Tuesday, May 29, 2007

#3 The Realization brought about by a MISHAP

On commencing my journey into this corporate world I had a brief idea of different challenges I would be facing ahead, one of them being Physical Fitness.


The point here is I always have thought myself of as an athlete. My association with games (basketball, badminton, football and cricket) all throughout my childhood and colleges days easily justified the thought.

This as I get it now was the greatest reason for my undoing.


Over the months had many keen observers point out that, 8 hours on the office chair and no activity after that wasn’t proving good for me. They had caught the out bursting paunch, which I had conveniently ignored all the while. Guess what my reply to them used to be “It’s a Sign of Prosperity”, and was promptly joined by fellow suffers of the syndrome (Afzal and Karthik).

Its not that I was total ignorant of the drop in stamina and fitness,while playing Cricket and Badminton on weekends had showed me my loss. Was hoping the weekend activity will come to my rescue and take me back to my cocoon of an (fit) athlete.

Life was going cool on those grounds until last saturday.


The Event:

Saturdays generally come with a decision to make, Cricket at 7:30 AM or Badminton at 10:30 AM. Well this time round opted for the later one.

I was a bit late than my usual time and was trying my best to speed up and make it in time to be able to play at least 5 to 6 games at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, but the hardships inflicted by the traffic jams was adding salt to the injury.


Had just crossed the Town Hall when I realized, the back of the bike was wobbling around. Being new to the arena of biking couldn’t straight away realize what was the issue. The first thing that came to mind was the scene from Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke where Amir and gang get hold of there goods from the goons and are returning home in a hurry to stop the ongoing auction but the back wheel of the tempo gets loose and eventually peels itself off (too much of hindi movies na.. probably should cut down on them).


Petrified with the images of that scene (Since my bike respectively is new and can’t imagine such loose nuts on it) gave a signal and brought the bike to halt near the Halasuru Gate Police Station. Got the bike on main stand and gave the wheel a spin to see if it wobbled, BUT IT DIDN’T.

Half hoping things are perfect climbed up on it again and gave it an electric start. Had just taken off when the same wobbly feeling came back, this time there was no mistaking, something was wrong with my ride.

It was in this second round of examinations that it occurred to me to check the air pressure in the wheel (Bingo!!! Der aae durust aae :D)

Frustrated that will be missing my game today, went to a constable standing at the gate of the police station and enquired about a service station or a petrol pump (petrol bunk for all bangaloreans ).The guy took what looked like an eternity and suggested I move towards the LAL BAUG area.

To get a second opinion on it called Bhargav who was waiting at the Chinnaswamy for a racquet that I was supposed to get for him. According to him some distance ahead close to the Kanteveera stadium there were a few petrol pumps where I could get a bit of assistance. Since both the options needed me to cross over to the other side of the main road, was a bit skeptical bout the idea. (I trust the driving pattern of the bus drivers in Bangalore too much to attempt something like that)

Finally following a local dude’s suggestion took a left and dived into the locality behind the police station, arranged the racquet's and helmet so that it would be a bit comfortable to hold them and would still be able to effectively push the bike.

I would have hardly covered 2 crosses pushing my bike when started feeling a bit of stress on my left arm. Ignoring those tweaking muscles continued to cautiously push my ride ahead avoiding the potholes as much as possible (But we all know that’s an impossibility right?). Those pathetic roads meant I had to maneuver the bike left and right every now and then, this wasn’t helping the cause one bit.

By the time I had advanced three more crosses could feel the sweat rising on the brow.
Dam this was hard. I knew it was going to be difficult to push the bike but didn’t expect myself to loose it in mere 5 crosses.


I was down and out, wondered if J.K.Rowling had imagined and tried to portray this kind of pain when she talked about the unforgivable curse “CRUCIO”.

I paused, put the bike on its side stand and took a look around for a possible source of aid, but there was none to be found.

It was my battle and MINE ALONE…


This went on for about another 12 odd crosses close to a kilometer mark. Guess that is when the exhaustion really started creeping in and my legs were starting to give up on me.

I was so engrossed in pushing myself up for the task that ..

I BLOODY MISSED A GARAGE ON THE LEFT OF THE ROAD.


Thankfully the attendant, out for some fresh air I guess spotted me and shouted out loud.

I have no idea what made him think I didn’t want to get my wheel mended by him, especially when his appearance out of nowhere seemed like some divine intervention. Assuming a possible client was going out of hand, he started full blast of explanations that as why I shouldn’t go ahead. Got a few hints as if he was talking about more money or something, but couldn’t get the head and tail of what he was shouting cause 1) he was mixing Kannada with Hindi 2) I was too tired to even try and concentrate to figure out what was he shouting out.


When he was close by I nodded OK and turned my bike around (AAAHHH the pain).

I rested my bike near his shop on the side stand and was looking for a place to sit and give much needed rest to my limbs. It took me about 5 minutes to snap out of woolgathering and realize that this over enthusiastic person who almost pleaded to get me in had returned to his job inside the shop.

It is so amazing, first he gets me to stop and come back to his shop (which I anyways would have had I realized it was there) and then goes back to what he was doing completely ignoring my presence. Somebody help to understand this attitude.

With rage boiling up to no limits I snapped at him and asked him to attend to my bike. It took him some time to lift his ass and come out to where my bike was parked.

The way he went about banging his tools and working on the wheel, it looked like he was bestowing a great favor on me. Would have gladly accepted the attitude if he was planning to do it for free :D.


Anyways it took him about 15 minutes to get through with the work and by the time I had got it confirmed from Bhargav and Karthik as to what the price for this service could be.

After quiet some amount of bargaining we settled at 25, which I gladly paid and rode my bike to start my homeward journey.

Reached home after a pretty uneventful journey and dropped dead on the bed. Took some time to get myself together and pondered over the morning events. Was feeling very low and depressed not because of the tiredness, it was the realization that was hitting hard.

This was never supposed to happen to me, so i thought. All throughout my teenage life had caught my elder brothers with the belly and made fun of them, even called them lazy for not making enough attempts to get back into shape.

And here I was now at the receiving end of all this…..

A day after all that, getting over all the bad mood that had seeped in, resolved myself to stand up against it and not follow the leads of my predecessor’s and keep blaming the office hours and work pattern and do nothing about it. Now I guess its all in the attitude. All you have to do is get an attitude to be fit and I believe I am on route for it.

The first approach would be to join a gym and give the body some stretching and exertion that it was accustomed to in the past.

Afzal bro if you are reading this we need to act on it right away and start using the gym at the office. Let us not hide behind the pretext of the sexy weatherand the lazy, resting mood that the rains have brought into bangalore. Shariq in case you too are interested for it, will let you use the treadmill only after I have, since don’t want the treadmill to breakdown before I get a chance to burn a few calories.

Will end this one with the hope that , will definitely go ahead with implementing the plan with in a week of publishing this , to avoid the mockery that would come along if I didn’t :p.

6 comments:

kd said...

hey guys i know this ones grown a bit too long, but couldnt cut it short since tried to describe the event as well as the implications.

Hope ppl have the patience to read it all and then comment on it.

Karthik said...

So now u have started writing comments also to ur blog by yourself.....
Well look at the positive side of things, u got a good work out without even having to go to the stadium
Take my advice and push around ur bike for half an hour every weekend and believe me, you wouldnt have to join any gym

Ann M said...

@kau
phew.! one hellauv a blog brother.! full details n all.. u should ve specified if it was an MRF or a Bridgestone tyre..! :)
so hopin u will turn up this weekend for badminton with full vim n vigour.!

Shariq said...

Nicely written...i am definitely ready to go with your plan..although i am sure of facing lots of talk regarding footballs and treadmill breaking down...afzal u better join also...
after the sweets fest i am going to have at home, definitely this will be required...

Unknown said...

Next time write a lengthier blog dude!! I want to test my patience.. ;) ( it was almost on the brink this time!! )
And all you lazy asres out there, join him in the gym.. Atleast you can reduce a inch of you waist ( Oops did I say too much).. ;)

Bhargav said...

Yawn... Gym??? Naah...