“Parag, you are a rash driver”
“WHAT?” I was shocked and deeply offended. This was my just 2nd lesson with the lady (first was in parking lot) and considering the way I drive all other vehicles – this was so wrong. As I was watching the instructor in disbelief, to prove me wrong and her owner (instructor) right, the car suddenly decided to follow a sinusoidal path across all lanes. What followed was a series of honks and fingers coming out of other cars. Hell, bad timing! Who in their right minds would take a new innocent student on a highway, so what if he has brains of Einstein. huh? (Ok…I did cross the line there. But nothings prevents you from believing it so go ahead)
This incident left a deep impression on my heart and I decided to be extra cautious with these four wheelers. But as luck would have it, by the end of the lessons , I fell in love … Oh No not with that crazy instructor - I mean with driving. Slowly, the fact that I have a special love for all vehicles dawned on me. ‘Love for an open road’ – that’s another beautiful way to put it .
So this post is dedicated to all those ‘special’ relationships I had in my life –
1.Hero Hansa – This was my first cycle. First love. Pahila pyar. But it was not a love at first sight – it was not even a first choice but rather a forced choice. But I had lot of fun. She was partner in various ‘first’ adventures – like going on highways , visiting busy streets in centre of city, trying ‘ maine pyar kiya’ cycle stunts (I-save-money-by-using-only-one-wheel) etc. She made me visit doc once in a while and left scars commemorating the event –but who cares? It was good old days. Well, like any other ‘pahila pyar’, the infatuation slowly started fading – and the fact that it was after 7-8 years speaks about the seriousness of the whole affair. Madam Hansa was lately becoming a ‘high-maintenance’ types. Almost every week she has to undergo some cosmetic (and functional) surgery. One day after school, when she started throwing tantrums, in utter frustration I kicked her badly and walked back all the way home from school , holding princess ‘hansa’ in hand and refusing to show her to any mechanic ever. Yes, those were the innocent days when I used to emotionally blackmail my cycle.
As I entered the college life, I had to go through my first ever break up – with my cycle.
“We need to talk” I told her one evening.
She was standing silently in corner. Two-tired – I mean, too tired to say anything. She knew what was coming .
I continued “Its me, not your fault dear” .
”Is there somebody else?” She asked silently without words.
“hmmm. Yes”.
Well, the ‘somebody else’ was our new Luna.
2.Luna –It felt good initially to graduate from manual labor of cycle to wonders of machines. We had a scooter earlier and so compared to scooter, luna was a cake walk. Speeding with a twist of a wrist was all fun.
Luna was as crazy as ‘Luna Lovegood’. But she was caring – or at least I thought so. Somedays she would leak petrol over the road drop by drop ,marking the path travelled ,just to make sure her owner returns back home safely without any navigational problems. Sometimes my enthusiasm for college classes would match with hers and she won’t start. What a loyal friend! Back then, I had adopted a strategy - ‘Start early, go slowly and reach safely’ – Ofcourse ‘Go slowly” was the only part that was religiously followed , thanks to luna. She was so slow that the only objects ‘moving’ slowly than her were all stationary. So when the world was whooshing past me on high speed vehicles, I was slowly moving(Correct word – crawling) on the streets on A’bad on my Luna. It gave me a lot of time to think about everything under the sun, developing my analytical skills and philosophical wisdom and yes, that all thinking led me to name this ‘content-rich-philosophical’ blog of mine as ‘’Luna’tic thoughts’! (huushhh…its pure hard work giving ‘subtle’ hints of my qualities like this)
3.Mazda – I jumped on Car from Luna (figuratively) because of my onsite assignment in US. When I first saw black colored Mazda – I knew I was going to buy her. Love at first sight. Well,she was not a new car – rather she was ‘Draupadi” – if you count the number of her ex-owners. We (I mean me and Car – not the previous owners) shared a real good mature relationship. I knew she was old so I wouldn’t force her beyond limit. Also because of that incident I mentioned above – I was very careful. Driving is fun – I realized this because of mazda. Well, my very first few trips with Mazda can easily match with voyages of Columbus – in terms of spirit, adventure, dedication to cause etc and errr…I confess, in navigational skills as well – or rather lack of it . I would decide to go somewhere, say, a temple (wow..good example..you are so religious..ha ha ha).Fifteen minutes on the road and I would be heading towards a dead-end in some corner of the city or driving on some godforsaken road (yes, godforsaken because the god and that temple would be far away from it). I was too proud (read: foolish) to use GPS then. But sure, that was fun. When you get lost –esp in night on some far away road –there comes a microsecond moment of panic and once that gets over – you get an exhilarating and liberating feeling. It becomes a challenging task of finding your way back home (which typically ends by calling some friends who, sitting in front of laptop, navigate you to the destination. Yes, I agree, now that doesn’t sound so heroic).
Hmmm. Well, this concludes the relationships I had so far in my life. It would be highly ungrateful of me if I don’t mention black beauty Pulsar –the bike I am currently using for last few weeks. Its not my bike but my friend’s (Swapnil). Being a friend’s “Amanat” , I don’t expect this relationship to ever turn into something serious (read: ownership). So Swapnil don’t worry man :)
Well, friends, time to say goodbye and hit the road.
‘Yours truly’ kick starts the bike stylishly in a single stroke.(‘Dude, You don’t need to do that. It’s a push-button start’- Swapnil).
Hmmmmmm…….(a thougthful pause).
Anyways, he jumps on the bike and vrroooom….within seconds bike disappears into Pune's maddening traffic.
Hasta la vista!
“WHAT?” I was shocked and deeply offended. This was my just 2nd lesson with the lady (first was in parking lot) and considering the way I drive all other vehicles – this was so wrong. As I was watching the instructor in disbelief, to prove me wrong and her owner (instructor) right, the car suddenly decided to follow a sinusoidal path across all lanes. What followed was a series of honks and fingers coming out of other cars. Hell, bad timing! Who in their right minds would take a new innocent student on a highway, so what if he has brains of Einstein. huh? (Ok…I did cross the line there. But nothings prevents you from believing it so go ahead)
This incident left a deep impression on my heart and I decided to be extra cautious with these four wheelers. But as luck would have it, by the end of the lessons , I fell in love … Oh No not with that crazy instructor - I mean with driving. Slowly, the fact that I have a special love for all vehicles dawned on me. ‘Love for an open road’ – that’s another beautiful way to put it .
So this post is dedicated to all those ‘special’ relationships I had in my life –
1.Hero Hansa – This was my first cycle. First love. Pahila pyar. But it was not a love at first sight – it was not even a first choice but rather a forced choice. But I had lot of fun. She was partner in various ‘first’ adventures – like going on highways , visiting busy streets in centre of city, trying ‘ maine pyar kiya’ cycle stunts (I-save-money-by-using-only-one-wheel) etc. She made me visit doc once in a while and left scars commemorating the event –but who cares? It was good old days. Well, like any other ‘pahila pyar’, the infatuation slowly started fading – and the fact that it was after 7-8 years speaks about the seriousness of the whole affair. Madam Hansa was lately becoming a ‘high-maintenance’ types. Almost every week she has to undergo some cosmetic (and functional) surgery. One day after school, when she started throwing tantrums, in utter frustration I kicked her badly and walked back all the way home from school , holding princess ‘hansa’ in hand and refusing to show her to any mechanic ever. Yes, those were the innocent days when I used to emotionally blackmail my cycle.
As I entered the college life, I had to go through my first ever break up – with my cycle.
“We need to talk” I told her one evening.
She was standing silently in corner. Two-tired – I mean, too tired to say anything. She knew what was coming .
I continued “Its me, not your fault dear” .
”Is there somebody else?” She asked silently without words.
“hmmm. Yes”.
Well, the ‘somebody else’ was our new Luna.
2.Luna –It felt good initially to graduate from manual labor of cycle to wonders of machines. We had a scooter earlier and so compared to scooter, luna was a cake walk. Speeding with a twist of a wrist was all fun.
Luna was as crazy as ‘Luna Lovegood’. But she was caring – or at least I thought so. Somedays she would leak petrol over the road drop by drop ,marking the path travelled ,just to make sure her owner returns back home safely without any navigational problems. Sometimes my enthusiasm for college classes would match with hers and she won’t start. What a loyal friend! Back then, I had adopted a strategy - ‘Start early, go slowly and reach safely’ – Ofcourse ‘Go slowly” was the only part that was religiously followed , thanks to luna. She was so slow that the only objects ‘moving’ slowly than her were all stationary. So when the world was whooshing past me on high speed vehicles, I was slowly moving(Correct word – crawling) on the streets on A’bad on my Luna. It gave me a lot of time to think about everything under the sun, developing my analytical skills and philosophical wisdom and yes, that all thinking led me to name this ‘content-rich-philosophical’ blog of mine as ‘’Luna’tic thoughts’! (huushhh…its pure hard work giving ‘subtle’ hints of my qualities like this)
3.Mazda – I jumped on Car from Luna (figuratively) because of my onsite assignment in US. When I first saw black colored Mazda – I knew I was going to buy her. Love at first sight. Well,she was not a new car – rather she was ‘Draupadi” – if you count the number of her ex-owners. We (I mean me and Car – not the previous owners) shared a real good mature relationship. I knew she was old so I wouldn’t force her beyond limit. Also because of that incident I mentioned above – I was very careful. Driving is fun – I realized this because of mazda. Well, my very first few trips with Mazda can easily match with voyages of Columbus – in terms of spirit, adventure, dedication to cause etc and errr…I confess, in navigational skills as well – or rather lack of it . I would decide to go somewhere, say, a temple (wow..good example..you are so religious..ha ha ha).Fifteen minutes on the road and I would be heading towards a dead-end in some corner of the city or driving on some godforsaken road (yes, godforsaken because the god and that temple would be far away from it). I was too proud (read: foolish) to use GPS then. But sure, that was fun. When you get lost –esp in night on some far away road –there comes a microsecond moment of panic and once that gets over – you get an exhilarating and liberating feeling. It becomes a challenging task of finding your way back home (which typically ends by calling some friends who, sitting in front of laptop, navigate you to the destination. Yes, I agree, now that doesn’t sound so heroic).
Hmmm. Well, this concludes the relationships I had so far in my life. It would be highly ungrateful of me if I don’t mention black beauty Pulsar –the bike I am currently using for last few weeks. Its not my bike but my friend’s (Swapnil). Being a friend’s “Amanat” , I don’t expect this relationship to ever turn into something serious (read: ownership). So Swapnil don’t worry man :)
Well, friends, time to say goodbye and hit the road.
‘Yours truly’ kick starts the bike stylishly in a single stroke.(‘Dude, You don’t need to do that. It’s a push-button start’- Swapnil).
Hmmmmmm…….(a thougthful pause).
Anyways, he jumps on the bike and vrroooom….within seconds bike disappears into Pune's maddening traffic.
Hasta la vista!
