Sunday 25 February 2018

A Gene gets modified

Rajesh is enjoying his happy hours. He was quite a drunkard in his college days and could easily down a crate of beer in one sitting or finish off 2 bottles of an OLD drink easily.

But now he is happily married with children. On strict instructions of his better half he can no longer get happily drunk inside his home.

He can no longer go to the neighbourhood bar, again thanks to his better half, because, “what will the neighbors say”

So he goes every Friday to a bar which is near to his office, sometimes with his college buddies and sometimes with his colleagues.

So today, Rajesh is enjoying his happy hours. But these hours are no longer happy since the last few occasions. Or rather, these hours continue to be happy, however it is the hours after, that are not so happy.

The hours after, are spent in getting rid of the hangover which invariably creeps in, in the dead of the night, when he is snoring away, happily disturbing his wife and children.

The unhappy hours start quite early in the morning after, when he first gets the urge to discharge the alcohol laden acidic fluids through the wrong orifice, when he throws up.

His head feels like splitting into a thousand pieces, the searing headache putting great pressure on his eyes.

And since these episodes have started, our Rajesh has actually come to dread enjoying the happy hours. His drinking stamina has gone for a toss which brings a smile to the face of his better half.

Is it anything to do with age? No! Not at all!

If Scientists are to be believed, the entire human population is at a disadvantage here. Yes, you, me and everyone else.

Research; yes, the same dreaded word again! Research has proved that there is something sinister happening inside our bodies. Some of the enzymes, known as Alcohol Dehydrogenase (ADH), are turning over a new leaf, undergoing genetic variation on their own and increasing the enzyme activity which produces an adverse physical response to alcohol consumption.

Et tu! It is said that when you think of achieving something with your entire being, the universe itself will conspire to help you achieve it.

But here, a huge population of the human race, mostly the female variety, wanted to achieve prohibition on a gigantic scale, and see how the universe has conspired to help achieve the exalted goal!

The gene responsible for breaking down alcohol in the human body is getting less effective, meaning increased hangovers and lessening consumption.

The days…and nights are not far, when happy hours will be celebrated with a digestive liquid in hand. And the better halves will be smiling like Cheshire cats!

Yatindra Tawde

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