Mulki Day 0

2025-08-23

The whole thing started on a total whim. Last Friday, I was stuck late at the office when Omkar called. We decided to catch up over dinner at some bar-restaurant he loves for their pizza.

​When he showed up, I was genuinely excited to see him, though I noticed he’d lost a lot of weight. The start was a little awkward; for the first half hour, Omkar was totally checked out, just glued to his phone chatting with some friend. I had to eventually lean over and jokingly try to snatch the phone, telling him to focus on the dinner.

He laughed and put it away. ​While we were ordering, I did my usual thing: checked Zomato, grabbed a 15% discount, and got two free beers thrown in. The funny part is he wouldn't drink any of it, pulling out a milk packet instead!

So, I ended up drinking both beers myself. ​Then came the moment that perfectly sums up Omkar. I was super thirsty and reached for the packaged water bottle on the table.

Just as I started to open it, he practically yelled, "Wait! Wait!" I was confused, and he whispered, dead serious, "We'll just lose ₹100!" I couldn't believe it. Who freaks out about that in a packed restaurant?

I checked the menu—it was ₹50—and I told him it was fine and just opened it. It was a bizarre glimpse into his mindset. ​Somewhere between the pizza and the water battle, the topic turned to travel.

I vetoed his suggestion of Hampi since I’d just been there, and we quickly settled on Mulki. I’d always wanted to go surfing, and since it was close to Bangalore, we booked a bus leaving in just one hour. The whole trip, from idea to booking, took maybe 45 minutes.

​I rushed back to my hostel to pack. This is where he got really weird. He suggested we go totally bag-less, just taking a charger.

I was like, "What? Absolutely not. I don't want that much crazy in my life." I settled on a small bag with a couple of clothes and my laptop, which I convinced myself I might use for work (spoiler alert: I never did).

​On the way to the bus, I realized I’d forgotten the most basic thing: a toothbrush. He just shrugged and said we’d buy one later. (We never did.

We went four days without brushing and just kept eating like nothing was wrong. The ultimate commitment to the Mulki chaos.) ​At the bus stand, he was dressed in the oddest clothes, and when I mentioned it, he casually said he simply didn't care about material things or appearances. Then the financial deep dive started.

He showed me his net worth—an insane 1.2 CR. When I sheepishly shared my ₹3 lakhs, he asked why it was so low. I explained about supporting my parents and my brother's studies, plus my travel habit.

It was a heavy moment, but it felt good to be honest. ​The bus finally arrived, and wow, it was luxurious! I'd never been in a sleeper coach that nice, especially not for just ₹1,000.

I was genuinely thankful to him for the booking. We talked for hours—about philosophy, relationships, and even my dad's strange obsession with adult content. After all the deep chats, we finally dozed off, ready for the adventure ahead.