Many times i’ve been asked this question, “What’s the Most Embarrassing Moment in your Life?!”

You want to know?! Read on…

I used to go to college by my College Bus from the Second Year to the Final Year. I stayed in the College Hostel in the First year just to experience Hostel Life!!

Myself, Srinivas, Vinoth, Surendar and a few other Guys and Gals used to board our College Bus at Thirumanglam. Me and Srinivas used to walk together to the Bus Stop, sometimes joined by Vinoth on the way. Others join us at the Bus Stop. The Bus Comes to the Stop at 7.40am; Well it is supposed to come at that time, sometimes it comes early or sometimes late. Every student who goes to college will know, the bus comes early when we go a little late and the vice versa! That always happens. SMSes starts flying right from 7.15am; Updating my friends on where i am what i am doing; I’m eating. Started from Home. I’m almost there. Itho vathuten;

Everyday, i get ready at the last minute… Not that i wake up late. We used to go to the Gym in the mornings during my second and third year. So, morning schedule will be kind of packed! After finishing the morning chores(that wud be around 7.20am), i wud hurry up and go to Srini’s Place. Shout Out his Name from the Road once and he’ll look down from his balcony and say “Wait, i’m just now eating! Taking Bath! etc!” Then i’ll wait and we walk together towards t’manglam. Not always walking, fast walking, slow runing, jogging, fast runing! Depends on the Time Remaining! One eye at the watch one eye on the road.

Sometimes we’ll find Vinoth on the way. He’ll also join and we all talk and walk together. There were many funny incidents related commuting to college. We’d reach the Bus Stop all sweating and grasping for breath. We always go exactly when the Bus reaches the Stop or when the Bus starts leaving the Stop. Many a times, we have missed the Bus. Then, we’ve to Govt Bus! (Gosh. So, irritating.) Or a Share Auto. Going by Share Auto that too in Chennai’s Roads is very Difficult. Especially Me and Srinivas, being Tall, had to undergo those difficulties toghether. Like for example, when we go on a Share Auto, i’ll here a Loud *Thud* and when i turn around to see what happened, that wud be Srini hitting the roof of the Auto! And as I look at him and laugh, again another *Thud*, that wud be me hitting the Roof!!!

Well coming to the Embarrassing Moment… I went to the Bus Stop alone one day, i.e, srini and vinoth didnt come that day. But Surendar and the Other Guys of my College were standing at the Bus Stop. Well, the place is usually crowded in the morning because almost all colleges in the city pick up their students from Thirumanglam. As always, i was late. Since the place was crowded, i didnt notice Surendar standing at the Bus Stop. I noticed a bus standing at my stop when i was nearing my stop. It looked exactly like one of my college Bus. So, i started running after the Bus. The Bus Left the Place. Seeing me running, Surendar started running after me thinking that that was our college bus. I somewhow managed to chase the bus and board it when it was running. When i enterd the Bus, I was Shocked!

No Face was familiar! Everyone looked at me! And i realized, that that was a Different College Bus!!!!!! I then went to the Bus Driver and explained him the things and requested him to stop the bus! Thank Goodness the Bus didnt go much distance from my stop. Surendar was waiting for me at halfway and then we walked back to our stop!

We came to Chennai in the Summer of 2000. I had finished ma 8th Std and had to join 9th Std here in Chennai. We were trying to get admission in KV, Ashok Nagar thro’ some MP Quota. So, till then, i was staying at home doing nothing! Yea… Nothing! Our things had not yet arrived frm Delhi, so i didnt even have TV to watch then! I was new to the Place and wanted to Explore… And so I decided to learn Cycling!

The reason behind the then sudden attraction to the Cycle was

1. I hated travelling by Bus.
2. I was too lazy to Walk.
3. I didnt know to ride a Motorcycle/Car/Train/Plane or for that matter any Vehicle! Cycle was the first step that cud lead to others!

My mom agreed to teach me Cycling!
She bought me a Lady Bird Cycle (I was Ok with it initially, but later when i joined school, it was so so embarassing to take it to school!) coz she felt it would be better for me to learn cycling in a Lady Bird, than with other cycles having a bar, which would be difficult to mount! I agreed to it(i always do, being a nice boy!)

I then pledged to save earth by

1. not polluting the environment with smoke
2. conserving fuel usage by not using Motorcycles
3. making the earth greener.

My first Cycling Lesson:

I learnt cycling in just 1 hour! The first time i cycled was around 1st Sector KK Nagar. Ma mom held the cycle for me and then i climbed into it. And then kept ma hands in the handle bar. And started pedalling. Wow! It was so easy. I started pedalling and the cycle started moving. Ma mom came running along with me for a few feet. And then she removed her hands. I was cycling all alone. It was so cool. The streets were almost empty. So, no worry abt others! I came around the 1st sector. I turned left right again left. It was all so easy. Suddenly, one old man came in front of me out of nowhere!!!
I didnt expect him at all. So, inorder to avoid him, i turned the handle bar. I didnt know how to brake! I remembered mom saying that where the brakes were, i looked at the brakes. But, I was too frightened to remove ma fingers frm the handle bar and press the brake. I hit a stationary car standing in a corner of the street, and fell down. Thank God, the owner of that car was nowhere nearby. I took the cycle and ran back home, pulling the cycle along with me.

And from then on i got the hang of it. I would take the cycle, wherever i was asked to go. Even to the shop in front our house!! I was more than willing to run errands for ma mom(that is, for the first few months!)

And soon i joined school. And after a few months, me and my brother fought over the ownership of the cycle. So, ma parents decided to buy us another cycle. This time around, i wanted to buy a Gents Cycle! Coz i was by then experienced and had a little bit better knowledge of cycles. I settled for a Blue Colored Hercules AXN for somwhere around Rs. 2000/-.

This Hercules AXN was for me and i gave the Lady Bird to ma Brother, citing the reason that i was more experienced than ma bother in cycling(atleast by a few days!)
And, thus, Hercules AXN became the first ever Vehicle i owned. That Lady Bird was not mine! Ma parents had bought it saying that me and my bother both should share it. So, officially, Hercules AXN is ma first ever Vehicle!
It holds lotsa memories and fun i had with it along with ma School friends. I used it till ma 12th std!