A cycle ride to remember..

Aahaa, the Freshness of the morning.. Birds chirping.. Theres’ dew on the grass sparkling as the gentle sunlight falls on it. There are familiar faces all around.. Some energized, some in a huff…dressed in white trousers and white shirts.. with Green belts around their waists.. The one that says “Service Before Self”.. Yes, Iam talking about my school days in Delhi Public School, NTPC Korba. Aaah the golden days of my life… Iam standing on the assembly ground with my friends encircled around me, waiting for the Assembly to start. I feel a little warmness in my legs muscles, that’s because of the 2 km cycle ride that brought me here.

Lets Re-live the Cycle ride, that I took everyday to reach my School..
I would eat my breakfast; drink a glass of milk, get dressed in the white uniform, put on my shoes, which I had polished the night before, take my tiffin. Carefully put my bag on the carrier of my Hero Ranger Bicycle.

Now putting your bag on the carrier of the bicycle was a tricky job. Kids’ dropping their bags all over the roads was a common sight while going to the school. And believe me it was not a good sight. It required delicacy as well as sturdiness.. You have to carefully fix it in such a way that none of our things inside the bag gets distorted and you are able to make it all the way to the school gate without dropping it.

I would then take off, waving goodbye to my Mom and stop to pick my friend and classmate , Abhishek better known as “PATTU”, who lives just one house away from mine..

I would call his name, ”Hey Pattu, c’mon we’re gonna be late man…”

Introducing Pattu--
Pattu would come out of his front door, munching on his sandwhich, with uncombed hair, water still falling off them, shirt half tuck in, one sock on his foot and one in hand. He would smile sheepishly and somehow make a sign with his preoccupied hands to wait and would go inside.

Now don’t judge him by the sloppiness he has just shown. He’s a bloody genious. He’s the guy who’s as good in studies as he’s in doing bakar, maybe he’s more efficient in doing bakar.
(Bakar : meaning : making a great deal out of stupid banal things, discussing such topics, to such an extent that they appear not less than topic of National interest !!).

A cute-chubby guy, who is a big fan of Movies and a bigger fan of Cricket. Calls himself an All-rounder on the field, having the potential of batting at any order, bowling stupendously fast and awfully slow at the same time. But rest of the guys from my team disagree on this.

Getting back to going school for now..
After some five minutes Pattu would emerge from his door. His hair still messy, but he has his Specs on. You know Pattu’s ready when he has his specs on. He takes out his Bicycle, puts his bag on his back. His cycle’s carrier doesn’t hold his bag.. Poor guy learnt this the hard way !! J And we are off to school.

His first question would be, “Did u see the way I batted last evening? I have been practicing a lot on my strokes.” I said, “Ya right dude..I have been watching you from my room’s window and you have been doing a lot of DEFENCE practice lately, and that’s what you did on the match yesterday, when Pratick was bowling all fiercely from the Krishna Vihar end. And that costed us our match..” “Oh, You are just jealous, because you got out on 2 balls” he replied. What can I say to that… “Well atleast I bowled well !!” I thought. Soon our topic would change to gossip about people who we would pass on our way to school, like some weird-nerdy seniors, or some Shaane-juniors even our Teachers. We spared no one from our mockery…

During school time the streets would be full of Dpsites from class 5th to class 12th, riding their cycles in small groups. So more the people more the gossip for us.. more the gossip, more the jokes between me and Pattu.. and sooner we would reach Yamuna Vihar, which is were my Friend Aditya lives.

Introducing Aditya —
Aditya, better known as Addu, is my best friend, we know each other from before Kindergarten. He’s my partner-in-crime, My G.I Joe mate and a serious competitor in computer games. A jolly-rolly-polly guy, who’s always in a good mood. The first thing you’ll notice about him is his curly hairs. He has a carefree attitude and loves music. He lives his life in a fixed routine, unlike my friend Pattu here :)

Well by the time Addu joins us on his Hero Ranger Max, several of my classmates have also joined us. What started with me and Pattu was now a group of 4-5 kids. We dominated the road and would only move if a car or bus came and honked behind us.

Addu would straight away maneuver his cycle beside mine and say, “Did u listen to the new Backstreet Boys song?? Its awesome.. Iam also planning to buy the latest NOW 4 cassette.” We would then discuss some cartoons that were to be aired that afternoon, the discussion would gently shift into girls.. and would hang there till we reach our school gate. During this time, Pattu would be busy chatting and doing bakar with the most Unusual of people there are, getting all the weird information out of them. He apparently has an undying hunger for information- all sorts of information.

What follows after we reach our school gate is another story.. story of pranks, studies, punishments, crushes, rivalries, all the chalk fights, the test marks, report cards needing parents signatures, history teachers, recess, careers etc

Now that I recall this wonderful time sitting here in my office after riding my Bike, all alone, for 15 km on Nation Highway 8 of Gurgaon, my heart is filled with ecstasy and bliss. What we unknowingly did in those little cycle rides, is that we created some fine memories for ourselves.

Who wouldn’t want a Start for a Day like that??? Taking a hike on your bicycle with all your best friends, the first thing in the morning. Mom waving back as you leave your home. Getting all the latest and masaledar news about people and superheroes and not just the TOI headlines or blarring Aaj Tak Market news. Reaching to work, not worrying about the mails in your Inbox, but how to dodge the Sanskrit teacher for not completing the Homework. And looking forward to the cricket sessions in the evening…

By the way… Are you guys curious about what happened to Pattu and Addu???

Pattu is currently doing his MBA from SP Jain, after completing his Engg from DAIICT. (I told you, he’s a bloody genious !!!). But I thought he would definitely make a career in BAKAR.. or maybe I spoke too soon..
You can catch him on : http://beingdesh.blogspot.com

As for Addu, he’s also doing his MBA from IMI Delhi, after completing Engg from Bhilai. His interest in Music has gone over the top.. I think he should be a Music Critic though. Catch what’s’ happening in his life over here: http://headonfunda.blogspot.com