I don't know how you couples do it. You guys are the true multi-taskers. I seriously don't think I have the energy or time to be there for just one person. But I do my best to be there for many.

THE RESPONSE BELOW MAKES MORE SENSE IF YOU ARE A MOTORHEAD & HAVE READ THE ISSUE.

BUT GIVEN THAT IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT THE LIFE OF YOURS TRULY, AM SURE YOU WILL STILL ENJOY IT.

From buying an average of two magazines per month to probably just two a year. A collection of  over 400 magazines then to just a couple of handfuls now. My fifteen years of reading began much before the CBZ graced the covers of many hallowed titles. (Thanks to my older brother.) Price per issue has gone from INR 25 to INR 100. Now, don't get me started on fuel. The two strokers hold a very special place and are all but extinct. Career has strolled down a handful of pathways. A girlfriend or two during the years. From an angsty teenager to an angrier young man. Biking took a bit of a sabbatical for me compared to my level of involvement before. But one thing has stayed constant even before the 15 years. I unabashedly say, motoring has always been in my blood.

My darling sis in law bought the slush fest issue for her hubby along with another motorcycle mag. To me, the good ol' BSM has always been more of a motorcyclists' book. As luck would have it, the hubby dearest had to take the mag along for his business trip. As soon as I got my hands on it, the first and only proper article I read was that of the Duke. Just as Ruman said about the bike, the write-up for me, was just what the doctor ordered. Till date I have ridden an RD only once and that short run never saw me touch the 6th cog. Being the youngest biker amongst my brother's buddies, I guess all their advice made  me overtly cautious. But she did give me my share of goose-bumps. I still make RD sounds from my nose and throat  when I get a severe cold. Forget about the how. And just like the RD, the original Kinetics, the RXs and the CBZ/Karizma, these little Austrian street demons have a distinctive note too. I don't know about imitating the KTM's exhaust sound, but am pretty sure I will touch the 6th cog on this worthy successor to that grand-daddy of performance motorcycles. Funny how we refer to these machines in both genders no?

As a kid I enjoyed sitting on my neighbor's parked RTZ. Never got a ride on it, as the said neighbor was rarely around. Was always thrilled on the RX tank rides my Uncle's friend gave us. FYI, he went onto a Pulsar and rides a Bullet now. My English school teacher's husband never failed to get my schooling eyes and ears peering out my window at every moment that he passed by. He rode around a Maruti Omni engined contraption. Oops, sorry. It was definitely a motorcycle. One that had the RD's chassis, and a gearbox and exhaust pipe from the Bullet no less! Today he drives around on an Avenger, his son's Thunderbird and his Thar & Bolero. But that is still the best three cylindered bike I have ever seen and heard. Yet to see those Triumphs in India. Add to that the locality's famous red Funduros and a myriad of RDs and the Bullet in my building that I used to hate cause it was too loud for us ground floor folk. Course, I have grown to love the Bullet now. No surprises there, specially when it was my paternal grandpa's dream bike that stayed in his dreams just as much as he did in mine. (He saw heaven before I saw the light of day)

These days my eyes and ears peer out at the orgasmic sounding cross-plane R1 that seemed to have had it's share of slush fests this monsoon. A Gixxer passes by every now and then, not to forget some precious multi-cylindered Hondas. Oh and the next society's Street Bob. I managed to ride an Iron 883 some months ago. Felt just as it should have. A Bullet that has grown in heart. But again, brain matter took center stage than the heart and I couldn't ride it to even half it's potential. Don't have the resources to buy one if i break one you see. And the occasional grand-daddy does pass by the house too. 

As I begin my day with this love letter, getting nearer to my three decades on earth, nostalgia once again brings my dusty fingers to my plastic covered keyboard. It's been ages since I wrote you a letter. We've been through sea changes in everything that life has to offer here in India. We have Phantoms and Ghosts next door to people seeing ghosts of onions past.  Water to splash into at rooftop infinity pools while people clamor for a drop to drink. We spend as much time and money at the malls as we do on eBay and Facebook. Thankfully I do see the youth and people setting aside finances for good causes just

as much. My family has moved from a Chetak to a Kine', from the original CBZ(still dislike the current one for being named after it), to now a Karizma and a Dio. I'd like to get an Impulsive job done on our trusty ol' Karizma. Crasto, you listening? Oh and fate willing our family may see a Bullet soon and maybe, just maybe a Duke 390 even sooner. Evolution Indeed.

More quotes..they never stop. and they never will. As I grow and keep learning more.

Freedom is in the mind. Free your mind, think limitless. Surpass your mental boundaries and see your freedom manifest itself.
But you gotta start first and then keep it going!

Man of Steel (Part 2)

....

I reach the office again and head upstairs. All of a sudden I’m a mini celebrity in the office. And I smile with a look that says, ‘Guilty as charged!’ It’s 01.15pm. Samuel and his colleagues apparently need to order for some evening snacks later and are cracking one-liners as to who deserves to place the order considering he/she lost some bet. Details of which I obviously wasn’t in the right mind frame to find out. But the thought that I was about to get my phone soon coupled with the employees also happy for the same, I was in a much better state of mind.

I smile at the others around as they clearly know what I’ve managed to carelessly do. I look at Sam and open up to him as we share relieved smiles and our eyes glint with joy. (this is so gay!)

“Did you manage to have lunch?”

“Nah, there’s still time.”

“Wanna go out?”

(sound of music stopping abruptly)

I got you there didn’t I?

Ok let me start over.

I ask Sam if he managed to have lunch. He answered in the negative. So I tell him why I have been all over the place with my thoughts.

With hands folded mind you. (Body language experts take a hike. Or maybe I’m wrong.)

“I have been producing short films for the last few months apart from playing The Dark Knight in the BPO with my card members at work as I help them tackle fraud. Plus I am taking this trading thing ahead with you gradually.”

In amazement Sam says, “Aapka sun ke mujhe abhi lag raha hai ki mein apna time waste kar raha hoon!”

(Hearing about what you do, I feel I am just wasting my time now!)

I let out a 100 watt smile from my crooked teeth as I feel humbled at hearing this.

“Nahi yaar. (Not really dude)I still am doing very little. I have people at work who manage trading, working nights at the BPO and even flying around like Superman. Minus the cape and plus the wings.”

“You’re right though. It’s about taking out time for what’s important. You’ve got to take the reins and manage your time if you want to get somewhere significant.”

“Yes Sam. People who manage a lot more with their time inspire me. As a person I have always wanted to achieve what most people cannot. Which means one has to do what others don’t.”

“You’re absolutely right. We have just one life and we have to make the best of it.”

[As I write this my lovely mum just brought me back down to earth. Thanks mum, you are one of the people that keep me grounded.]

“Right bro! But at the same time don’t forget, you have to live and not just survive. Work your ass off but make time for fun too.”

“Yes, what’s the point of the money if we don’t enjoy the lives we lead.”

As I wait for what I thought was going to be a a couple of calls to the nearby restaurant, another employee comes by with a bag of mangoes! While another walks in and makes a valuable suggestion.

“Why don’t you guys go and get the phone now itself. Don’t worry Sam, tere aam bachha ke rakhenge humlog. (we will keep your mangoes for you.)”

He lets out a chuckle while Sam says he will ensure he gets his share and I chuckle at a wicked thought in my head at the word ‘Aam.’ (Yeah I have non veg jokes in my mind too!)

I pack my stuff and we move out. The address on the note in Sam’s hand read, ‘Ram Mandir road near Moviestar cinema, Goregaon.’

I’ve been lucky enough to pick up various colleagues for my workplace during our dispatch runs thereby helping me gain a little knowledge of our Mumbai suburbs. So I knew that it was closer from S.V. Road than Link road.

A rickshaw guy who’s vehicle we boarded says that it is near Link Road. But we tell him that we need to head down S.V. Road itself.

So after few yards we stop and he says, “You know what, I was thinking of the cinema on Link Road. Am sorry but you will have to alight as I need to head that way. You don’t have to pay, it’s fine.”

We ask another guy and he says, “No I do not know the place.” I knew again, that I had to find someone who resonated at the same frequency as ours.

We walk ahead and ask 2 other guys until Sam and I adopt the split and succeed rule when it comes to situations like these. We’re at a left curve in the road leading up to a red light.

I bump into a middle aged bearded gentleman who’s light wrinkles on the forehead, faint smile that said he’s been through his share of difficulties and of course the ‘For Hire’ indicator made the tuning forks in my head go abuzz.

“Ram Mandir Road jaaoge?”

(Will you take me to Ram Mandir Road?)

“Haa. Signal se right jaan hai na?”

(Yes. A right from this signal, correct?)

“Haa!”

“Baitho!”

(Sit!)

I holler to Sam and we board as the traffic moves forward a metre.

As we wait for the signal, I plan the short trip by telling Sam we need to call Sarvesh when we reach the last signal before the location.

A 20 year old stops on the right hand side astride a Bullet.(a popular motorcycle)I was busy ogling the engine’s mechanical beauty for the umpteenth time. Now he was slightly on the other side of the lane. The one for the oncoming traffic.

The rickshaw driver, kind that he was, requested the motorcyclist to move his bike a little ahead and towards our lane. The guy looks at either side of his bike wondering why the old man asked him too. He moves ahead and with a hint of over-confidence tells our driver,

“Is this enough?”

We all smile and nod in the affirmative as the biker turns his head away.

“Aap unke bhale ke liye bol rahe the aur woh hai ki..,” I tell the man.

“You were advising him for his own good and he misunderstood”

Communication is not just about being lucid and cohesive in your thoughts. It’s also about seeing the other person’s perspective. Age does matter. For nothing teaches you patience better than a string of unsuccessful endeavours coupled with the passage of time.

The light turns green and we head to our third Point B. We pass a few signals and soon realise that the location is actually a whole suburb away from what was on the address. We finally reach the last signal and a couple calls later we understand that we have to take the next left.

We trudge along searching for a hair salon and a betel leaf shop as per Sarvesh’s instructions. Sam searches for the said shops while I keep a look out for the Moviestar cinema which was cited as a landmark.

And there we are! I realise I do not have change and Sam pays off the gentlemen driver as we pay him our gratitude and bid good bye while the sensitive man kindly re-iterates, “ Woh raha Moviestar cinema!”

(There’s the cinema!)

We call Sarvesh and try and locate each other. While I describe my blue shirt and voice out my inability to find him despite his attempts. I look around past a paan(betel leaf and tobacco based post meal dish) shop and a Vada Pav(poor man’s Indian burger)shop. Across the theatre and then to its right, I lay eyes on a building that appears to be some sort of factory.

Sarvesh says, “Mein haath ghuma raha haoon yahan pahele maale pe.”

(I’m waving my hand here on the first floor)

“I still cannot see you.”

“Theek hai aap wahi rukaye, mein neeche aake aapse milta hoon.”

(Alright, why don’t you wait there and I’ll come down and receive you.)

We wait for what seems to be like the longest 2 minutes of my life. Wondering whom am I going to meet. Will he co-operate or kidnap us? You never know the things people are capable of doing for money.

On a second thought, I think we do.

I begin to get anxious with every passing second. While Sam echoes my sentiments by his expressions.

Just then our attention is diverted by a clear ‘whistle’ over and above the din of the afternoon traffic.

I see an unassuming young man about 5 feet 5 inches tall, light brown skin, black trousers custom cut to 3/4^th length. And a pale white plain tee shirt soiled from hard physical labour. He had a modest smile that spoke of his joy in finally being able to put faces to the voices he interacted with. I can’t really tell but I think I mirrored his emotions at that instant.

We crossed the road and I reached out my hand saying,

“Aap Sarvesh ho na?”

(You’re Sarvesh right?)

He reflected my greeting and said,

“Haan! Aaiye. Aap jis gaadi mein baithe the woh mere bade bhai chalate hain. Dar ke wajah se unko pata nahi tha kya karna chahiye. Toh yahan aake mere paas rakh diye.”

(Yes! Follow me. The vehicle you sat in is being driven by my older brother. In his fear he did not know what to do and hence came here and left the phone with me.)

I share a surprised look with Sam. I bet we were both thinking just like you are right now, So that’s who Sarvesh is!

He leads us through. A right, then straight into a corridor we approach the beginning of a staircase. A light left onto the stairs and we head up to the first floor. I still keep wondering at the back of my head. What am I walking into? Could this be a trap? And then I just snap at myself and say, “Ok, stop! You’re going nowhere with these thoughts.”

“Humne aapka phone humare boss ke paas rakh diye. Hume bhi pata nahi tha kya karna chahiye. Socha kisi ka keemti amanat rahega, unko agar waapis mil gaya toh bhala hoga.”

(I kept your phone in safe keeping with my boss. Even I did not know the way forward. So I thought if someone got back his expensive belonging that went missing, then a good deed would be done.)

So I look at Sam and smile in hope as we head towards what appears to be the approach to a cabin. I look towards Sarvesh as we stop at a cabin.

As I look at a hall filled with boxes and chemical jugs surmising the type of factory I am in, I see an empty cabin at the end of the room.

“Boss abhi shayad bahar gaye hain.”

(The boss has probably stepped out for a while.)

“Woh kab tak ayenge fir”

(By when is he expected then?)

I don’t lose hope anymore. There’s just a sense of satisfaction steadily building up.

He begins to head backwards towards a doorway. “Bas ayenge abhi”

(He’ll be back in a few minutes.)

“Aap kahan jaa rahe ho? Aap yahan hi rahiye. Ya fir jaldi aa jana.”

(Where are you heading to? Please stay here. Else come back soon.)

I said this as I wanted to express a deep sense of gratitude. We see an assistant go about his clerical work up and down the office and then we see a tall well dressed male walk into the cabin from the door on the other side. He looks at us from across the hall and exits the cabin heading towards us.

I just have this smile growing slowly on my otherwise poker face. So much for an aspiring actor eh!

The man comes up to me and  I introduce myself to him.

“Hi, I’m Joaquim Gonsalves, this is Samuel.”

“Yes, I’m Hemant.”

“Can we come in?” We were standing at the start of the hall all this while.

“Yes, yes come in.”

“I just (overwhelmed and a bit embarrassed)...left my phone in the rickshaw in a hurry this morning.”

“Yes.” Reaching out to a black rectangle shaped object kept at the top left corner of a table beside his cabin.

I look at the familiar object and smile my biggest smile ever. I think to myself, ‘Aaaah! I can meet my friend and finally think straight.’

“So this is your phone, is it?”

“Yes, yes. I can tell you the last few calls of the day. I can show you my pictures.”

“No that’s alright. But..”

“Let me show you my driver’s license.”

I remove my stuffed old black wallet and fish out the privilege card. (Remember those old lil white books had a maxim written in a square on the back cover?)

“There you go, the name is slightly misspelt.”

You see I had to highlight this as Hemant had made ‘note’ of my name given by Samuel over the phone.

This note also had the names of the last two callers.

‘Angel Broking Samuel’ &

‘Nanu Cell’ (My granma. Thank goodness she didn’t manage to speak with him!)

He hands over the phone to me and I heave my final sigh of relief as Sam looks on in happiness.

“Thank you so much!”

“Yeah you should thank him” (gesturing with a subtle head movement towards Sarvesh.)

“Yeah of course! I can’t thank him enough and his brother enough.”

“Getting back something valuable like this, that too in the same day in a place like Mumbai?”

I don’t know why but for that moment I just felt like the luckiest man on the planet! Well I guess you would too if God forbid you happen to be in my place. We thank Hemant one last time along with his assistant, bidding good bye with handshakes and I request Sarvesh to come along with us outside in the corridor.

Earlier, while I had headed towards the shop for an umbrella, I had made it a point to stop by the ATM specifically to remove money for this moment.

We walk a few steps and stop. I remove the cash from my shirt’s pocket. A few notes fall from my physiological tremors. They make their presence felt in my fingers when in a state of high adrenaline, excitement or fear. I pick them up and respectfully touch them to my chest as Sam reaches half way to help. I look towards Sarvesh.

“Yeh ek hazaar aap keliye aur ek hazaar aapke bhai ke liye.”

(Here’s a thousand for you and another thousand for your brother.)

I give him a hug and thank him as does Samuel. That’s when Hemant comes out again with the ‘note’ in his hand.

He says, “Wait!”

The assistant heads to Hemant, collects the note and brings it to me. “Why don’t you just sign there saying that you have received it so that he can show it to his brother and they know the belonging has reached its rightful owner.”

“Alright! I remove my Parker, glance at my trusty Edifice and write-

‘I have received my phone, Sony Xperia S on 13^th June 2013.

With many thanks.

Joaquim Gonsalves.’

Do you still think 13 is an unlucky number?

As we trace our steps back out the cats and dogs begin to fall in droves. I notice that  don’t have network. We reach the exit, open our umbrellas. (Glad I coaxed Sam into taking it along with him when he had second thoughts about it earlier.) I decide we can sort the network issues at the gallery once I am done with work. Confident that things would look up.

We walk a few steps, heading towards the main road, trying to match our wavelengths with someone yet again.

The rains subside as two rickshaws disagree with our requests. All this while I was wondering why my phone felt slightly bulged. The silicon guard wasn’t sitting properly. I remove it and see that back cover was refusing to close. I take a closer look at the SIM card and realise it was pushed in the other way around. I correct the same as we wait at the corner. The cover fits back perfectly with a reassuring click. I turn the phone around and wait for 3 seconds and lo and behold.

Am back in business baby!

At that moment it felt like I had conquered Everest!

I share the good news with my Samaritan and we find a willing driver and head to the office. On the way Sam smiles and tells me,

“Feels like I have done some actual work today.”

“Ha ha! Remember I told you only good things happen with me?”

We talk about learning and growing from our mistakes and the usual life altering stuff.

As I step out getting done with the work at office and a nice hot cuppa from the local brewer, I call Sam out of his cabin as I exit.

We struggle thrice a bit with him saying “No sir! This is not necessary. Really, I didn’t do anything. Keep it.”

I paid him two hundred for being such a great help and a warm hug. We shook hands and parted ways while I walked away feeling like IronMan after he blew up the tank in part one.

Right, I finally get to ready myself and meet my friend later.

Meet is decided for 6pm. Another friend had suggested I leave by 4.30pm to reach Infiniti, Andheri well in advance. I couldn’t afford to be late for this meet. Come what may! I left at 5.05pm and it had started raining heavily. Rains, transport, wavelengths. Damn! Not again!!

My Quotes..contd

The mind will answer your questions irrespective of which direction you lead it to think. Lead it to what's right & and not to what's wrong.