I WANT YOU TO RIDE MY BICYCLE
Little Aiman, a six-year-old, is quite the drama queen. Her tantrums are legendary, and she knows how to complain with expert precision. Once, her bestie Maira stole her pencil, and it became a huge issue. Aiman reported it to her mom, and Maira got a thrashing. But Aiman felt guilty and made the ultimate sacrifice of letting go of her eraser to pacify her friend. Despite this, the two kids didn’t speak to each other for a full fortnight, except for saying “TU-TU” to each other.
Aiman demands total attention, and if I even speak to other kids even for a few minutes, she flies off in a temper and sits in her bathroom, weeping buckets. Last December, I got two laced raw silk Kochi frocks, but Aiman wouldn’t accept them since Maira was also given a gift. How dare I!
Aiman lives in one of the row shacks near our apartments, beside the picturesque Bellandur lake. These economical houses are rented out to support staff. I go cycling along the lake and perform my yoga stretching routine before returning to the view ground beside my apartment. The morning melodies of the birds flying about are always soothing, and the silver oak trees shining in the virgin sunlight cast an ethereal glow on the placid fresh waters, while the swirls of egrets circling overhead offer an enchanting feel.
The Yoga Uncle
One day, while I was doing some stretches, I happened to look back and saw two little girls, Aiman and Ayesha, aping my movements from a safe distance! I signalled them to come over and join in on the acrobatics. The first step was showing them the monkey yoga postures, which tickled them to the hilt. Giggling and laughing, they scratched my back, assuming to be little monkeys themselves. The Namaste yoga posture with squats and pumping amused them no end. We had a great laugh, and Aiman made me promise to return the next morning without fail.
Soon, the mornings passed with much gaiety and fun, and more kids joined the sessions – Suphia, Hritik, Peroz, Misra with dimples, Prateek with a punk haircut, Alia with a red rose, Priyanka, Aditya, Adil, Asraf, Shahjahan, Ankita, and the list is endless. They christened me Yoga Uncle. To teach the kids, I soon found out that the best route is through their stomachs, so I went fully stocked with goodies. The party after the yoga session was the grand finale each time, and peals of merriment scared the majestic storks flying overhead and the ever-busy eagles, leaving them bewildered. How could such sweet kids make such a thunderous racket, they seemed to be asking.
On a few occasions, we visited the local samosa and noodle joint to indulge in some delicious treats. The restaurant was a beehive of activity, with the kids creating a din. The guests looked on, surprised by the commotion. We took some selfies while the slippery noodles flowed out of tiny, happy, pink lips, dripping with pudina chutney and tamata ketcheppu. These were often impromptu parties, with the kids slurping colourful ice candies – a sight to behold. The white frocks would end up looking like Holi dresses, covered with the colorful spots that dripped from the candies.
One of the skills I taught the kids was to be observant of nature at play. While doing yoga, I asked them to look up at the sky while stretching and see the magnificent birds or the planes with their white twin fumes. We would regularly practise eye yoga and while rotating their eyes, they would notice the cumulus clouds and become amazed. I encouraged them to ask plenty of questions. What is a cloud made of? Is it gas or water? Why is it not at the ground level? To develop the kids’ drawing skills, I provided them with books and watercolours. The results were amazing! Each kid created ingenious scribbles that were so pleasant and original! Rainbows with merry tails, cakes with popping plums, Barbies with slappy lipsticks – their creativity had no bounds.
The Bicycle
Syed, Aiman’s dad, and a driver by profession, is a good man. His employer stays a few miles away at Kadubisnahalli. His wife, Sazeeda, works as a maid at the nearby posh Sobha apartments, aiming to top up the family coffers to a somewhat manageable level. They have placed their three kids in the upscale Narayana school nearby, which surely erodes a major portion of their revenue. I saw him regularly walking back late in the evenings quite a few times.
One day, while I was playing with the kids after a brisk evening cycling session around the Green Glen layout, I spotted Syed. I called him over and got into a casual conversation. Later, I said, “Syed, I always see you walking many miles after a hard day’s work. It must be very hard on your poor feet. Why don’t you take my bicycle? I use it only for a little sport. It’s in good condition and fairly new too. I don’t use it mostly due to my regular work travel.”
I can never forget the embarrassed look that surfaced on his expressive, handsome face. Shaking his head in utter disbelief, he said, “Inshallah! Sir, that’s so very kind of you, but I wish to come back to you in a short while, please.” I was astonished! Why is he turning down such a nice offer? “See, dear Syed, I’m not trying to sell this. It’s an absolutely free offer! I hope you are not offended that I am giving you a used cycle.” He nodded his head apologetically and said, “Sir, please swalpa time kudi (give me some more time).” Perplexed, I said yes, thinking it must be due to some great inexplicable reasons.
Two weeks passed quickly, and while I was cycling to Iblur Lake one day, I remembered my dear friend. I called him to enquire when he would be collecting the cycle since my offer was still on. I received the same reluctance from him. I was so curious. After work, I went across to meet him, but he wasn’t at home. I passed my time playing with the kids after a tiny samosa (sweetmeat) party. When he arrived, he froze upon seeing me. I said sweetly, “See, I want you to use the cycle. It’s in great condition. Just accept it. No formalities.”
He replied slowly and with genuine concern, “Sir, I see that you enjoy your bike rides for exercise and fun. I don’t want to take that away from you just for my comfort. I would feel pathetic and guilty. This is the real reason why I have been avoiding it, not because I’m trying to act pricey. I hope you can accept my humble request. Allah won’t forgive me if I don’t.”
What a gentleman! I was at a loss for words, my eyes moist with emotion.
Venu Rao
20/04/23
Pls view the kids dance performance…..
