The new neighbor

Sita was seen worried. She was sitting in front of her house with a heavy face. She is the mother of 14 year old Akshay. A Brahmin family came as a tenant to their adjacent house just a month back. In a short span, Sita became a good friend of Mangalam maami, the lady in that family. As Sita was sitting, Mangalam maami came out of her house casually.

Seeing  Sita, she came near her and asked her ”Hi Sita, you are looking worried”. A quick reply came “Nothing maami, just like that”.

“Come on Sita, don’t try to lie – you face shows your mood”

“Nothing great maami, just a personal problem”

“So you don’t treat me as your friend & tell me your problem. I am just another neighbor, Right?”

“Not at all maami, but… but…”

“What – let me see if I can help you”

“It’s all about Akshay maami. I am very much worried about him. Somehow he has grown as a very coward child. He fears for many things and does not speak up openly; I don’t know what to do”.

“Have you met anybody on this & asked for a solution”

“Yes, we met some psychiatrists & what they tell is to send him to some kind of martial arts classes so that he will gradually get rid of fear”

“Then you can do that right”

“We tried, but he did not go to any class consistently as he got feared on seeing the masters, then  he discontinued the class itself”

“Oh, I see”

“Tell me maami, what can I do”

“Don’t worry Sita, I will help you. Does he have school tomorrow?”

“No, Saturday is a holiday for him”

“Good, make him ready by 06.30 am tomorrow morning & send him to my house”

“Why maami, what are you going to do?”

“Well as you know, I am a karate master & teaching karate for almost 8 years. The problem with Akshay is as he sees new masters, that too male masters, he gets frightened. So he is not going to class. But as a lady & moreover a mother to a teenage boy, I can handle him better with more care. Are you Ok?”

“Sure maami, I have no problem. If you can bring some change in him, I will be the happiest person”.

 

With those soothing words, Sita was little bit convinced as she knew maami is a brave lady who can do some help to her son. Akshay also knew about  Mangalam maami as a friendly heighbour, but not about her karate background as he has neither visited her home frequently nor bothered to ask his mom about her. Next day, Sita made sure that Akshay was ready by 06.30 am.

Akshay was puzzled – “Where are you taking me mummy, why you made me ready so early”

“Here only beta, to our maami’s home”

“Mangalam maami”

“yes”

“But so early, any function in their home”

“Yes, it’s like that”

“Then why you are not ready.”

“ I will come after you. First you go with maami”

Saying this, she took her to maami’s home. This is the first time, Akshay is visiting her home though he has talked to her when maami visited their home.

“Maami, maami” Sita called.

“Coming Sita, come inside” was the reply from inside.

Mangalam maami came to the hall dressed in the traditional nine yard bright blue madisar saree as a typical Brahmin would wear.

“Good morning Akshay”. Akshay in a meager voice replied ”Good morning aunty”

“Leave him Sita, I will take care”

As Sita started to move, Akshay started looking tensed. Maami understood that & told ”Don’t worry Akshay, I will take you. Mummy will follow us”

Sita left and then maami asked Akshay to come out. He came out puzzling as he don’t know where they are going.  Mangalam maami informed her husband that she was going to class & came out with her bag. She then patted Akshay & calmed him saying that “You will have a great time today Akshay”

Then she asked Akshay to hold her bag& went near the blue Kawasaki Eliminator bike standing inside their home and took it off its stands & plunged the key inside. Akshay felt odd on seeing this as it was new to him. But maami was quick. She started the man machine in a single kick and called Akshay ”Come on Akshay, let’s go”. He sat silently behind her holding her bag in between them. The whole scene was strange to him – A middle aged lady wearing a madisar saree driving a Eliminator bike so effortlessly without a single jerk and so wonderfully controlling the ride in spite of her heavy saree.

He just felt that he was going in a superfast train – no odd movements, no harsh turnings, no sudden brakes, no hasty gear change, just a smooth ride.  After about 20 minutes, maami stopped at a local school. It was not where Akshay is studying. He asked her, “Why are we coming here aunty”

“Come inside Akshay, I will tell you”

She parked the bike elegantly and took him inside.

As they were going inside the school campus, some students in karate dress who were passing by wished her by touching her feet. Akshay was much more puzzled. Then she asked him to wait at a particular place & took the bag along with her to change the dress. In 10 minutes time, she came out in white karate dress with a bright black belt around her waist.  Akshay was spellbound on seeing this. His next door aunty who was a good friend to him is coming out as a karate master. He just couldn’t believe himself.

Maami knew that Akshay would be shocked. She went near him & hugged him tightly saying “Don’t get afraid beta. I am still your dear Mangalam aunty just wearing a different dress. I am not going to teach you anything. Just sit here & watch me for the next one hour ” Then she started her class and went on the usual routine. Akshay saw some wonderful stunts in the one hour and how his dear aunty was so artistically teaching those steps.

The class got over, maami changed to her saree and left the school with Akshay. She started the bike and he sat behind.

“Akshay beta, are you afraid seeing me there”

“No… no… not at all aunty. But my hands got shivered when you did that leg kick”

“That’s just a simple step beta. You will get used to it, but don’t get afraid. I am there with you. You are going to be a brave boy ”

“Yaa… yaa…. yes aunty”.

“Why are you sitting so far, come near & hold me”

“no.. no.. it’s alright aunty”

“come on beta, you will feel better”

Then he holded her waist and felt the warmth. It was a soothing feel to him.

Now Akshay started getting rid of his fear & felt more comfortable with his new karate master who later trained him to be a courageous guy.

 

Priya & her Karizma

It is a pleasant Friday morning. Dilip is staring at his black Karizma which was once his close companion. For most of the time that he was awake, he would be with his bike. But now its no more a friend to him as he had 3 terrible accidents with it in the last 6 months and hence decided not to ride it any more. Now he takes his wife's Kinetic Honda to his office and she rides the Karizma gracefully to her office. She is Priya, a mechanical engineer who used to ride all kinds of bikes from her college days and is also proficient in the functioning of various bikes. Inspite of her abilities, her father bought her only a Kinetic Honda fearing her safety. But she was lucky to marry Dilip for whom biking was a great passion. Occasionally she used to ride his Karizma just for pleasure. But now as her husband had a very bad experience with the bike, they swapped their vehicles. 

Just 8 months have passed since their marriage, but due to the repeated accidents, Dilip was much tensed. But luckily he was not greatly hurt in any of them. When he was thinking about all that happened in the 3 accidents, Priya called, "Honey, its time. We are getting late, get ready fast". Then he went inside quickly and got himself ready for office. He wore his cargos & T-shirt as casuals are allowed in his software firm on Fridays. Priya was  dressed in the Western formal suit, she is working as an Assistant Manager in a motor vehicle company. They took their respective bike keys and came out of the house. Dilip who already had terrific thoughts in his mind in the morning was approaching the Kinetic honda very slowly. He was signing as if should he go to the office or not. But there is an important project meeting today which he has to attend. Priya, an intelligent wife could sense what was running in her husband's mind. She also knew that it was an important day to him.

The fact is that all the 3 previous accidents of Dilip happened whenever he had some important meetings in his office. Knowing this very well, Priya softly placed her hands on his shoulders and asked, "Honey, are you OK?" for which there was no answer from him. He just shaked his head lightly. But Priya was not convinced. With great hesitation, she asked, "Honey, if you don't mind, shall I drop you today?" The reason for her hesitation is that Dilip has never gone in a bike as pillion with a girl. This was a great test to his ego. Dilip suddenly stared at her eyes for which she was quick to respond, "Honey, you are looking tensed, so I thought I can help you. Ifffffffff you are not comfortable, then OK"

After thinking for some time, he came to a conclusion that he can go with her considering his terrible history. In a mild voice, he murmured "OK". Priya was very happy to hear it, she smiled at him and kissed on his cheeks. Then she quickly took the Karizma off the stands and started it gracefully.

"Come on honey, I will drop you safely".

For the first time in his life, he is sitting as pillion to a woman. With lot of doubts, he sat behind her maintaining a considerable distance from her. Priya was greatly rejoiced because this is the first time she is riding her husband on his own bike. She drove the bike elegantly & cautiously so that Dilip is completely relieved of the biking tension. Though he did not express it, Dilip enjoyed every biking action of his loving wife. He adored everything - the way she changed gears, she applies the brake, turns the bike, holds the clutch and so on. But Priya was not happy about one thing that her husband did not hold her in the whole journey, she wanted him to hold her tightly when she rides - this was her long time wish. After 30 minutes, she dropped her in his office and asked "Are you alright honey?" He simply nodded his head & went inside. She could understand that, and then she left for her office.

Back in the office, Priya was remembering about the ride again & again. But somehow she wanted to satisfy her long time wish. In the afternoon when she was having lunch with her colleagues, she suddenly exclaimed "Yes I got it". They asked her "What?" She said "Nothing!!!".  Then in the evening she was on time at Dilip's office to pick him up. They reached home safely.

Next day was a Saturday. The couple was getting ready for a marriage function of their close relative. Priya told Dilip, "Honey, I have a wish today - will you satisfy that?". Dilip who was in a good mood replied "Tell me dear, it’s my pleasure". She asked,

"You must wear dhoti for the marriage today"

"Dhoti??? but why?"

"You look great in dhoti, I have never seen you in Dhoti after our marriage".

Dilip was slightly hesitant about it, but Priya insisted "Please, please honey - wear it for me". As it was her dear's fervent wish he agreed to it.

He got ready soon in dhoti, but he was not very comfortable wearing it as he is not used to it. Priya was dressed in an attractive orange coloured Patiala salwar.

They got out soon and Priya started the Karizma. This time Dilip was not as hesitant as yesterday, but he was not very happy though to sit behind her.

Somehow, he tried to sit behind her by adjusting his dhoti, but he could not. "What happened honey?", she exclaimed.

"I am not able to sit, its cramping"

"Relax honey, we will start after sometime" - saying this she switched off the engine.

But he exclaimed, "No dear it’s getting late, we have to start now".

She told "Can you sit on one side honey? you will feel better".

“One side???????” replied the puzzled husband.

  Thinking for a while, he then  agreed. Then she started the bike again, he sat on one side.

"Hold me honey"

"No it’s all right"

 "You can't balance honey"

 "No, I can manage, you go"

"Please listen to me honey; it’s for your safety"

Then with great hesitation, he held her waist tightly with his right hand. This was the moment that Priya was waiting for. With her sweet husband sitting one side in the charismatic Karizma, she rode it proudly. It was embarrassing for Dilip as everything was new to him. Wearing a dhoti, sitting as pillion on his super bike on one side with his wife driving it in style was strange not only to him, but to also people seeing them. On the way, Priya wantedly applied sudden brakes so that Dilip could rest on her again & again - these were her unsatisfied wishes for a long time. Dilip also started enjoying this after some time. Now he told to himself, "Oh My God! all these accidents made me to renew my bonding with my dear wife in a new way. Thank you so much".