Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. Calabar is known for its bubbling nightlife, and I can say any visitor to the town would be captivated by how busy the town is at night.
So many young people are engrossed with the nightlife in Calabar in such a way that most of them don't travel out of the town. For students who come to study at the University of Calabar, it is very easy for one to get lost in the eurpohria of the bubbling nightlife in the town.
I remember a friend of mine, Leo, who got admission into the University of Calabar and was so happy that finally he got to experience the beautiful city and had the chance to explore the nightlife in the town.
It was a chilly and windy evening, and Leo asked for a tour around the city. I was very happy to show him around the city, as I had been in the city for about three years. We took a stroll from our apartment, and at each junction we were greeted with loud music and shiny colored lights from restaurants and pubs. Leo asked if every street had a hangout spot, and I told him yes.
We got to a popular barbecue fish spot, and the aroma from the spot captivated us, and I asked Leo if he cared for some barbecue, and he was excited. We went in and had some fish and drinks. Leo kept ordering for stout, and I was worried about it. I tried stopping him, but he would not. He started talking so loud, and I knew he was drunk.
We got to our apartment at about 11 p.m., and we decided to take a walk. As we were walking along the way, Leo stopped and talked to a guy. I asked if he knew the guy, and he said yes. We got home, had our shower, and slept.
I was woken up by a hard tap. Leo was looking perplexed, and I inquired from him what the problem was, and he said, "Have you seen my phone?" I cleaned my eyes and told him to check on the table. Leo said, "I checked the table already." Immediately, it occurred to me that he might have given it to the guy he was talking to on our way back at night. I asked him if he remembers talking to a guy while we were on our way back home, and he said he can't recall doing so. Then it dawned on me that he had given his phone to a total stranger.
I informed Leo that he was drunk and in that state had given his phone away. Leo sat on the floor for 30 minutes and was sobbing. He had used his savings to purchase the phone, and the phone was to help him in school.
Leo now avoids drinking, and I could understand why. He is now the one preaching responsible drinking. I love using this event to tease him any time we meet. It's always fun anytime he tells this particular story. All he remembers is leaving the barbecue spot and then waking up in the morning to see himself phoneless.
Getting drunk isn't something I feel one should be of. We all know how much alcohol we can consume at a time. For me, doing anything in excess isn't nice. Looking back at this event, I now see why alcoholic companies promote responsible drinking. It is better to be safe than sorry.
