Unique way to celebrate Good Friday

I currently live and work in chennai, about 600 km from my home town in kerala (and an overnight journey in India's slow moving "superfast trains". While my parents and the extended family are really really into christanity, i have been an athiest for atleast the last 10 years (before that i wanted to become a priest!!). So anytime around religious festivals (like xmas, good friday and easter) i am in a dilemma. i wuld love to travel home for the celebrations but hate to take part in any associated overtly religious ceremonies (like going to church or praying!).

This good friday, though i had a good break. I studied in a boy's only (yeah..can u belive that!!) military school from the age 10-17. the place was a tough one (life there deserves a blog on its own!) but as always tough places help peer-bonding, especially as a kid. so though i have been outta the place for close to a decade now (and dont miss it either!) i still keep up with the batchmates and am very close with lots of them.

Well one of the guys had just returned from Saudi Arabia after a short stint. The poor guy was so thirsty (not for water but for other liquid refreshments for which you can killed if u possess them in saudi). So we planned a small get together for good friday and just for the heck of it decided to invite any one else willing to drink, make merry on good friday (after all christ died for our sins..so shall we not enjoy? i am sure thats what christ meant!). Anyways suddenly 8-10 guys landed up including people whom i havent met for a decade or so!!. The morning ofcourse started boisterously in the bar but we soon moved to our hotel room to continue the session. It seems like a haze now, but its so much fun to get drunk on alcohol and nostalgia (for which we had lots of subjects). Comparing how we are faring in life, proud of some guy's achievements, hoping that another guys ill fortunes will change later. But most important subject was gals, an alien species while we were in the military school but which now encompasses most of our dreams. Some of us have learnt to deal with the fairer sex and others (like me!) are still totally at sea in dealing with them. So we compared notes :)

Anyway, after a full day of drinking, we soon moved to something else altogether but soon most of the guys had to depart leaving me and another two guys to continue with the alcoholic induced, grass fed haze. suddenly it was saturday morning and time to face the wrath of my parents who almost didnt speak to me in my entire visit after my good friday escapades!!. All in all, a good way to celebrate good friday. looking forward to many such good fridays

cheers
Anish