My Scooter

My scooty, well it is a Honda Aviator has been my companion for 11 years now. My grandfather wanted to gift it to me. He used to say, “Archana, if you score 80% in the HSC exams, I will gift you a scooter, then you can ride and roam anywhere.” But I did not score 80% in my HSC exams, and he was very upset about it. He did not talk to me for days. Appa-my grandfather was very dear to me. My heart wrenched not talking to him. So, I decided, I will study harder and score good marks in my graduation. All my efforts were fruitful when I got a distinction in my bachelor’s and that too with honors. He was very happy and felt very proud when he saw my result, but he had no money then, he already spent his savings on his other grandchildren. He felt sorry for me, but I was fine. The important thing was that he was again proud of me. My father saw the pain in his eyes and decided to surprise me. After a week of my result, one day my brother called me on my cellphone and asked me to reach the parking lot of the building because he had too many bags. I quickly changed and went down. “What bags do you have? Where are they?” I annoyingly asked him. He was laughing, he gave me the key and said, “This baggage. It is too heavy.” I was still confused, but soon I realised it was for me. I was overjoyed, I was jumping. I hugged my brother (ahem..we do not hug each other. This was special). So, he told me it was a gift from my father for my integrity and efforts. “But this is too big for me and it is too heavy,” I cried. “Well, you don’t even know how to ride it, so we are going to share this ride. A scooter should suit me too so, I purchased this bulky looking Aviator,” my brother promptly answered. I was mad at him, but my happiness overshadowed it.

Soon I learned how to ride it. I and my friend used to roam on it. Chase good looking guys, honk on them, speed it and rash drive it. My Aviator was my heartbeat. There was not one day that I did not use it. I have had accidents with it many times, and the first thing after my accident I assured that my Aviator was fine. My legs still don’t reach down freely. When I know I must slow down, I shift a bit ahead and then put my feet down.

After marriage, when we went to Hyderabad, I asked my brother to send the Aviator to Hyderabad because local transport in the city was just not good enough for me. I took my Aviator everywhere with me. I have laden it with so much weight, grocery bags of 20 kgs, pots and plants, my shopping bags; but never a complaint. Now my son and I go for rounds on the Aviator, and many times it refuses to button start. Then I use the choke to start it, then I try to kick start it, but it fails. I spend a good 5 minutes trying to turn it on. Many times, people around me try and help me in turning it on. My son quickly says, “Mumma your Aviator is so old now, I will ask Daddy to buy you a new one.” His words hurt me. I know one day I will have to scrap it and buy a new one, but I have so many memories with it. I have loved it more than any living thing, how can I let it go?

Zindagi ka safar hai ye kaisa safar, koi samjha nahi, koi jana nahi (The journey of life is such; no one understood it, no one comprehends it)