# 19 - Dangers of Sound Sleeping - The Green Inn-I

Willie pulled the door open.

As soon as Willie stepped out of the room, he was greeted with a deafening roar.

‘What is this noise?’ asked Willie looking totally flustered.

Everywhere he looked, he saw people talking to each other. There was no person who was not talking to anyone.

Without saying a word, Jupiter simply handed him a pair of ear plugs.

Fusterlok had the reputation of being the most noisome planet in this part of the universe. All day long people would just keep talking to each other on top of their voices. The only time when they would not speak was when they were sleeping.

There was a reason why Fusterlokians spoke all the time. They thought that by doing so the other person would understand better what they were trying to make the other person understand. The same thought would be going on inside the other person’s mind also. It was like a duel where each person would try to outdo the other in making each other understand whatever they were speaking about. There was only one flaw in this arrangement – no one ever spoke to the point. In essence they would end up discussing an entirely new topic, and completely forget about the one they had initiated the conversation for. And this would go on indefinitely until they slept.

Willie saw square houses all around, all green in color. In the distance he saw a huge square which was again green in color. He thought it belonged to someone important.

‘I am hungry’ said Willie.

‘So’ said Jupiter almost inaudibly and without even looking at him.

‘So I will short circuit you’ Willie was not in a good mood. He was very hungry.

Jupiter then took him to another green square. It was Fusterlok Green Inn. They went inside and sat at a corner table near the entrance. The place was bustling with people. There was not a single person who was sitting quiet. Everyone was speaking with someone at the top of their voices. Even with the ear plugs on, Willie could hear them very clearly.

‘Hey Jupiter. Good to see you. Heard that you had gone to Earth? How was the trip? When did you come back?’ asked a plump lady as soon as she reached the table.

‘Yeah… I am fine Gingerene’ replied Jupiter in a tone as if he would die any minute.

Gingerene was the owner of the inn.

Seeing that Jupiter was not interested in answering her questions, she immediately turned her attention to Willie.

‘Hey Man… I have never seen you before. You seem to be new to this place. But do I care? Not at all! Don’t you worry… you have come to the best place on Fusterlok. Oh I missed it; the best place in this part of the universe. I am sure you just can’t wait to have your meal served to you. With this I remember don’t forget to ask for your complimentary Zooldruad’ Gingerene was unstoppable.

All this while Jupiter just stared at her. He was looking for a pause in her speech so that he could interrupt.

‘You know what I have invented a new drink this morning. I gave it to my son and he is still recovering from it. He said he had never had so disgusting a drink all his life. He was so depressed after having it that he actually kept quiet for some time’ Gingerene finally paused to let her mouth take rest for a few seconds. She was hundred and thirteen years old and quite naturally was not as quick with her speech as the younger generation.

Jupiter seized the opportunity and cut her in between.

‘Bring one Zooldruad’ asked Jupiter.

Willie looked at him and asked ‘What is this frikkin Zooldruad?’

Unfortunately Gingerene had also heard this.

‘Don’t tell me you don’t know what Zooldruad is? It is one of the finest drinks ever invented in this part of the universe. It was invented by the father of my great-great-grandmother. He was one of the first few settlers on Fusterlok. One fine day he fell into a ravine and it took him thirteen days to come out of it. By the time he came out he was so exhausted that it took him full one month to get back to his former health. It was then that he thought of inventing a drink that would instantly energize people. By the way I forgot to tell you how did he actually fall? There was this beautiful girl. She was also one of the first few settlers on Fusterlok…’ Gingerene gasped for breath.

Jupiter never missed such breaks. He quickly asked her ‘Can we expect Zooldruad in the next two minutes?’

It was then that she grudgingly left their table.

‘Don’t these people ever get tired of talking?’ Willie had never heard such a never ending rapid-fire speech.

Jupiter looked least interested in answering this.

‘Alright you thumb-in-my-mouth robot… tell me what is Zooldruad?’ continued Willie.

Jupiter was looking somewhere else instead.

Willie softly uttered just two words ‘short circuit’.

‘It is a milder version of what she invented in the morning’ casually replied Jupiter.

Gingerene, holding the Zooldruad glass in one hand, started the journey to their table. She talked at length with every fellow Fusterlokian she met on the way. This was frustrating Willie like anything. Finally after twenty minutes she arrived at their table.

Willie swore that next time onwards he would always sit right next to the kitchen.


© 2007 Ankur Shanker
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