A Bad Habit “Caged”

Vinod and Manoj were intimate friends who often met at either Manoj’s house or Vinod’s residence. They shared one bad habit: indulging in drinking, though always outside their homes. They would sneak into their houses late at night, knowing they would face the wrath of their wives, who tried their best to wean them away from this habit, but to no avail.

One day, both men’s wives were away visiting their parents. “Come over to my place, Manoj,” Vinod said. “We needn’t be afraid of our womenfolk tonight!” Manoj enthusiastically agreed. It was quite late by the time he returned from work. After lighting a lantern, he made his way to Vinod’s house. They drank to their heart’s content and soon felt the effects, nearly falling unconscious.

In the middle of the night, Manoj decided it was time to go back home. He picked up what he believed to be his lantern and left. Early the next morning, he was awakened by Vinod’s servant, who brought him a note. The chit read: “Manoj, you mistook my birdcage for your lantern. I’m sending it back with my servant. Please return the cage; my wife will be upset if she realizes it’s missing. Anyway, I’ve decided to stop drinking. I hope you, too, will follow suit.”

Manoj stared at the note, a mix of amusement and concern washing over him. Perhaps, this unexpected incident was the push both men needed to make a change. With a humorous twist to their regular rendezvous, they found themselves pledging to quit drinking once and for all, bound by their unintentional blunder.