Baily promptly went in search of Merwan and found his friend helping his father in the toddyshop on Sachapir Street. It was a happy reunion. Hoping to induce Merwan to join the military, Baily narrated his experiences in the foreign lands. Baily had sorely missed Merwan's companionship and wished to regain his intimate friendship, but Merwan refused to enlist.
Baily described the toddyshop:
After retiring from the hotel [teashop] business, Sheriarji entered excise business, i.e., liquor, toddy, opium, ganja, and such other narcotics [legal at the time] including the sale of a piyush drink. He got good clientele and made good money. Merwan also started helping him in this business but on a limited scale. Merwan did not take any interest in the opium, ganja or liquor shops; he only took some interest in being a cashier at the toddyshop and took pleasure in filling up quickly the empty toddy bottles. He knew that the toddy was not totally pure (it was necessary to add intoxicants [to give it an added kick]). Whenever any customer would ask for high quality toddy, Merwan would unhesitatingly say, "If you want pure toddy, go have it while it is being removed from the tree. We do not have pure stuff here." Further, he might add, "As it is, it is yesterday's stale stuff; not only that, it is mixed with masala. It would be better if you do not drink it. What is the point in wasting your money as well as spoiling your health?"1
Those aware of Merwan's lighthearted and cheerful nature would take all this as a joke and would not take this advice seriously. Not only that, but they would be tempted to enter the shop only if they saw Merwan at the cashier's desk or busy filling the bottles; otherwise they would stay away from the shop. [Merwan would leave the shop when his father arrived in the evening.] And thus because of Merwan's presence, the shop would be crowded and a cheerful atmosphere would prevail. But when Sheriarji was sitting in the shop, there would be less crowd and less jubilation, as most of them out of respect for him would make less noise.
Merwan would not charge any money to a very poor person who had a small quantity of the drink. They would get their drink free of charge. One amongst them was this middle-aged Harijan, who would sit outside the shop on the road and would take full advantage morning and evening of Merwan's generosity.
Footnotes
- 1.Piyush is a Sanskrit word meaning the food of the gods; ambrosia; or nectar. The drinks were popular among Iranis, prepared with sweetened buttermilk, ground almonds, nutmeg, cardamom, other nuts and spices — and, in this case, some intoxicants probably.