READ PREVIOUS PARTS HERE
PART 1 - MEETING A FEMALE BIKE RIDER
PART 3 - FBR BECOME GIRL FRIEND
PART 6-- SHE IS EFFICIENT DRIVER TOO
PART 7 -- MY GIRLFRIEND TEACH ME BIKE RIDING
picture abhi baaki hai........
An Interlude: In the voice of Rashmi
"Hi guys. This is Rashmi here.....So finally this day
has come. We are about to get married. The feeling has yet to sink in. Amidst
all this excitement and flurry of activity, it is easy to get carried away with
the flow. In the rush to get to the destination one loses track of the journey.
And then the beauty of the journey gets forgotten as time goes by. Hence, my
dear friends, I thank you for your support and encouragement along our story so
far but please bear with me while I take a moment to reflect on our journey so far,
lest it gather dust like some forgotten old photograph.
I was fortunate to have been born to two wonderful, doting
and supportive parents who firmly believed their daughter was capable of
excelling in everything she undertook. Their belief in me also gave me
tremendous self-confidence from an early age. I did well in sports, learnt to
play the violin, won numerous awards in debate, was head girl of my school and
did fine academically too. I sometimes wonder looking back now how I managed to
balance all of that. But I guess it had to do with my parents pushing me to
pursue everything I was interested in. And once I took up something I would do
it passionately. I guess that is why I was never hindered by my small town
upbringing.
Back then, we would shift houses often through various towns
and cities of U.P.as my parents both worked for the government. Around my X
standard my Dad decided to set up his own business and we settled in Lucknow.
After my Board I and a friend of mine decided to fool around on her father's
scooty. She knew a little bit how to ride and proposed to teach me. That is
when REEMA spotted us and came over. If there was one person I always admired
it was REEMA. She was then a rising tennis player and had just won the junior
national championship. She was something of a role model to all the girls in
the locality. Her father had taken retirement from the army and was running his
own business.
"Do you girls really want to learn or are you just
fooling around?" REEMA had asked.
"Of course we are learning"
"Well what are you doing on this little thing? Come, I
shall teach you on the real thing!"
We were confused as to what she was talking about. She went
into her house and came out sitting astride her father's Enfield.
"I will teach you to ride this. Then you will really
experience the joy of riding."
My friend was shocked “How can WE ride THAT?"
I however was thrilled. I always had an adventurous streak.
"This is awesome, let’s do this."
REEMA said to my reluctant friend, “It is easy at least try.
Once you learn to ride this you can ride anything."
I got on first, REEMA showed me the basics. My initial
nervousness was quickly overcome and I managed to ride without stalling or
falling on my first go itself, which really boosted me. I was a quick learner
and was soon riding on the streets. I found myself seeking excuses to go over
to REEMA's house to ride her bike! And let me tell you, the confidence, the
exhilarance that comes with riding a bike are a feeling unmatched.
I was hooked, and I was going places! Me and REEMA, were a
team. Whenever she was at home we would get onto her bike and off we would go,
taking turns at the controls. It never really mattered where we went, we just
had to ride. Thankfully REEMA wasnt home very often, else I would have really
messed up my grades!
We did attract a lot of stares, as is wont to when you have
a young woman riding a bike in a small town. But then, I was never really the
type who cared. I remember an aunt warning my Dad against me riding such heavy
bikes saying I might get injured, but my Dad just replied that Rashmi can even
handle airplanes if she wants! Yeah, he was always embarrassingly proud of me.
I received my first bike in college. My Dad gifted me my
beast, the Enfield which I am riding now for my 18th birthday! I was stunned,
we were not that rich. This bike was a luxury. I felt guilty and protested to
my Dad but he just sushed me and said he just wanted to see me happy and ride.
And ride I did. I traversed the length and breadth of North India, both as part
of a group and alone. I was part of a biker group in college, yeah I was the
only girl. But I certainly had the best bike and was the best rider by far! I
took good care of my bike and she took good care of me. I did numerous trips
with my group, just as I did numerous trips with REEMA. Now we each had our own
bike. We were sisters on wheels. By the end, I probably knew the highways as
well as any truck driver!
Of course, many boys were interested in me. And many more
were overwhelmed by me. But I somehow could never relate to any of them. I
wanted somebody supportive and comfortable in his own skin around me.
After college, I had one of my biggest adventures. I was
visiting cousins in Delhi. One of my cousin's friends asked if I would be
interested in participating in a bike ride all the way till Chennai with a
couple of other riders for charity. Of course I said yes! You can never tire of
riding a Bullet on the open highways. Just open up your throttle fully and get
into the "zone" as you fly past things. And of course. if you are in
the ghats, even better! The ride to Chennai was very long but I never felt the
stiffness or lost concentration. I guess that is when I realized that biking
had become second nature to me.
I then went to IIM, Ahmedabad after that which I am grateful
for as it landed me the job which led me to Manish. Manish is the sweetest,
most considerate person I have ever met and he really makes me laugh! I know
what you guys must be thinking, poor chap stuck with a wild girl! How could
these two people so different come together? Well, that is hard to explain, but
it’s kind of like counterpoints in music, two completely different tunes sounding
completely in harmony when played together.
I just thought I will share one incident before I sign off.
It was shortly after our first ride to Murud. I was with some colleagues at a
coffee shop, when I spotted Manish waiting at a bus stop on the opposite side
of the road. I realised we were close to his office, he was heading back home.
The conversation in the coffee shop was getting boring so I borrowed my
friend's CBZ and decided to surprise Manish. I parked my bike in front of him
and called out to him, "Is this the way to Borivali?"
"Careful!"
"I will if you hold on to me!" I teased him.
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