The Embarrassing moment

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The very word ‘BICYCLE’ reminds me of my good old school days. I still remember how desperate I was for owning a cycle. Thanks to my uncle who gifted me a wonderful bicycle. Well, I guess, I was at the incipient stage of my 6^th class, when I had been gifted this. It was the very first kind of cycles having a shock absorber (A mechanical damper; which absorbs energy of sudden impulses). So, you know, it was like neighbour’s envy and owner’s pride. I used to take Unreasonable and inordinate self-esteem every moment I was on it. It was more than a girlfriend to me at least perhaps at that point of time. Long years ago, when my grandfather used to cycle, cycling for workout would have been a ludicrous idea. And it was broadly or extravagantly humorous; resembling farce. It is no more as people zip around in nippy cars and vehicles and worry about ways to puncture their waist tiers. And I badly wanted to own a bicycle of my own and what best can happen then get this beautiful entity gifted. But yes, there was a catch here.

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My uncle is from Indian Navy and synonymously second to discipline. He said to me that I can only get the luxury of a new bicycle if I show him significant progress in my yearly report. I was in class 6 then, and finally the day came when I was given my yearly progress report. Ironically fate had different plans for me, that year I couldn’t get the expected progress and I was far behind my expectations. I was completely disappointed, not because I got less marks but because I would lose a beautiful bicycle. So, I went home with a great disappointment and to my surprise I realized that my uncle happened to give us a surprise visit to our place on the same day but was not at home when I reached. So, inside my mind, I was thinking about all the permutations and combinations of ideas, that help me to get the bicycle first. In this process, I took the help of my innocent brother and was discussing secretly with him on where to hide the progress report and was checking his inputs. As always in my case, whenever I plan anything that should not be, I will get caught in the very first step itself…so was this for me, My uncle was sleeping on the floor other side of the bed and I didn’t notice him , thinking that he was away I was preparing the entire script and he overheard the entire conversation. Well, the rest is history…..Although my uncle gifted me with a beautiful bicycle but that came with a deserved punishment. I really don’t remember what I thought then but now if I think, I just smile about it and feel blessed that how I am corrected at the beginning of my mistakes ensuring my thought process is always right. I fondly call him “BujjI Babai” and he is my inspiration.  This was my most embarrassing and memorable moment.

Today for some reason I saw a kid on a cycle hit the pedal of exhilaration. Without the claustrophobic helmet, and I asked him if I can pedal the cycle for a while. As I hit the pedals after ages, the biker habits come into play. No matter how hard I resist, the right hand tries to rev up the non-existing accelerator. Then I forgot cyclists don’t have accelerator. And I saw  the U-turn, which  is yards away. But I felt it’s not a big deal, I have lifted up the bicycle and put it down on the other side of the divider. It seemed like weightlifting. Textbooks would suggest that cycling is exercise for calves and thighs, but in city it is definitely  for wrists, arms and shoulders. I couldn’t believe till the road became pathetically bad with  the potholes and the dug-up patches on the road, sent shockwaves of energy down my hand (my shock absorbers started behaving as shock receptors) . It funny and took me down the memory lane for one more time.

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