"Headache?" I asked him. "Hangover!" he replied. "Hooch man cheated me, told me it was scotch, so I bought a bottle. Tasted it and found it was cheap liquor."
"So why did you continue drinking?" I asked. "You could have returned the bottle?"
"Nah," said the old man as he massaged his head, "once I start, I don't stop!"
Tourists throughout the centuries have visited the famous Acropolis, the ancient hilltop religious citadel in Athens. Thousands of sightseers from all over the world have picked up marble chunks as souvenirs. Why hasn't the supply of pieces been exhausted long ago? The answer is very simple. Every few months a truckload of marble fragments, from a quarry, miles away, is scattered around the whole Acropolis area. So tourists go home happy with what they think are authentic pieces of ancient history!
These are people who don't know they are being deceived, but there are others like my scotch drinking friend who are willingly deceived:
Every day thousands of people travel from Hong Kong to Shenzhen, China, and head straight for Lo Wu Commercial city, a giant shopping mall that sells imitations of luxury items.
In a New York Times article, Mark Landler says, "With five floors and an astounding five hundred thousand square feet of retail space, Lo Wu may be the world's capital of counterfeit goods."
People eagerly pay $58 for a bogus Rolex watch. They buy imitation Gucci shoes, Fendi clothing and Chanel wallets for a fraction of the prices charged for the real thing. Scuffles often break out as shoppers struggle for the most popular goods!
Just imagine! Paying big money to have the right label even if goods are not authentic..!
Cheap Scotch huh?
Cheap scotch is being served in huge peg measures these days and there are thousands of us who rush to get our fill. Quick fix meditation camps, mind control classes, nature therapy, miracle programmes, wild parties, swinging groups and many, many more cheap thrills. Soon however, when elixir doesn't work, when balm doesn't heal, we rub our heads in despair then try the next brand of imitation scotch.
All this when the True Wine waits to be tasted..!
I remember ever so well more than a decade ago when a German promised to free me of any problem, by a Scientological method. There I was holding onto impressive metal device, while he measured my energy levels and probed my troubles. I spent the better part of a year listening to his enthusiastic talks and started enjoying the daily sessions of 'cheap scotch' till one day sitting by myself, watching the magnificent Niagara, I realised I hadn't changed a narry bit. I still had a hangover..!
We pick up imitation marble chunks as souvenirs, wear duplicate stuff and drink cheap scotch. Why? When there's a God above offering us true wine: Time we started throwing away imitation bottle and gathering the real stuff, don't you think? Or are you happy with your daily, miserable, wretched hangover?
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Editor : M. Shamsur Rahman
Published by the Editor on behalf of Independent Publications Limited at Media Printers, 446/H, Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1215.
Editorial, News & Commercial Offices : Beximco Media Complex, 149-150 Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1208, Bangladesh. GPO Box No. 934, Dhaka-1000.
Editor : M. Shamsur Rahman
Published by the Editor on behalf of Independent Publications Limited at Media Printers, 446/H, Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1215.
Editorial, News & Commercial Offices : Beximco Media Complex, 149-150 Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1208, Bangladesh. GPO Box No. 934, Dhaka-1000.