My Obra Days - Sweet Childhood

IX. THE ACCIDENT

Cycle, a great vehicle of those days! The hilly roads of Obra were not suitable for one man drive, carrying a friend or two. We would participate in pedaling with the driver and this process we called, doubling.....Ha ha ha.

OP and Suneet were my favorite cycle-mates. But, Ranjan is the name which sparkles in my mind whenever I recall my cycling.

Gracy was one year junior to us, the topper of her class. She had a wheatish skin, exquisite features, and brightly sparkling black eyes. Ranjan would follow her every day after the school as a perfect shadow to drop her home and the interesting fact is... his cycle never overtook walking Gracy throughout the year. He tried every bit for her attention but she never paid till that day........

"Have you taken the snacks brother?" Ranjan asked one summer evening standing at my gate.

"Yes. Come in, please. Let's have a cup of tea."

"I am sorry. We don't have that much time."

"We? But, you are alone."

He smiled and said, "You are coming with me. It's urgent."

It was not our practice to ask "Where to go?" and I followed the same, "Wait a minute."

My brother had a nice collection of clothing and he put them properly too. I went inside and came wearing brother's blue shirt and his polished brown leather sandals. Blue jeans were mine, of course.

Such an urgency only indicated that you were on a special visit. So, get prepared from your end... and I was.

"Let's go." I uttered

We left the place.

We were not talking to each other and I was looking at Ranjan's smiling face dying to hear from him. Finally, he killed the silence.

"She would be outside her home." Ranjan's smile widened.

"But how came you know?"

"This is the pattern study."

'What the hell is this?' I thought and stared at him.

Noting my questioning look, he said, "I studied her pattern, with Nikhil, her neighbor, for last one month and realized she comes out in the evening and enjoys with her neighborhood friends."

'A great job and, above all-Hard work' I thought.

"Good but what are we doing today?" I asked.

"Till today, I think, she didn't notice me."

"You are right." I teased.

"So my prime target is to frame myself in her mind." Indifferent Ranjan said.

"Good idea, but what's the plan?" I was not getting him.

No answer I got.

"What are we doing today Ranjan?" I repeated.

"An accident."

I was startled, "You are framing an accident! This is rubbish, only rubbish."

"No my friend, I will show you today, how the rubbish will turn into pleasant feelings if planned well."

"And, acted too." I added.

He nodded and dictated me the dangerous plan. The modus operandi of the plan was quite OK on the surface but what lacked the most was the main instrument to be used, The Cycle.

The rear brake shoes of the cycle were worn out and the front brakes were giving you perfect shock but only two or three seconds after they got clenched. I was not ready for this suicide.