Rose and me

Rose and me have been childhood friends since a long time. I remember father telling me, how John (Rose's elder brother), came from Nagpur to Harihar sleeping on the same berth of the train as him. My father and her dad have been fast friends since Nagpur days. They continued their friendship in Harihar as well. My mother became fast friends with her mother, Omana aunty. Consequently, the kids became fast friends as well!

Omana aunty is famous for her chicken biriyani. My mouth waters at the thought of her chicken biriyani. Yummy yummy yummy! Nothing else can describe her biriyani better! I remember a time when we went to Jog falls, and her yummy mommy's chicken biriyani that we had! (Slurp! My mouth waters at the thought of it.) We also celebrated Christmas with them. I still remember my mother asking my brother to refrain from having wine (he was really small at that time). But he would stealthily ask Omana aunty, or John chettan, and get him one glass (or, maybe more).

Rose and me, used to be in our own world. We used to stitch clothes for our barbies. I still remember the barbie doll that my father got me from Ernakulam. We used to believe, they were our kids, and we needed to take care of them, like our mother and father. We would build tents in the lobby of our terrace (where no one used to come), and, fry things inside. Gosh! I can't imagine how we fried corn in a cloth tent. We would have been doomed if the cloth caught fire! When Boothi sir (our PT teacher), was running a weight check, we both got upset, and cried - since we were chubby, hale and hearty kids.

She was one year older than me, and more talented. Infact, she was gorgeously talented. She used to stitch clothes for barbies, used to put mehendi, was really good at drawing, reading, and later on, she used to instruct a tailor to make specific designs, and now she's into baking - Grace Cakery is the name of her venture. I am really happy for her :-).

Though we are in different countries, I am sure, she'll not forget her childhood friend. And, though we talk twice or thrice only, but we communicate through Facebook. When we talk, we talk as if there's no barrier between us! That's called friendship.

A lesson... THINK BEFORE YOU ACT

This is a story about my Activa. Yes, this is the same story of the bike I owned since 2004 (Activa).

September 2009,  I developed a medical condition. So, doctors put a strict NO for riding a bike, driving a car or swimming, and other such activities. Since I got married to a wonderful person, he used to come pick me up when I was running back to back meetings, and while I was working.

All was good, until my dad asked me to give the bike to a cousin, who was in need. While I had no problems giving it free of cost, but I requested that he change the name in the records. But he said "Akka, I am just going use it for 2 years or so, till I buy a car. So, lets just go with the same name". While I wasn't comfortable, I agreed, thinking that he's my brother. He took it to a different town using a bus service. All was going as planned.

Then, after an year or so, he got an opportunity to travel to a foreign land. He didn't utter any word to me, until the last day. Finally I asked him, "What will my bike do sitting idle?." He replied "Akka, your bike is safe in the hands of a person. He will start it everyday." I wasn't too happy, but I thought he will get me the bike, since he travelled between the foreign land and India quarterly.

Months passed, he didn't utter a word about my Activa. He came and went, still he didn't utter a word. He fell in love with someone from the foreign land, and got engaged. I thought it was unwise to ask about my bike when he was getting engaged. So, I left it the way it was.

Finally, last year in September, I asked him the question that he most dreaded ,"What are you planning to do with my bike? Please bring it back, because it's being left unused."

Then came his wedding which was in Malaysia, and the reception which was in Cochin, my home town. I thought it'll be unwise of me to ask about my bike at the auspicious occasion, and refrained from asking him about it.

In December, after being prompted to renew the vehicle insurance, finally he said what I was waiting for. "Sis, I shall service the vehicle and plan to send it to Bangalore." I would have appreciated if he had come himself and given me the vehicle, but I didn't mind thinking that he would arrange a door to door pick up and drop. But, I was wrong. He said that there is no door-to-door pickup and drop. It will take him December 2016, at least to come to India. He asked me my complete address in January, while I agreed to make my husband go and pick it up.

Then came February, and March. Absolute silence on the vehicle. Meanwhile, they (now, husband and wife) travelled to Dubai via India, and went back to Malaysia via India (with a stop over, both times in India). And, about my bike, no news. My dad felt very bad about the entire incident. He was the one who said to me, "Give it to your brother. He'll need it. Always, it's lying unused here!." He said, "Give it to someone who needs it. It'll give you punya!". And the normal bhashans.

Then came April, when I bluntly put out the question,"What about my bike? I've waited long enough, and you can't let me stress over it." His reply came immediately, "I ran out of money in India." I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at this joke. A person, who owns an iPhone 6 or so, a person who has the latest technology gadgets, and took his wife to Dubai and back, says he has run out of money in India? Was he joking when he asked me in January ,"Will you pick up your bike?." I didn't know what to say!

To add to the stress levels, he said, he'd lost the RC book! Are you kidding??? You LOST the RC book???????? And the next day, when I tell him, that I got the documents, but not the originals, he replied, "I found the RC book. It was in his friend's locker". The same friend who agreed to start the vehicle everyday. I mean, how can you trust such a friend ???

All this time, I got freaked, I woke up from my sleep thinking the RC book was lost, and had dreams that my activa met with an accident, and I was standing in a courtroom, addressing a judge. Thank God, it was just a dream!

I think I'll keep on dreaming like this, till the Activa comes to me. Till it's picked up from the location. And till it's picked up from the place where the bus will dump it, and till it reaches my door-step... I miss my Activa!

I believe, when you do something good to people, somebody else helps you when you are in need. I hope, this incident doesn't erase this belief of mine.