The Stunt ManS (and WomanS)!

Sunday, February 05, 2017

When I ask my 7 years old daughter to tell story, for every story she would start with "Once upon a time...", whether the plot from today, tomorrow, yesterday or millions of years back. Let me copy that and start...

Once upon a time in a small village in India there lived a boy name Picklu. He was very studious, no no, let me put it like this - he was very very studious, I mean he wanted to be at least. At 5th grade during Half Yearly exam, he scored 18/100 in Patigonit (Mathematics). On that fine evening, he presented his PROGRESS-REPORT, to his father. He got stunt! His father took a deep breath and told Picklu, "Jaa khele aai" (Go, enjoy the day). On that very moment Picklu was actually wearing an extra layer of clothing as {{{protective measurement}}}. Instead of enjoying the day, he got little heavy..., There were 1000s of "why's" were punching him from every direction and everywhere possible.

2 more days gone, and his father handed him back the report (a.k.a. The-satisfactory-rating). Without talking much he told Piklu, "Class teacher ke diye dis" (Give it to your teacher). Picklu opened and saw his father just wrote, "Annually te Onke 81 na pele chhele ke tule nebo" (If Picklu can't score above 81, then I will take him out of the school). On that day Picklu walked very slowly to school, head down and ALONE, even one layer of clothing that day felt like a Feather-Jacket.

Well, the story after that was simple, Picklu got little serious about Patigonit and eventually at Annual exam scored 79. No no, what you are thinking, nothing like that happened to Picklu. He in fact got a promotion from his father in the form of an AWARD. A brand new, Red color (glossey finish) bicycle with seat cover, mud guard, hand protectors and free-wheel-bell (not the kiDing... kiDing... one, the Creeeeeennnng....Creeeeeennnng....one).

So then onward Picklu proudly started going to school without any absent at all.

In those days, there was a Stunt man from Deoghar, Bihar (presently Jharkhand), lets name him, Tej-Bahadur, used to camp in different villages and then show his stunts and make his living. Tej-Bahadur will stay for 5 days on a bicycle. He would circle around a well and eat also while circling only (no one saw him at night though, kids believed since he is a stuntman, so he does not have to take a nap, go for the go). Every afternoon there would be a special stunt, like pulling a truck, rope tied to his curly hair, breaking a big stone on his chest with a 10kg hammer lying on some fused fluorescent tubes etc. 5th day used to be most interesting, as he would do a 20ft bicycle jump thought a ring of fire.

Now, it was extremely difficult for Picklu, to not become a stunt man, well why not! he had the best bike in the village, and who is holding him back to give it a try? Ready... set... go... He went to Tej-Bahadur and ask him how hi can also jump with his power-packed bicycle. Tej-Bahadur gave him the instruction, that he has to learn first how to hold the front wheel on the air for few seconds - "Dai-n pedel taur uporay dai-n pa tau-ke diy-n hirD-hid-n-dai thyal-bi, ar songe-songe hendel tau dhoi-re uporyer dike ha-n-chka tai-n dibi, aar chaka-tau uthye gye-le jore du-paye pedel korbi, jotou rakhte parbi tatau bha-law. Porer bare baki tau byol-bau" (Put your right toe on the right pedal, and push it real hard, while pull the handle up with a jerk, then, when your front wheel is on the air, just keep pedaling as long as you can hold, rest advise next time).

Well, not bad, Picklu actually learned few things his own in next few months, like how to hold the front wheel on the air, how to sit on the bicycle without using the kick-stand, until the front fork broke and Picklu realized bicycle jumping is not his "cup-of-tea" and he left it then and there.

Lately in Bangalore, he is again getting some motivation, and this time not with bicycle, but with a bike after finding some of his road-mates trying the stunts on the newly renovated HARD-EARNED footpath. See....