Semester got over. Got good grades and cleared it. Feels good. Relaxed for the next 20 days. Feels like going on a biking trip with friends to the mountains. They are where I belong to. Ruskin said," Once you have been to the mountains, you belong to them and you must return to them again."

Thrill

My Honda just covered 1000 kilometers. And now I could pull the throttle as much as possible because the engine has gone through its 'running in' phase. During the phase, I was instructed not to ride above 50km/h mark. And now that the phase is done,it feels smoother even.
Saturday evening, we normally go to Nagaland House to gorge on some pork stuff. Three guys had already reach there and were waiting for us, calling up again and again. And here, my pillion was all busy with this architect(an alumnus). More than 10 km to cover, that too in Delhi traffic.
I got damn angry after having waited already long , but somehow managed to persuade the architect to come discuss the design after an hour or two. And got this dude sit on my elevated rear seat. Still with an off mood, we pulled off on the machine.
Slowly, I felt a smile was slipping off me. A mean grin. Why? Speeding off in between the narrow spaces amidst the cars, twisting and turning, churning ourselves ahead in this traffic, my pillion was getting all frozen with fright, with an occasional outburst of abuses. Was that a revenge for making me wait? I guess so.
Meaner still, on long oneways, I could see my speedo pull on gradually...30..40..50..60..70..80..90..100 km/h...vrooommmmmm......and my pillion would go," O madarchod!!!!" and....screeeechhh.....a sudden brake....and we'd start off from 20 km/h again.
Thrill!!! I could feel the adrenaline rush. Fortunately, we reached exactly before the guys started off with the food....my beloved pork.
I realized I was all smiling and my pillion sweating...in Delhi winter. Where the hell did the stupid anger go? Who cared. The feel good hormones had overtaken them now.

The Audience

As I picked up my guitar and started plucking the strings tuning them up, I got this very interesting visitor, A brown-breasted mynah looking at me like a wise old musician. With its curious yellow goggled eyes, it just sat on my window sill. Unfortunately, my window jaali was closed, so it could not come in.

At this morning hour, when I was in a real sweet mood to hum out some melodies, I was glad that I had this new curious audience. So I thought I'd dedicate the song to the mynah,who,leaving all his business had the time in the world to listen to me. Since he was an Indian, I thought I'd sing a Hindi melody for him.

As I started strumming along, it hopped up to the window frame and looked down at me with curious eyes twisting its head now and then as if he was a real music connoisseur. As I sing this old melody, he appeared to be totally attentive to my voice, the movement of my fingers and the sound the strings produced.

My song finally got over. But as I was going to sing another one, my audience just left without a warning. Maybe he didn't like it. I presume he was a real busy mynah who got back to his business. But I am glad that atleast he sat throughout my first song. And I take it as an honour to me.