VAT 69
The initial days of marriage are difficult to forget. They are made of bittersweet experiences that one carries throughout their lifetime. It was no different in my life. Since ours was an arranged marriage, our conversations and intimacy during the courtship period were limited. We hardly met once a fortnight for a couple of hours. After marriage when we started living together, the unspoken urge to be with each other, the stolen kisses and the night walks were the most sought-after. However, the messy cupboards, laundry, and chores came along with it.
My husband and I have been married for eight years. And during these years, we have faced innumerable experiences as a couple. There have been funny and hilarious incidents along with ugly and sad ones. There are days that we do not even want to reminisce. There are also days that we long to relive. One such funny incident that my husband still recalls and laughs his heart out is that of VAT 69!
Surprised? Read along.
We did not have a long honeymoon. Due to family constraints, we restricted our outing to a two-day stay in a hill station. We longed to travel together. After two months of marriage, we booked a stay in Coorg. We were all geared up and looking forward to the same. We had to travel to Mangalore for a family function after which we directly drove to Coorg. I was still a new bride and was getting accustomed to the new phase of life. I was always cautious and tried to remain meek and humble. As I was an only child, I was brought up with lots of love, respect, and freedom. Along with it, my parents made sure I was disciplined and inculcated strong family values in me. During my courtship period, I remember my parents telling me to respect my elders and be tolerant. An important lesson my dad taught me was never to splurge money unnecessarily. He guided me and instructed me to plan my finance and use the funds systematically. True to his words, from the first few days of marriage, I did not initiate any unnecessary spending and also stopped my husband from spending anything that we felt was not necessary.
For our trip, we fixed the budget and selected a place to accommodate the same. We had decided not to cross the budget and spend reasonably. One of the major points I had insisted on was not to buy anything in the resort. From prior experiences, it was clear that the prices in resorts were very high and therefore, we decided to go out for our meals, instead of having them in the resort. The day we arrived, it was late afternoon and it was raining heavily. My husband told me he was very tired to drive again for lunch and it was okay to order just one time from the resort kitchen itself. Though I was a little reluctant, I did not want to trouble my husband and agreed and called the room service for the menu.
Once the menu arrived, my husband just glanced through it and handed over the menu to me, and went for a shower, giving me the responsibility to order. Even to this day, my husband does not prefer ordering and the responsibility is always thrust upon me. Though, a few times he complains about my choices, he still feels I am pickier and it would be better for me to order and he would adjust to my choices.
I began to glance through the menu and as I had guessed the rates were exorbitant. Left with no choice I opted for two dishes — a simple curry and rice, and shut the menu. Just then my husband screamed from inside asking me to order a drink. He said he preferred either a good cocktail or a glass of chilled beer. I again opened the menu and began searching for beverages and just then I came across the page with an array of cocktails. I was taken aback by the rates. Every cocktail was priced above Rs. 300. Still confused as to what to order, I turned the next page and saw a vast menu of Whiskey and Scotch. Finally, after thinking for a long time I narrowed down on a drink and called for room service. My eyes fell on the bottom of the page which mentioned VAT 69. Being a commerce postgraduate, I knew about VAT but not about VAT 69. Still, I assumed it to be some kind of tax on the drinks since it was at the bottom of the page. The amount mentioned was Rs. 400. When I glanced at the cocktail I had planned to order, it cost Rs. 375. I thought it would be pointless to pay Rs. 400 as tax for a cocktail of Rs. 375. So I dropped the idea of ordering it. I knew I could convince my husband to drink water and called the room service and placed the order only for food and waited for my husband to come out.
After a few minutes, the food arrived. Since we were very hungry, we gobbled up the food in silence. After finishing half the meal, my husband asked me if I had ordered something to drink. I replied in the negative and he was crestfallen. He asked me the reason for not ordering a drink I had my answer ready which I explained to him. I told him how expensive the drinks were and also reminded him of our decision not to overshoot the budget. He further enquired about the cost. When I told him the rate of the cocktail and the VAT of Rs. 400, he was shocked and not very convinced. Sulking a little he finished his meal. After the room service came in and cleared up the place, we retired to bed and started discussing our next plan.
Just then my husband asked me to pass on the menu card which was on my side of the bed. I was a little hesitant to give it to him fearing he would order a cocktail. He assured me that he would just look at the prices and not order anything. While he was skimming through the menu, full of confidence I turned the page and showed him the VAT 69 charges of Rs. 400 and justified why I hadn’t ordered a drink for him. Looking at it my husband faintly laughed and asked me if I did not know what that was. I told him I knew it was a tax that was charged on drinks. Listening to this, my husband burst out laughing. He actually rolled on the bed and continued to laugh. I did not realize what was happening, and what I had done which had made him laugh uncontrollably. Pulling himself together he told me that VAT 69 was not any kind of tax but it was the name of an Indian Whiskey. Listening to this I was embarrassed beyond explanation. I was embarrassed that being a commerce graduate I did not have clarity about taxes and I was even more embarrassed at my stupidity of assuming Whiskey to be taxed.
I kept quiet, walked out, and sat alone. My husband came to me and consoled me that it was okay. He said it was sheer innocence and not stupidity. Though I wasn’t fully convinced and was still embarrassed beyond words. My husband ordered two cocktails and we both drank them in utter silence looking blankly at each other.
This fiasco did not end here. Even to this day, my husband makes it a point to narrate the incident to every new person he meets. He still laughs his heart out and I am still embarrassed just like the day it happened. Every time we look at the menu, he reminds me that it is a drink and not tax!
