Childhood Memories – The Ladybird
Photo credit: Seemann from morguefile.com
I am sitting in my office cabin feeling morose and unwilling to work. I need to submit my project by tomorrow and still a lot needs to be done in it. I wonder about the enthusiasm I used to possess in my childhood, be it for anything.
Sometimes small incidents of childhood can rejuvenate one’s spirit and can work wonders.
I was eight years old that time. I had just learned to ride a bicycle. But I was not having one for myself. I used to borrow my elder sister’s bicycle and will ride it even in the hottest hours of the days.
It was a girl’s bicycle with no straight bar joining the seat and the handle. It was named as ‘The Ladybird’ by my sister. My friend’s used to mock at me whenever they saw me riding a girl’s bike. I never paid heed to them. The gush of wind on my face was enough to let me squander in the realms of dream. I was enjoying my new found love.
That bicycle had some problems in it. The brakes were quiet firm. A slight application of brakes would bring it to a halt in an instant. It was quiet a flustering problem.
When I was riding it for the first time and I was unaware of the condition of the brakes, I pressed them with more than required strength and as a result it stopped immediately. But I was carried forward with the same inertia and I banged my private part with the handle.
I fell on the ground moaning in pain. I was annoyed to hear my sister laughing at me. Hopefully it wasn’t a serious blow and I was back to normal soon.
This incident didn’t stop me from riding the bicycle. I continued riding it with immense joy as earlier.
One day I was riding in a fine evening when one of my friends came over to show me his new bicycle. It was a Hero Buzz bicycle with disc brakes, adjustable seat etc. My bicycle was way below par than his. Still just to show him my riding ability I challenged him for a race.
He accepted the challenge immediately. The race began and he started with an initial lead. I was also at the apogee of my speed when I was startled to see a car coming from the opposite side.
The road was not wide enough for both of us to pass. I had stopped pedaling my bicycle. Still the speed was too much to prevent an accident.
By that time I had almost forgotten about the race. My mind was preoccupied with two options which included either I should collide with the car or jump off the bicycle. Applying brakes was clearly out of books.
While brooding on the options I saw that there were ferns and bushes on one side of the road. I realized that it will be an enthralling decision to jump off the bike and land onto these bushes. I reacted immediately and plunged onto the bushes. I landed pristine. But on seeing the bushes with close proximity I realized that they were also having thorns. They pierced my skin as soon as I landed. The bike went on and collided with the car making a loud noise.
I was smarting in pain while lying there. People from the neighborhood as well as the driver of the car took me to the nearby hospital.
The doctor immobilized my leg with a splint and bandaged my wounds. I was ordered two weeks complete rest. Though I was feeling the pang of regret for asking my friend to race but I didn’t falter. I wanted to start dreaming. I was longing to ride the bicycle again.
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