He helped me to bring home my scooter

Here is the thirty second unforgettable character in my life …

It was in 1978 that I bought my scooter. It was a Vijay Super and grey in color. I had just learned how to ride a two wheeler and went to the outlet in the city at Shalimar point to buy one. The dealer asked me to come the next day to collect the vehicle. I was still with an ‘L’ license and would need someone to ride the scooter back to township, a distance of nearly 15-Km. The next day was Maha Ashtami and my friend and I left for our mission by an ST bus.

However, things were not as simple as I had expected. There were plenty of formalities involved in getting the two-wheeler on the road like installing the accessories, testing the engine, going for a test drive etcetera.
We had thought we could be back by late afternoon but by the time we were ready to take off, it was evening and the roads were crowded. I was pillion riding and my friend was negotiating though the traffic. When we reached the Adgaon naka near Tapovan, he stopped the scooter and got down.
‘Ghose,’ he said, ‘you must now drive.’
I was shocked. I was still a learner holding an ‘L’ license and township was nearly 10-Km away! I lacked the confidence to ride the scooter on the Mumbai-Delhi highway.
‘I am having trouble with insects getting into my eyes,’ my friend explained. ‘I have not brought my goggles. Don’t worry. I will guide you. Just go slowly.’
Well, that is what I did. And – it boosted my confidence to a new level. I remembered the management policy – nothing is impossible. Throw someone into the water and he will trash his hands and feet and learn to swim because of the survival instinct.
I meet him on and off even now on special occasions like the Durga puja and will always remain thankful to him.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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