Ajay’s Shocking Saturday

It was yet another boring Saturday for Ajay - the 17 year old boy who was still lying in his bed lazily at 08.15 am His mother Devi came to his room and asked him to get up. But he was not willing, partly because he was lazy & partly because he never gave great respect to his mother. She was a house wife from his childhood doing all the household works like a maid servant- so he always felt that she was fit only for that and he knew more than her. Then she told that she has got a surprise for him today. Still he was not interested. Somehow she got him out of the bed and made him ready. Ajay’s father had already left to office in their white Tata Safari. 

Devi quickly finished all the household works and got herself ready. Ajay was not even bothered of the surprise because he knew that his poor mom can’t do anything to surprise him. By 09.15, they were ready – Ajay was dressed in a blue jean-black shirt. Devi wore an attractive orange colored salwar kameez. Devi locked the main door as they stepped out. Ajay told with a bold face “I can’t walk even a bit moma. Let us catch an auto”. With no reaction, she silently showed her fingers towards the vehicle standing inside their compound. It was a black Pulsar 220cc bike – brand new standing in great style. Ajay was stunned on seeing that as he has not seen it before. Then Devi told that they just bought that yesterday when Ajay went to school. As he came late in the evening, he did not notice that and his parents also did not tell him as they wanted to give him a surprise.

Seeing the new vehicle, he wanted to have a ride. He screamed “Oh my God, dad will come only in the evening. I have to wait till then for a great ride. Alas, at least I should have learnt to ride bikes at this age” There awaited a great shock for him. Devi told, “Why do you want to wait till evening enoo, I will take you on a ride now” Ajay was speechless – he was slightly hesitant also - he never know his mom could ride bikes and moreover he always had somewhat low esteem on his mother as he thought she was not much exposed to the outside world. His father was always a great hero to him. When he was thinking, Devi had already started the macho machine with a strong kick from her leg. She called “Come on Ajay, lets go”

He quickly rushed to the bike and sat behind her with great hesitation along with fear of whether she would at least know how to push such a heavy bike. But he could not open his mouth. Devi cross tied her dupatta and quickly engaged the gears – the bike started to move with Ajay completely out of this world. Slowly he came to know that his mother was not a novice in bike riding as she had a perfect balance at all moments. But Ajay was still puzzled. Before he could get back his thoughts right, Devi stopped the Pulsar at a Kali temple near their area. She bought some flowers – half of which she kept on her head and took the rest to the temple. They got down and went inside the temple. After deeparadhana, the temple priest gave them kumkum as the prashadam. Devi first applied the kukkum to her mangalsutra, then to her forehead and then applied it to Ajay who was still in shock.

Then on her request, the priest showed the aradhana to the new vehicle. Then Devi got to the vehicle, gave a smart kick and asked Ajay to sit. Even now, he was not sure of her riding skills – he sat as a pillion maintaining a considerable distance from his mom and placing his hand on his own laps.  He was not even interested to place his arms on his mother doubting her efficiency. Then with great difficulty he asked her ”M…M…M… Mom, how how do you know to ride such a heavy vehicle”

Devi replied with a slight smile “I ride bikes from my school days enoo – you know the big bullet which grandfather (Devi’s father) had ”. Ajay quickly replied “Yes Yes”. “I used to ride that and in fact I was the one who taught bike riding to dad also”

This was still more shocking to Ajay. Then she explained ”When we got married, papa was not having any bike and he also does not know to ride it as he never had a chance. But then he was finding it difficult when he was going to a distant office. Then I told the idea of bike, first he feared – then we bought a Hero Honda 100cc with me riding him to office daily. After some time, I taught him to drive and he became a skilled driver ”  Then Ajay asked “But I have never seen you drive” for which she told ”Yes, after you got conceived I left driving, then eventually we sold the bike and then papa bought a car – so I just left like that”

When Ajay was trying to digest the story, Devi drove the bike inside a petrol bunk on the busy main road. She asked Ajay to get down & wait near the entrance of the bunk so that she could fill petrol and pick him up. Ajay went to the entrance & was admiring the way in which his so-called poor mom handled the Pulsar, moved it gently with her legs, opened the fuel tank, asked the operator to fill the petrol, had a close eye at the filling meter, handed over the money to him and then closed the tank. On seeing these, he slowly gained faith on her driving skills. They started from the bunk on the main road. It was a very busy road with vehicles cruising at great speeds. But Devi was driving steadily at 40. 

There was a lorry on one of their sides and a tempo on the other. Initially they were going well, but the middle aged drivers of the lorry & the van, on seeing a lady of 38 years majestically driving a 220cc black Pulsar, wanted to show some heroism to her. They suddenly started cornering her, reducing her speed & concentration along with some frequent mockery words. The competition was getting tougher as Devi did not react much. But Ajay was feeling the heat, he told her “Moma – we shall slow down and leave them first”. She replied ”Enoo, just hold my waist gripply – don’t do anything else”. Though he was hesitant to do that as he has never done that before, now he had no other choice. So with great hesitation, he holded his mother’s waist tighly and bent on her back placing his head on her shoulders. The next moment the speedometer rushed from 40 to 110 in a few seconds – Ajay was spellbound and so was the mockery drivers. Devi was far ahead of the two vehicles in lavishing style.  Now Ajay completely believed that his mother was a great driver – he know that neither his father nor many other men could that in such a busy road. All his low esteem towards her completely disappeared. He held her much more tightly with some tears in his eyes and told “I am so… so.. sorry moma. I did not give respect to you. Will you forgive me?” Devi with her own motherly grace replied “You are always my darling enoo, I will never mistake you” Then Ajay with a slender voice told: “I love you so much moma…  I love you so much”. She replied calmly ”Me too darling”.