He taught me to ride a scooter

Here is the twentieth unforgettable character in my life …

He and I lost our fathers at about the same time. It was a great loss to both of us and, somehow, that sad incident brought us together. It was in his house that I learnt the game of auction bridge – his brother-in-law initiated us into the game. We would spend the evenings learning the tricks of dropping the queen or of squeezing the opponent while our better halves shared the results of experimentations in the kitchen. It was, therefore, natural that on the occasion of next Mahalaya, my friend and I decided to do tarpan (remembering our ancestors) on the banks of the Godavari together.

We went on his scooter immediately after the end of the early morning radio program because we had to be back to attend our duties. I had never driven a scooter before and, on the way back, I expressed a desire to learn it since I wanted to own a two wheeler. He agreed and the following Sunday, he taught me the basics – how to kick start the engine, how to use the clutch-gear combination, how to accelerate, how to brake.
It so happened that he suddenly got a chance to shift jobs. He had always longed for a job in Kolkata because he had two daughters and wanted to bring them up in traditional Bengali style. He was in two minds while his wife was determined not to let the opportunity slip away. I sided with his wife because I knew that in his heart of hearts, he also wanted to go there. One fine day, we bid him adieu.
He settled in his new environment, got his daughters admitted to prestigious schools and later to reputable colleges. He even constructed his house and found the work suitable to his style and temperament. He got promotions regularly and, when I went to Kolkata, I visited him. He was happy. It was fate that snatched away his elder daughter. She was knocked down by a bus as she was crossing the road with her college friends.
My friend did not allow the incident to pull him down. It is not easy to come to terms with the loss of a grown up daughter. He overcame the loss, superannuated and has taken up consultancy work that keeps him busy. His younger daughter is married and my friend and his wife have started a new life. Whenever we go to Kolkata, we visit him and talk about the good old days. His wife is a great cook and loves to dish out delicious preparations.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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