He could still feel the tinkering in his feet after those long peddling. He had plans for many places to go, friends to meet and now it looks like it's over. He looked into the open vastness with his sad eyes. We watched him in sadness as well. A sweet dream was crushed and there was nothing much left to do.
The picture in the ad looked beautiful. It was a red sports cycle. Even though it was used it looked brand new. The asking price was 175. We called the guy, one philippino called Ray, and agreed to meet at his house. Akky I guess was not very positive, cause a second hand cycle was not exactly he had in mind. He had eyed a cycle in the shop, a kind of designer bike and he knew that his dad was not going to get him that for 400.
But when we saw the cycle, we were amazed, it was just beautiful. A six geared, ultra cool sports bike. It was nothing short of new. The first thing I did even before bringing the cycle home was to get an iron chain and a good lock so that Akky can lock the cycle somewhere. I had been discouraging their request to get them bicycles due to difficulty with a safe parking. We live in the first floor and we do not have a lift so we can't take the cycle inside, you have to keep it down somewhere in the groundfloor open area.
The chain was a bit too thick, heavy and not long enough to rope it to a post, in case he take it out to school or something. So I went back and got a longer chain which was a l'le thinner and lighter. It was but pretty strong that they had to use a very long and heavy pliers like cutter to cut it for me. We can now safely lock it on the stairs iron frame.
A cycle could be a boys best gift. I remember I was promised a cycle from my dad if I come first in class. Even though I always managed to come top he managed to forget his promise. I always shied away to remind him of the gift when he watched my scores. I never complained about the gift and always believed that my father might be having his own financial problems which now I know was not true. He was infact pretty well in his business even though he kept a hold on how the money was spend. I believe I inherited that quality from him. I always enjoyed my 'rented' cycles and my mother always found me money for that even though she had very little of her own money.
Akky's evening after school became more interesting. He went to the little park (in fact a small patch of green where families use to sit just opposite our house) in the cycle, played football when his friends came to the park and would come back in cycle even though it was just across the street. He was very happy to get the groceries from the shop near by since he can fly in his cycle. I was not sure abt him going to school on it, at least for now, so his request was denied.
Akky broke the news while we were chatting with our guests. He was coming back after his Madrasa classes and we had some guests come to meet Jo. "The cycle is not there only the chain" he said. It took some time for us to register it. We all rushed down and he was right, our cycle had been stolen. The steel chain lay there being cut using some tools.
The cycle had vanished. It was a sad evening for all of us, sadder for Akky.
The picture in the ad looked beautiful. It was a red sports cycle. Even though it was used it looked brand new. The asking price was 175. We called the guy, one philippino called Ray, and agreed to meet at his house. Akky I guess was not very positive, cause a second hand cycle was not exactly he had in mind. He had eyed a cycle in the shop, a kind of designer bike and he knew that his dad was not going to get him that for 400.
But when we saw the cycle, we were amazed, it was just beautiful. A six geared, ultra cool sports bike. It was nothing short of new. The first thing I did even before bringing the cycle home was to get an iron chain and a good lock so that Akky can lock the cycle somewhere. I had been discouraging their request to get them bicycles due to difficulty with a safe parking. We live in the first floor and we do not have a lift so we can't take the cycle inside, you have to keep it down somewhere in the groundfloor open area.
The chain was a bit too thick, heavy and not long enough to rope it to a post, in case he take it out to school or something. So I went back and got a longer chain which was a l'le thinner and lighter. It was but pretty strong that they had to use a very long and heavy pliers like cutter to cut it for me. We can now safely lock it on the stairs iron frame.
A cycle could be a boys best gift. I remember I was promised a cycle from my dad if I come first in class. Even though I always managed to come top he managed to forget his promise. I always shied away to remind him of the gift when he watched my scores. I never complained about the gift and always believed that my father might be having his own financial problems which now I know was not true. He was infact pretty well in his business even though he kept a hold on how the money was spend. I believe I inherited that quality from him. I always enjoyed my 'rented' cycles and my mother always found me money for that even though she had very little of her own money.
Akky's evening after school became more interesting. He went to the little park (in fact a small patch of green where families use to sit just opposite our house) in the cycle, played football when his friends came to the park and would come back in cycle even though it was just across the street. He was very happy to get the groceries from the shop near by since he can fly in his cycle. I was not sure abt him going to school on it, at least for now, so his request was denied.
Young Akky
Akky broke the news while we were chatting with our guests. He was coming back after his Madrasa classes and we had some guests come to meet Jo. "The cycle is not there only the chain" he said. It took some time for us to register it. We all rushed down and he was right, our cycle had been stolen. The steel chain lay there being cut using some tools.
The cycle had vanished. It was a sad evening for all of us, sadder for Akky.
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