The Motorcycle Diaries ..

Part Two - The Nemesis

Day 3 - Chullu bhar paani

It wouldn't be wrong to suggest that I already had premonitions of having a miserable session this day. The clutch as it is wasn't problem enough that the accelerator also had to kick in - "its all about perfect co-ordination" - tell me 'bout it, easy to say but have YOU ever tried your hand at the friggin' co-ordination ?! Kick-start, a gentle race, and a slow but steady release of the clutch was all that I had to manage. Sounds easy doesn't it ? The scorching heat, the distant stench of the railways tracks, and the weariness from last day's failure - could I have asked for a better way to start off ? Still ripe with confidence and determination to keep at it, I started the bike, clutch pulled back, shift to first gear, steady as she goes, slowly, slowly, a little vroom, almost there, just a tad more, and the bike sneezes to a halt. Never mind, was a loosener, will definitely get it right on the next try. Same ritual - shift to neutral, a little race, clutch, gear shift, slow and steady, a little more on the engine, and achhoo goes the bike yet again. They say third time lucky, but there I was, still stranded on the road hitting a double hat-trick already, third time lucky my ass !!

I wouldn't mind such setbacks, after all "practice makes a man perfect" wasn't suggested by a fool, but when you have on-lookers standing by just to watch you mess up again and whisper in each other's ears, human tendency makes you desperately search for that chullu bhar paani. C'mon people, its 9:00 in the morning, don't you have an office to go to ?! Now that I think of it was funny in a very weird way, at least I got a good part of the attention they were going to have all day anyways ;) This being the third day on the trot, a local boy must have noticed my tussle with the bike, and just to show off the brat decided to take his splendor out for ride at the very instant when I was busy trying different mantras to make the bike budge (trust me, open sesame does NOT work with everything !!) Kudos to the kid though for his bike antics, but guess that wasn't good enough to inspire me to do better, as long as the back being patted ain't mine, the adrenalin rush ain't gonna come :) Ended the session on that question mark, demoralised on the inability to get the smooth start that have been used to seated on the back seat.

Day 4 - Reprieve

Woke up in the morning today, still lay in bed, contemplating on whether to go for the bike session after yesterday's misery, and if not what excuse to give to my bro who'd have definitely fried my ass for giving up so easy. I did try to come up with an excuse to get out of it, but then my bro has this uncanny knack of being 'right' - hate it sometimes! So there I was again, in a white adidas t-shirt, ready to take on "one of the better things I have been involved with". No points to guessing who called it that ;) It wasn't a fairytale start for sure as I carried on the hiccups from yesterday. A few more tries and I finally got the beast roaring on the road. Whatever be my inability to handle the clutch, once the beast is under control, have to say, everything's smooth and feel like going on for miles without stopping. There was no denying that today was one of the better days, the success rate was higher, and I think I took care of the unwanted audience. Had to turn the bike 180 degrees on a wide road, gear was at one, and the accelerator at full throttle while turning, the sudden jerk towards the crowd gave them a scare as they scampered around. Yeah, be afraid, am out of control with the bike, might take down a bunch of you with me!! Don't think they'd be taking time out of their busy schedule to watch the gladiator tame the beast again tomorrow :P

I'd like to make myself happy by explaining the brat's absence today with him being grounded by his mommy for speeding or using the bike yesterday without permission. I do not know what kept him from coming, but whatever be the case, life was easier today, its one liberty I can enjoy being 25 - I've got NO SCHOOL !! ;) Didn't become a pro overnight but I realised that giving up now would mean chucking the bike into the dumps just the way I did the two-wheeler. Tomorrow's a new day, and though today was hard, am sure a couple of days more and I'd have mastered that freakin' clutch. After all "its all about the accelerator and clutch co-ordination" - how hard could it be ? :)

PS That's item number 15 ticked off the bucket list - "not to give in to fear" ;)