Anubhav was dreaming. His sister was warning him, “Don’t ride so fast, Anubhav!”
The wind was rushing past him on his new cycle, he felt like he was flying! His cycle was in fifth gear, why would he ride slowly?
The cycle was a reward for scoring 93% in his 10th-grade board exams. He had fulfilled the promise of scoring above ninety. True to his word, his father had bought him a geared cycle.
His father worked at the BDO office. He didn’t earn much. A good deal of money went into the education of Anubhav and his sister. Their grandmother was elderly and frequently ill. Her medical expenses were also significant. His parents struggled to manage the household. Even so, his father bought the cycle for ₹7,500. His mother had suggested buying one within ₹2,000–3,000. She said there was no reason to spend so much just to satisfy their son’s desire.
But his father had said, “The boy did so well. We’ll have to manage the household somehow.”Even in his sleep, Anubhav’s mind was clouded by worries about his family’s struggles and his parents’ budgeting. He tried to shake those thoughts away by pedaling harder in his dream. He flew and flew, and suddenly, there was no road ahead. Just a massive river. But the cycle wasn’t stopping. Frightened, Anubhav gripped the handlebars and pulled the brakes hard. Still, the cycle didn’t stop. What would happen now? The cycle leapt into the river with him. He screamed, calling for his sister, but no sound came out.
His sister’s voice woke him. Jumping out of bed, he rushed downstairs. First, he had to see his cycle. His sister knew very well what his goal was: his new cycle. Anubhav had wanted to keep the cycle beside his bed at night. But his mother had forbidden it, saying the tires were dirty from the road.
He hadn’t seen the cycle all night, and on top of that, such a disturbing dream! He reached the cycle, which was parked near the staircase. He knew dreams aren’t real. He was sure that the jump into the river with the cycle was just a figment of his imagination.
But then he saw it, the rear wheel of his new cycle was squished! What had happened? Panicked, Anubhav pressed the tire. There was no air at all, the valve was loose. That’s where the air had leaked from.
His sister came up behind him, smiled, and said, “What’s up, bro? Were you dreaming about your cycle?”
There was no time to tell her everything from the dream. The tire needed air, and that meant going to the repair shop down the lane. But he’d need two rupees for that!
His sister usually had a few coins. If he asked, she’d give. When Anubhav pleaded with her, she brought him a five-rupee coin. How could she deny her little brother’s request?
Their mother had already started her morning chores in the kitchen. Their father was doing his usual pranayama exercises. Avoiding their notice, Anubhav quietly took the cycle and slipped out.
When he arrived at the repair shop, the shutter was still down. The repairman uncle was sweeping the area in front of his little tin shop. Anubhav set the stand and parked the cycle, then stood quietly, watching him work.
Once he finished sweeping, the man washed his hands in a bucket of water and offered a small prayer by touching the closed shutter. Then he unlocked the shutter and propped it up.
He opened a small tin cash box, sprinkled a few drops of Ganga water, scattered some flower petals, and performed a short prayer. Anubhav watched with deep interest. The man folded his hands, closed his eyes, and stood silently. Maybe he was praying for a good day’s earnings, Anubhav thought.
The man had sunken cheeks, a salt-and-pepper beard, and a frail frame. His clothes, too, bore signs of poverty.
Then he checked Anubhav’s cycle and without delay, brought the pump and filled the tire with air. As he worked, the veins on his thin arms bulged from the effort. Anubhav felt a pang of sympathy. He offered to do it himself, but the man refused, saying, “That’s my job!”
Soon, the rear tire was firm again. It had only been three days since they’d bought the cycle, and already this trouble!
Once the air was filled, Anubhav pulled out the five-rupee coin and handed it to the man. The man gave him back three rupees.
“You don’t need to give back the change, uncle,” said Anubhav.
“That won’t do,” the man replied. He added, “It only costs two rupees to pump one tire. How can I take five from you?”
He looked at Anubhav for a moment. The morning light fell across his face. It didn’t take Anubhav long to realize what a noble person the man was.
As he rode back, Anubhav kept thinking about the repairman. Despite his tattered clothes and frail appearance, there was no sadness in his demeanor. He had made peace with hardship. His habit of finding joy in little things had given him serenity.
Anubhav thought, maybe buying such an expensive cycle hadn’t been necessary after all. Would a regular cycle have been any worse than a geared one? The thought that it had added to his father’s burden filled him with quiet sorrow.