When I was eight years old, my school was five kilometers away. There was no facility for school bus. Father hired a middle-aged man. This man, apart from being reliable possessed a bicycle. He used to drop my younger brother and me to school. The cycle had a carrier. I usually sat on the carrier and my younger brother in the front. He was a sincere man. I don’t remember being late to school ever. Neither I remember waiting for him at the gate when the school closed.
Cycle never had a puncture. On the way to school there was an uphill for 500 meters. He used to get down and push the cycle with both the kids, He never ever asked us to disembark. His name was Mangal. But he was known as Mangra. I asked him about the origin of his name. He was born on Tuesday, that is Hindi is known as Mangal.
My father had a car and had a driver as well but wondered why I am deprived of the luxury. One day Mangal failed to turn. Father and mother went into an argument whether to send the two boys to school. Mother was of the opinion that we would be nuisances at home.
Later I was shifted to a boarding school. Most of the teachers used to walk or had a cycle. Only the Principal had an official car.
Fifteen years later I was a professional in Delhi. Married with two school going kids. All the money was spent on house rent, school fees, clothes, medicines and food. Spare money was used on travel. We had a scooter. Whenever the kids missed the school bus I used to drop them to school. We were a happy middle class family. Most of our needs were met.
However, we were probably the only family in the colony who didn’t possess a car. The children had a complex. We kept dreaming about owning a car. Often I gave them false promises… next year… this year.. next month. To please them I used to often bring home car magazines and discuss for hours what car we are going to buy and the colour and the dolls that we will keep at the back of the car.
I had a long assignment. Earned some money. I had a choice of buying a car. But bought a computer instead. I told them this would help them in life in the long run. No one listened to me. I was made to regret. I thought of returning and buy the car instead.
I made false promises again. This year for certain.. Come what may… Beg Borrow or Steal… Rain Thunder or Shower… we will have a car of our own. No one took me seriously. One-day son insisted that we have to have a car. Enough is enough. All four of us cannot travel in a scooter. I promised him to bring the car by the evening. When I returned from work, I pressed the house bell. No one opened the door, initially.
“Tell me did you buy the Car?”
“I said of course. Something is there in my pocket.”
When the door was opened, son searched my pocket and discovered that it was a toy …Toyota RAV 4. Son has preserved this toy till this date.
Disappointment was usual and often they used to forgive me. Both the kids spent a lot of their time surfing on the net. It looked like we have an additional window in our house. It opened their horizon. Son started dreaming about being entrepreneur and give a tough competition to Microsoft. Though we didn’t have a car, but we were one of the few families in the middle class colony in Delhi; to own a computer. Both the kids had their email ids.
Finally we bought a family car, after working for eighteen years. We must have visited most of the showrooms one after another, except Mercedez, Audi and BMW. First week, though children had a school bus, I used to drop them to school. Each day we used to travel to a new place. It was indeed a source of joy.
Children are now adults and independent. Daughter is a marketing professional. She bought her first car, after working for three months. I tried to persuade her to buy a second hand cheap car, but she bought a sedan. She is now settled abroad and gifted her car to me. I prefer to book a taxi, for local travel. I find it hassle free. I don’t have to hunt for car parking. I am not alone. There are quite a few residents who prefer a taxi than to drive. Their cars are getting rusted.
In the coming years I understand electric with autonomous driving cars will take over. People will shift from ownership to renting. In fact gradually I try not to own things. I had a huge collection of audio tapes, Video CD, feature films on DVD, Hard copy of books. I have got rid of most of them. I am not going to buy a car, ever.
Son is a Robotics Engineer. He bought his first car in the first month of his employment. He had several choices, but bought Toyota RAV4, instead.
Footnote
Computer and Internet have helped my children in their growth.
After completing my high school I came to Delhi along with five friends. I asked my friends what college and the course they are applying. Most of them had preference for one college and Physics Honours. Like a cattle, I applied for Physics Honours. Finally all five of us studied in one college and took the same course.
After one generation, son on graduation applied for several universities in USA with a computer and internet. Not only he got funding from the University, he also hired an apartment on rent in Pittsburgh, found roommates there while being in India. In addition he found two students boarding flight from Delhi to Pittsburgh so that excess baggage can be shared.
Sanjay Agrawal's Blog 