You don’t have to be incompetent to be taken care of

Shashwat was drunk. No.

Technically, he was not drunk though he wished he was.

He was nagging in bed like a child, whining (and subtly showing off) of how tolerable of alcohol he had become over the years in Bangalore.

“How boring!” He said, asking for more.

I climbed up the bed next to him to have a better view of his expression.

He blinked at me playfully, as if subtly reminding me that he could get out of bed any time,

that all of this was merely a playful act.

Looking at him, I asked, “Why do you wish to be drunk?”

“So I can see people take care of me instead.” He mumbled. His eyes were half closed, gazing at mine waiting for a response. There was a note of bitterness in his voice, like a proud kid unwilling to admit they too, can be fragile. Finally, I said

“You don’t have to be incompetent to be taken care of.”