| ||||||||||||
My Tryst with Destiny
Country Roads – take me home – to the place – I belong. Didn’t those magical words of John Denver give you goose bumps! It gave me, at some stage of my life every day – I will tell you – why?
As a school-going student I was growing fast, lean and tall. By the age of 14, I was close to 6 feet. It became increasingly difficult for me to commute in public transport. In a crowded, humid and choking city, it was not fun. I would cry – country roads – take me home (@#$*%)…
With some vengeance in mind I fancied owning a bus one day and using it all by myself like a ‘billionaire bus baron’. Now, looking back after 2 decades, I’m not sure what was the rational. Probably I haven’t heard of limousines, private jets or yachts. But I looooved that dream.
Fast forward to the new millennium – I geared myself up to learn driving; with a further intention to own a car. On the first day at the driving school I met a grumpy looking master who would teach me the lesson – car driving I mean. I was not sure whether it was the early morning, his wife or my face, what exactly caused him irritation. I was asked to sit at the driver’s seat and put on my seat belt. I was a bit nervous – whether I will be able to find the key-hole and start the ignition in first go. Only other time I tried my hands behind the wheels before was when I held the wheel on the tri-color in a school musical.
“Sir, ready?” thundered a coarse voice. It was less than accommodating. “Tell me Sir, what you need to drive a car?” I did not quite imagine the way my driving classes had to begin. I tried searching my brain for the jackpot answer and then somehow assured, said “license”, with a hint of smile at him – trying to cool the situation.
Master gave me a look, which was far from clean. He thundered - “Common Sense”!! I felt sweat on my forehead – it was 6:30 am in mid-January. I remembered I forgot to carry a handkerchief.
Fast forward – 2 months later, I was behind the wheels of my maiden car. I thought of taking my wife out on a long, romantic, evening drive. It turned out to be a very costly, short and catastrophic one. I mowed down a bicycle – worse hit a brand new luxury car! My wife left me – to fetch some neighbors, bailed me out and negotiated with the other parties. In 3-days I was handling a service bill for a Skoda Octavia that I never owned.
This mishap instilled a sense of confidence in me. This was the re-incarnation I was waiting for. Fast forward to present – my wife takes me seriously nowadays and thinks now I am heck of a reckless driver. As a driver I now depend on imagination, aspiration and breathing. I imagine I can cruise through anywhere, anytime, anyway. I love the day when in the morning I hit a jam packed road. I imagine I am a 2-wheeler, swiveling, swerving and dribbling through the traffic at will. Yes - I drive my attitude.
I swing, twist and hum in the car because I am no more behind the wheel. ‘Behind’ is rather a derogatory word. Rather, the wheel is in front of me through which I steer towards my destination. I set goals not tasks. I imagine destiny not the passage.
Finally I am on my way… To the place – I belong.
Dipanjan Dutta has a been long time Contributor for Pentasect. An exiled aristocrat of Bengal, he lives and works in Bangalore. He can be contacted at Dipanjan.Dutta@ccpu.com