was more than happy and opened my Almirah and took out a Bottle and gave it to him. Before I could have interrupted Rahul hastily lifted his hands and sprayed it in his underarms as if it was for free and he would never get it again.... phissssssssssssssssssssssss went the bottle. The very next moment a horror stricken Rahul stood with his hands up looking at Sandeep with a murderous look. Sandeep had given him a bottle of Barbasol ( A shaving foam) instead of a perfume. White foam was slowly falling down from Rahul’s underarms as his whole shirt was spoiled. Sandeep looked at me with a gleeful face. I looked towards the ceiling fan as if I never knew anything. Rahul looked at both of us and went out abusing .No one else ever came to our room after that day asking for perfume.