I am on Top Gear !

I am 24 years old now. Its been 2 years I am working for a software company. After so much of work experience, people look forward for marriage, a new flat, at least a bike. I am not interested in marriage so early, i cant afford a new flat, But I can surely buy a bike, (I have assumed that i will get a 2 wheeler loan). My friends have already bought bikes, have fancy mobiles, and enjoy all other stuff that an ideal software engineer should. Even I feel like doing all these. But before thinking of anything I wish I had right now, I first think of the things which I wished I had in childhood.

Flashback :
10 June 1998

In My school days, One of my cousin had lots of small Hot Wheels cars. We both played together. He had all types of cars. Sedan, SUV, Trailer, Trucks etc. Even I dreamt of having such a collection. But My parents didn't allow me to buy them, just because they were expensive. I had a choice to buy the local made cars, but I always insisted on having the hot wheels brand. Days passed and as a grown up, I was not supposed to play with those small Hot wheels cars anymore.
My father had bought me a Hercules captain bicycle when I was in 4Th standard. I used it for 5 years. In the mean time, Father brought my elder brother a Hero Ranger MTB bicycle. I used my Hercules Captain till 9Th Standard. Until Hercules launched its latest bike : Hercules Top Gear. It was the first bike I saw with gears. It had 5 speed adjustments, and one of my friend had already bought one. in 10Th, we both went to a coaching class. Me on my Captain, and he was on his Top Gear. One day I told My father, I want Hercules Top Gear. He asked me, How much it costs ? I said 3000 rs. He straight away rejected the proposal. He said, We already have 2 bicycles. Why do we need the third one ? Practically speaking, My father was right. But I was very disappointed and angry on him. I told to myself, "Itka kay vichar karaychay tyat? 3000 rs chach tar prashna ahe, tyasathi pan baba nahi ka mhanale ? " (" Whats there to think about it so much ? Its a question of just 3000 rs. and for that why did my father say no ?" ) I had a sleepless night. I watched kids riding the Top Gear, shifting gears. My head turned whenever I saw someone riding that bike.Everyday, I used to ask my friend to give me his bike for the ride to the class and he was kind enough to lend me. Before giving me the bike, he always warned me not to shift gears unnecessarily. I was very much impressed with the gears stuff, and I would do anything for it. Even my father came to know that I was disappointed with his decision of not buying me the bicycle. So he promised me to get customised gears fitted to my elder brother's bicycle IF i scored more than 80% in the 10Th standard exam. And ultimately I did score 80.4%. My father also was happy and he promised me to get those gears fitted to my brother's bicycle. It took him 2 months to give me the money but he kept his promise. The gears cost him 750 rs. I went to a famous bicycle shop and surrendered my bicycle to him to get the gears fitted. (By now my elder brother was doing engineering and no longer used his bicycle, so I will assume that his bike is now mine. And my Hercules captain is taken by my grandfather, and he paid me 500 rs for it !) I stood there all day long watching the mechanic dismantle my bicycle and making space to get the gears fitted. During that course of time, I saw kids entering the shop with their parents and buying the bicycle of their choice, a couple of them bought Hercules Top Gear, while most of them even after liking top gear, were forced to buy a different orthodox bicycle. At the end of the day, the gears were in place, and I went home happily changing gears. I used the Bike for 4 more years till the 3rd year of my engineering. I took utmost care of that bicycle.

Back to the Present :
8 June 2007

Its almost 9 years now After I cried for the Hercules Top Gear. One day I had a thought, I can afford a new bicycle. Why not buy a new one ? My room mates straightaway laughed at me. I told my mom, I am buying a new Bicycle. She thought for a while, but said yes. And above that, she said, Buy a nice one.
I was very happy. I checked my bank account, and was happy that I could afford a bicycle straight away. I went to the bicycle shop. And told me to show me bicycles with gears. He showed me Hercules Top Gear, and many other Bicycles. in 9 years, there were many models to choose from. He also showed me a full Aluminium body bicycle. It cost 7500 rs. I had the capacity to buy it but, I still felt it was too costly. I had a second thought on my statement made 9 years ago " Its a question of just 3000 rs" Now I realised, My father was absolutely right. And 3000 rs was not JUST 3000 rs. And why it took him 2 months to gather 750 rs just for my silly promise. Finally I selected a good looking 18 speed Aluminium Wheels, Alloy Body bicycle : Hercules Omega. I was Happy, My room mates still couldn't believe I am buying a bicycle worth 4000 rs.
I did the payments, and drove back home on my new Bicycle. When I reached home, kids in the neighbourhood gathered around me and started staring at the new bicycle. 9 years ago I was one of such kids staring at someone Else's Hercules Top Gear. Maybe the Bike I just bought is the dream bike of every kid of this generation. I proudly parked the Bike and went inside my house. Within few minutes, the kids came to me and started asking for a ride. This time I gave them the keys and told, " Don't Shift gears unnecessarily "
No doubt, it took me 9 years to fulfill my unforgotten 9 year old dream, but it has also made me a proud owner of the dream bicycle of every kid in the block today.I called up mom and told her about my purchase. She was very happy. But still she said," Why didn't you buy the 7500 rs bike ? " I told her 3500 rs is too much to add to my 4000 rs bicycle. I wish I could tell my father about the lessons I learnt today and thank him for all the things he did for me. Now since I own a bicycle, with its regular use, I will be helping the environment by saving some flue gasses which would have been emitted if I had bought a motorbike. I will be saving some amount of money which I spent on auto rickshaw. I will be benefiting myself by having a exercise. And hopefully I will be an inspiration for the people who loved their childhood bicycles more than their present motorbikes.

My new Hercules Omega

P.S. I still keep buying Hot Wheels cars too !