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.