The Universe has a tendency to send people into your life in rather uncanny ways. Usually these occasions take the form of pleasant surprises that you only become aware of when you're already accustomed to the welcome presence of the 'other'. Of course there are some instances when this is not the case...you would much rather have spent the rest of your life in blissful ignorance of the other's existence! I, however, am interested in narrating an instance of the former case.
Motorbikes are probably the last things that you would associate with me, if you had even a passing knowledge of my views and interests. I would be aghast if my close friends could so much as picture me sitting on the pillion seat, leave alone steering the bike. It's true..I haven't got a clue about the workings of those two-wheelers, I've never shared anyone's fascination for them and I've never so much as gripped the handles of anything apart from a bicycle!
So the interesting thing here, is that a few nights ago, I narrowed my eyes and prayed that my hair would not fly off my scalp, as I sped delightedly down some roads in my hometown, Mumbai. I passed through the narrow spaces between monstrous trucks and street dividers and effortlessly overtook large cars, even as the world sped past me, as swift as the wind in my face...I was on a motorbike, loving every second of it! :)
Don't get me wrong...I was not steering the bike and I probably am never going to! I was seated on the pillion seat holding on to the owner of the bike and wondering what it might feel like to actually be in control of something capable of so much speed! I've often seen the exhilarated faces of children when someone gives them even a short ride on a motor-bike. That day, I finally got to understand what puts the smile on their faces! :)
So, how did this anomaly come to pass? That's where all this banter about the Universe comes in! :)
I have a tendency to give people 'tags' when I don't know their names. Nobody every hears me refer to those people by the tags...they are strictly for personal reference and maintaining context, until I get introduced to them or remember their names. And I only do this for people I see regularly...say in a class that I attend, or in my workplace. To illustrate, some of the current tags I have for people I see in my kickboxing class, are "The-girl-who-is-NEVER-on-time", "He's-going-to-put-his-fist-through-the-punching-bag-soon!" and "Pretty-face-but-looks-so-glum-all-the-time". Not exactly the most elegant thing to do, I agree, but it happens spontaneously! I suspect we all do something like this, in our own ways an in our own contexts (I'd love to know what you do, if you'd like to tell me!).
When I started working, I found myself in a huge office filled with people I did not know...so it was but natural for me to be tagging furiously! One of the first people I tagged was a man I called "Street Hawk-meets-Lone Ranger". I would see him walk into the office with his windcheater on and helmet in his hand. I didn't often see him talking to many people...seemed the quiet type. He always exuded the self-assured air of someone who is obviously confident of himself and is good at what he does. All this, in addition to an enigmatic aura, accentuated by a very sharp and attentive gaze - the kind that takes in everything in just a sweep. Quite an interesting character overall! :) I discovered his name a few months later and discarded the tag accordingly...
Over the last couple of weeks, I've had the occasion to share my lunch-table with him pretty often and discovered that he is a delightful conversationalist with a remarkably wry sense of humour...oddly British and still somehow very Indian. Lunch time is usually punctuated with some excellent, dry remarks on whatever the subject of the conversation is, be it politics, information technology, alternative healing or what you will...and those of you who know me well, will know how much I appreciate dry wit and clever quips! :)
Apart from adding the flavour of good conversation to a meal that is otherwise lacking in flavours that appeal to one's gustation, I must also thank him for providing me with the motorbike experience mentioned above.
He found me leaving the office building one evening and offered me a ride back home...and something in me (I'm guessing the "curious-child-complex") just me just said "Yes!". More than once I pictured the disapproving face of an elder relative, who is particularly in disfavour of two-wheelers, but somehow I just could not turn down the offer...and a few minutes later, I was on a motorbike, after goodness knows how many years!
So, you see, you never know when the Universe sends you a very pleasant surprise in the most unexpected and exceedingly coincidental way...but it's always nice to pay attention to it's little ways. :)
Till my next post!
Vrooom!
