pak-one

After another tri-continental trip and an even more crazier week, I was expecting a quiet Saturday night at the crib. Those plans were shattered when my best mate (and also co-workers) popped in and peer pressured me into hitting the newest lounge that had opened up in the city. With the economic uncertainties, lounge and restaurant openings had become rarer these days, so I obliged. After all, one can't really make an excuse of being too tired from "work" when your crew has worked the same grueling hours. I had my Canali suit altered, and was hoping to roll out in the Hermes paisley tie that I had brought back from Greece..basically, it would not be too difficult to look mad rakish as were our usual plans.

The fellas had made arrangements for the black cars, because getting blitzed was thrown about as the goal o the evening. When heavy drinking is in the cards, I usually default as the "designated driver/bondsman" in case the crew ends up in trouble. But this time they weren't sure about my plans, so they came well prepared. We all filed into the cars looking relatively clannish (bankers tend to be conservative with the suits, blacks and navy blue), but definitely in high spirits. Since I live close to the Financial District yet not too far from the Party District, the ride was pretty much a few minutes.

Having the foresight to make reservations for a private table out back, I patted Mickey for executing properly, he was on my deal team and liked to introduce himself as the "executioner" when hitting on tipsy brunettes who worked in advertising or PR. Since the core crew consisted of 7 guys with a constellation of girlfriends, friends, old college buddies and new friends, we always managed to have 10 seat tables available. We walked into the dimly lit mandarin style interior of the lounge, not quite Buddha Bar second level yet definitely of the oriental persuasion. A waitress appeared before we all had settled in to take the orders. Usually "bottle service" implies marked up champagnes and wines that my buddies would be able to get at 10% of cost but the privilege of holding court always comes with a price. My buddies ordered their respective poisons of the night and I experimented with a new drink that I had so enjoyed in Athens some weeks back. Tangerine Tonic, which despite it's deceptively simple name, packed a quirky punch where the tangerine juice mixed with soda water with bits of crushed ice, had nourished me through countless spreadsheets and analyses. As the only Pakistani in the crew, the mates had always been understanding of my alcohol policy which allowed them to cut loose and drink with impunity.

Having settled in, we focused on relaxing, with the music thumping out chilled tunes (think Ibiza), we talked about summer plans, how other friends were doing etc. As the lounge started to fill in, my friend Jay's girlfriend and gaggle of her friends came up and joined our table. Natalie was a wild partygirl/model before going to law school and becoming the staid professional that she now pretends to be. Having given up the booze, we frequently found ourselves to be the only two sober people at clubs and parties. This night would be no different, as we liked to people watch, analyze who was on a first date, which guy was going to hit on which girl. It was a fun game that we enjoyed playing.

What is really interesting is that in most American cities, the chi-chi clubs attract two types of people: Those with money looking to relax and unwind from the monstrous working hours and those who are functionally broke (middle class) looking to spend a few bucks to be seen, and possibly to talk about later in the week. This applies to both guys and girls, although it takes on a more sinister version with the girls. Girls, many of whom Nat. and I dubbed downtown princesses are twenty somethings working in some menial $hit jobs, living with 2 or 3 roommates in ghetto fab apartments, while shopping for the top self designer threads on daddy/bf's dime. To us these girls represent the worst form of nightlife enthusiasts - vapid, socially obtuse and believing that their beauty would give them the entry to best clubs, wealthiest men, and bling. These girls usually end up getting conned into going home with equally shallow con-men (mortgage brokers and other functional muscle bound retards) or could be found in the crappy pizza or felafal joints, drunken and teary eyed as the grease dribbles down their terribly out of place foundation.

If female beauty was the prime indicator for social value at this lounge, these girls were in for a disappointment as some of the models started streaming in. Nat still kept in touch with the fashion world that she had left behind for the JD at U. Penn and an up tempo job in Big Law. Turns out that Ford and few other modeling agencies were doing auditions in our wee-town and these girls had made the second round so they were at the lounge on their company's dime. As they started to walk through the rectangular lounge floor space you could only see the catty looks of disgust emanating from these princesses who had thought that they were going to be commanding the (male) attention of the venue.

Recognizing a few faces N. waved them over to Toads delight. Eric, aka Toads, had gone to Dartmouth, played football with Big Green and loved to crunch numbers (and ice when incredibly drunk). A native Nebraskan, he had what the girls called the "All American aura." As our resident quant, he would usually be passed over for the deal team trips, so he was always interested in meeting new people and finding another girl to take home for the night. Anyways, as the models to be approached, Nat took the lead in the intros as we all were not sure of who was who. Usually I politely make small talk and feign interest in the lives of these fashionistas, but tonight I was struck by one girl, not in the I like the way you look sense but more of the are you desi by any chance?

The opportunity came when I made my way over to her and asked for her name: Ayesha. bingo! In our small talk I managed to find out that she was from the West Coast, Pakistani but born in the US and thoroughly Americanized. As in most cases, we usually talk for a few and then circulate within our group, call it a party within a party. As I got near Toads, his glittering eyes motioned some plotting at hand. He was quick to ask my thoughts about the 'cute brownie' (A) that I was talking with a bit earlier. Wanted to know whether she was single (she was), living in town (check), and would be up for a night cap (check).

Normally I like to help out my bros in procuring women (I guess that makes me a pimp of sorts) but this time an odd sort of protectiveness came over me as I told him to "chill." Winking and somehow thinking that I wanted this desi girl for myself, Toads solemnly back off and offered me success. I was not interested in this girl, sure she was beautiful but so were her model colleagues. It was odd situation, which I tried to compensate by not talking with her for the rest of the evening because I had essentially blocked one of my homeboys from approaching her. Usually there is always a tipping point in lounges where no new people are allowed to enter in the space, while the crowd has become sufficiently intoxicated. Ayesha's crew was no different - why those girls would opt for shots this late at night was beyond me. Nat and I had return to our traditional past time of people watching and cracking inside jokes.

Shortly before 2 AM, I caught Ayesha walking out of the Table (AKA VIP area) hand in hand with a tall muscular black dude. Now I knew this fella from our various nightlife stops, its not a huge city and the crowds are similar. He was a corporate guy, who talked a big game of doing business in the Cayman Islands (euphemism for money laundering) and a passion to bed women from every single country of the world. Therefore seeing him walking away with A, I was almost ready to get up and catch up to them. This is when having an intelligent friend becomes invaluable. Natalie saw the look on my face and instinctively told me to let Ayesha be, that this girl did not need my protection, and our Pakistani link was just that - an accident of birth. This brought be back to reality. I mean who was I to tell her what to do? Not only was I wrong to block Toads, but even worse, I had wasted my time thinking about the security of girl that I didn't have any connections with and didn't even like?

In any case, after I came to the conclusion that I had grossly overstepped my boundaries by inserting myself into the affairs of another girl, I returned to enjoy the rest of the evening. So Ayesha (Not her real name) and all of you hip American-Pakistani girls will never have me interject or interfere in your life and choices. It's none of my business and frankly should not be a concern. A Muslim name, and linkages to Pakistan don't mean anything when you're a ho

fallenpieta

Is there an abridged version of this?

X2

fallenpieta, better, here is the key takeaway.
if u see a desi chica making bad choices, let her, just cuz you have some ethnic and national bond does not make you her protector, she is old enough to make her own decisions.

hitchki

The most important moral of this story is: If you have the time to be scribing the tales of a brown girl in a club, chances are you doth need to acquire a life.

PyariCgudia

What are you doing in a night club, in the first place?

TeenDabbyWala

Listening to the Unce Unce Unce Unce Dish Dish music.

TeenDabbyWala

Interesting how your night goes. Personally, me and my home boys take a more harder and aggressive approach when I am out in a club or the lounge. Here is a typical night for us hard shredded bros.

We hit up the swankiest joint in town dressed to the nines in Hugo Boss or Gucci suits. When we walk into a club we want to take it over, its like a business and we are Donald Trump, Bill Gates, and Steve Wynn of the fitness/club nightlife world and we just take over. I bust a front double bicep as soon as i get in, then after 2 red bull and vodkas i rip my shirt off and usually just sport a tank because "i have a buzz" which i really don't but its an excuse to take my shirt off and if anyone asks "I'm hot from the alcohol" then i hit up the bathroom and look for the handicap stall to get a good pump with the dip bars for the gimps, and we just do our thing you know, all ripped shredded bros just macking on girls making everyone else feel like crap, were tanner, were more shredded, and we make it rain with the cash flow, goose bottles left and right bro.

Hell yeah, life is good vato. BTW, which one of these is you?

PyariCgudia

I'm just curious. I never got the sense from your previous posts, but are you ok with women who go to nightclubs in the first place?

I mean, you're judging this woman. But look at what you're doing. You describe your male company as people you have to drive home safely when they get drunk. You spend your free time in a booze zone. And I got the impression from previous posts of yours that you're more of a religious/family kind of guy?

I don't know. Maybe you need to ask yourself less about this woman, and worry more of yourself.

PyariCgudia

TeenDabbyWala, I need to go to a club, and post pics of me dancing on tables, and lets see how approving the response is.

Why is there a double standard? I need to open a new thread on this. Ok for a desi guy to be in a club, but not a desi girl?

Hmmm.

TeenDabbyWala

I think a careful analysis is necessary. Owing to my scholarly education at a tier 2 university, I am compelled to offer my humble opinion.

I think the author is trying to imply that even though he likes to have fun, he keeps it within limits. He believes that his heritage plays an important role in how much is allowed. "When heavy drinking is in the cards, I usually default as the "designated driver/bondsman" in case the crew ends up in trouble. " (pak-one, p. 1). Here the author clearly states that he is the more reasonable person of the group and an implication is made that he doesn't drink.

But then the author states that he may not know if he might enjoy a drink or two, as he states when he says "But this time they weren't sure about my plans, so they came well prepared." (pak-one, p.1). It is clear that the author is not clear in his intentions if he should drink or not. Later on, we do see that the author does enjoy a "Tangerine Tonic" (pak-one, p.2), but that is the only drink he has the whole night. The author goes on to state that "...As the only Pakistani in the crew, the mates had always been understanding of my alcohol policy which allowed them to cut loose and drink with impunity." (pak-one, p. 2). It is clear that the author decided to have only one drink and based that decision on his heritage.

Thus, in conclusion, the author appears to be level headed, who knows his limits, and can maintain control. He owes this partially to his Pakistan heritage.

EDIT: WHOA! My tier 2 education failed me. Tangerine Tonic is not alcoholic. So my mistake, I came to the wrong conclusion. Pak-one did not have any alcohol that night.

TeenDabbyWala

Only one way to find out what kind of response you will get.

PSquared

Pak-one

Your post actually surprised me...in a nice way.

Ive felt similarly when Ive bumped into Pakistani girls younger then myself doing things they shouldnt be. In the beginning, I felt this sisterhood that required me to protect all of my little sisters from making choices that would hurt them.

In the end, you have to live and let live.

Experience is the best teacher.

PyariCgudia

Excellent, TDW. I'm gonna drink a glass of my Irish Bailey's this Jummah with a clear conscience.

Well if the boyz can do it...why can't I?

BTW, Pak-One, you BETTER take me clubbing. I'm coming to your town.

Aisha Dubaiwali

Wow interesting. Somehow over here when I get to know Pakistani girls went to the club I get a bit peeved off but then who am I to tell them what or what not to do. I am not the moral police. Oh btw it is ok to go to a nightclub when you are not drinking, and remaining within limits. Guy or girl.

P.S what kind of clubs do you people visit? wearing suits? over here if you will wear suits everyone is going to make fun of you

TeenDabbyWala

He went to an upscale lounge, so suit is normal.

Aisha Dubaiwali

Oh ok I thought you know the normal nightclubs.

Little Princess

Entisar

For to understand the original post I need extensive use of Dictioanary, But still thanks to GS , We have scholarly conclusion.

RupayHalwa

Looks like a copy n paste job to me...

Aisha Dubaiwali

Really? How come?