“Tell me am I going right?”
She grunted in reply.
“Is this the right turn ?” He was a shade hysterical now . He hated not being in charge of the direction , and having to depend on a temperamental sister, who was taciturn , now.
“I said yes. Sheesh , can’t even hear!”
Both went for some distance in sullen silence . Traffic honked and swerved, racing past them. They were slow, hugging the kerb.
This was Papa's old scooter, his heartthrob still, and he had reluctantly handed over the keys to his progenies , shaking many a fist and word as to the "care " they needed to exercise , while driving his precious , ancient mobile , which he wont use anyway. That was half the problem . It sputtered to start after many a furious ,expletive aided kick, coasted till the gates , before shutting down again. He rolled it to the nearest petrol pump, where they squinted at the maddeningly fast digital face of the refuelling pump. it seemed as if it took precisely two seconds to whirr from 0 to 100.That was the amount Papa would trust them with. Sister was12 years , he all of 10, both were still "too young " and "raw" etc. But all agreed, the boy drove better. Hence, he was in charge, not she .
The beast kicked in after 5 attempts , and now the sister clammed up.
They cruised to a stop , near a paperwala, and the boy got down . Sister kept sitting on the pillion. Still protesting . They were siblings, afterall, dammit. And she was a head taller than this dimwit. She was older too, and knew the way. She looked balefully at the boy, when he held the scooter key , in truce , in his outstretched palm , snatching it up quickly , before he changed his mind.
"Here to home , all yours'." Sister nodded , happily scooting ahead to the driver's seat.
Misgivings writ large on his boyish face , the boy turned to buy some stationery.
The scooter revved up , the boy snapped his head back ,startled . For an instant , their eyes met , his startled , scared , hers with a manic gleam . Next moment the scooter flew, like a bullet.The boy screamed something , before the scooter crashed in a haze of smoke and flying papers , into the back of a smallish van , downloading papers.
The girl lay crumpled on the asphalt, sobbing hysterically.
After the neck was encased in an orthopaedic collar, the facial lacerations bandaged ,Papa summoned the duo into garage, put the scooter key into an old tin biscuit box , and standing on his ladder, put it away into a remote corner of the topmost shelf,behind fused LED lights , and broken handle of their childhood tricycle . Impossible to retrieve. Scooter was covered in tarpaulin and forgotten in a corner , where it stood, till next summer holidays.
Next year, new neighbours moved in. The boy had a friend in the next house . Another boy, same age, same crazy hairdo, same giggly interests. The girl was forgotten . She was too much trouble , the boy decided. During the holidays, he managed to weasel out the key from father .
One day, when the insects hum in your ears, and the road ahead shimmers in the haze of heat, the girl found herself in the garage, the tarpaulin thrown away, the biscuit tin open , the scooter gone , and the boys' laughter hanging in the air , like a lingering aftershave.
Tears stung her eyes . Brushing them aside , she stood out waiting for a rickshaw ride to classes during summer holidays. Then she did an extraordinary thing . She brushed her tears, and replaced it with a steely resolve.Then asked the Rickshaw wala to take her to her class.
That evening , at dinner table , the boy broke the news first.
"I saw her driving ." He leaned and whispered into his mother's ears,gesturing towards her, as a dal-ladle stopped midair."Driving a car !"
Ma turned towards her .
"Dreaming." She offered a muffled explanation, through the thick of masticated roti.
"I was not dreaming . Even Sonu saw her , ask Sonu." The boy was livid , so was the mother . With one severe slant -eyed look, she silenced him , and the rest of the meal was conducted in the silent unease of an hung question. The boy squirmed , and opened his mouth several times ,but closed it , like a fish gulping air.
Six months later, father was gone on a business trip , night meal was over , and Sonu rang the bell. He was literally screaming when the boy opened the door. Soon , the entire household was roused . Everyone night gowned , and sleepy eyed, gathered in Sonu's driveway. Sonu's father had severe chest pain , possibly heart attack, and he had to be taken to hospital. No taxis at this hour.Father was away . A sudden movement in the garage , and their car came to life .Reversing it slowly out , was didi, calmly handling the steering wheel.
"Load up Uncle , I will take him to hospital."
Grateful Sonu ran away to do the bidding.
"But ,beta , how did you ?" Mother stammered when they had come onto the highway , and cold night air started whipping their nightclothes .
She didn't answer. Once Sonu's father had been admitted, formalities done ,then ,on their way back , with the sun glowing orange red in the horizon , heralding a glorious day ,the girl spoke -" Your son was right . He saw me when I was learning how to drive ."
Next year, new neighbours moved in. The boy had a friend in the next house . Another boy, same age, same crazy hairdo, same giggly interests. The girl was forgotten . She was too much trouble , the boy decided. During the holidays, he managed to weasel out the key from father .
One day, when the insects hum in your ears, and the road ahead shimmers in the haze of heat, the girl found herself in the garage, the tarpaulin thrown away, the biscuit tin open , the scooter gone , and the boys' laughter hanging in the air , like a lingering aftershave.
Tears stung her eyes . Brushing them aside , she stood out waiting for a rickshaw ride to classes during summer holidays. Then she did an extraordinary thing . She brushed her tears, and replaced it with a steely resolve.Then asked the Rickshaw wala to take her to her class.
That evening , at dinner table , the boy broke the news first.
"I saw her driving ." He leaned and whispered into his mother's ears,gesturing towards her, as a dal-ladle stopped midair."Driving a car !"
Ma turned towards her .
"Dreaming." She offered a muffled explanation, through the thick of masticated roti.
"I was not dreaming . Even Sonu saw her , ask Sonu." The boy was livid , so was the mother . With one severe slant -eyed look, she silenced him , and the rest of the meal was conducted in the silent unease of an hung question. The boy squirmed , and opened his mouth several times ,but closed it , like a fish gulping air.
Six months later, father was gone on a business trip , night meal was over , and Sonu rang the bell. He was literally screaming when the boy opened the door. Soon , the entire household was roused . Everyone night gowned , and sleepy eyed, gathered in Sonu's driveway. Sonu's father had severe chest pain , possibly heart attack, and he had to be taken to hospital. No taxis at this hour.Father was away . A sudden movement in the garage , and their car came to life .Reversing it slowly out , was didi, calmly handling the steering wheel.
"Load up Uncle , I will take him to hospital."
Grateful Sonu ran away to do the bidding.
"But ,beta , how did you ?" Mother stammered when they had come onto the highway , and cold night air started whipping their nightclothes .
She didn't answer. Once Sonu's father had been admitted, formalities done ,then ,on their way back , with the sun glowing orange red in the horizon , heralding a glorious day ,the girl spoke -" Your son was right . He saw me when I was learning how to drive ."
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