3 boys and many potholes


7.40 AM. Mumbai

Three boys. All seemingly of different age groups stare at me through the windshield. In between their animated chatter. Two of them in football costume.

The goods van in which they travel hits a pot hole. And another. In a short while my tyres hit the same potholes. I wince. And then let out a yelp as the spine feels the shock offered by the pothole.

I look ahead at the boys. They don’t seem to bother. With all of steel flooring of a good vehicle for a seat, and a metal ledge as a support to hang legs…well.. can be pretty painful. Especially, given the size and strategic battlefield like location of these potholes.

I look at the boys ahead. They seem to be discussing something of importance. I cant fathom what. More importantly, i cant fathom how such potholes dont evoke a flicker of the eyelid!

They smile. They chatter. The one boy that sits on the ledge holds a string that hangs from the roof. Occasionally. Almost by reflex. That’s the only sign that the goods carrier didn’t have superior shock absorbers.

And as each pothole approaches, my heart skips a beat. Most for them. Part for me. The goods carrier hits the pothole. They don’t flinch. And when it comes to my turn, it hurts.

Is it age? Is it youthful exuberance? Is it the joy of company? Is it passion ? Is it football ? Is it joy? Is it holiday season?. Hypotheses galore !

I wonder how it would be to preserve this spirit for a lifetime. To face life’s potholes. And they go their way. In some time i stop. But seems that i have taken them along with me. That moment. The car. The joy of living in the moment.

I don’t know if they made it as ‘winners’ or ‘losers’ in their football game. But they sure did make my day.

28 thoughts on “3 boys and many potholes

  1. Suma says:

    and this sure made my day!

    what a post, kavi! just what i needed on a week full of strife, to make sure i don’t break my ankle on one of those potholes

  2. Wonderful post . On something I have watched often and wondered.

    The road potholes are probably the easiest to handle. Bumps in a group are fun.

    But for normal middle class folks, whose childrens’ pursuit of sport involves war-like transport situations, tiring travel, ignorantly treated injuries, disastrous infrastructure and sport venues, unsympathetic schools, dictatorial selections and finally, a feeling of always needing more money for expenses, this wonderful ride, is probably a high point.

    Unlike you, they probably bounce in fun , through those potholes. I have seen so many such children, and kudos to them. ….

  3. Life is good till we are unaware Potholes ahead.

  4. You know childhood makes you enjoy life to the fullest, I still remeber the days when I was in and all my friends including me occupied the last seat so that we could enjoy every bump on the road including the speed breakers;)
    It was amazing!
    Thanks for the lovely post, it made me feel nostalgic…guess we shd keep the child within us live and kickn forever..still enjoy such rides:)

  5. G says:

    It is age definitely! I remember traveling on bumpy roads once gave me kicks. 🙂 And I hate it now.

    [Once again, I love the way you write about everyday sightings which people like me ignore. :)]

  6. Ankit says:

    Nice one Kavi

    Its all in our mind, I remember when I was doing my engineering in Haryana, we use to wait for tractors to give us a ride to the bus stop.And that ride on a trcator forced us to acknowledge and appreciate every single bump on the road. But it saved us from 3-4 km walk so it was all fun.

  7. Lovely post!
    Takes you back to your childhood when priorities were different; when pot holes did not matter…..

  8. Swatantra says:

    Amazing!!! you sure made our day also!!

    Thanks!! Well written thoughts!!

  9. Jeevan says:

    Seems like these potholes are nothing before they could have faced in there life. I am learning more about observation from you bro. thanks 🙂

  10. Sujatha says:

    Lovely post, Kavi. The exuberance of youth, for sure!

  11. Potholes and childhood, hmmm…With this post, I’ve learned to pay more attention to potholes… lovely!

    just busy with the final week of school (volunteer work), rest is fine. Thank you for asking, really appreciate it!:)

  12. Rush says:

    an eyeopener!! reminds me of childhood days when potholes and bumps used to make us scream excitedly; Now..the scream exists, but in a painful way…complaining on the infrastructure and taxpayers money not making its way!!sig!! and we think we r enlightened!!

  13. nsiyer says:

    Potholes to life’s potholes. That’s beautiful. Took me to a different world. As for your aches when touching potholes, yes you are ageing.

  14. Priya says:

    Well written Kavi. You shud think of writing humor ads for papers now.

  15. amreekandesi says:

    One of your classiest posts!

    I guess its the spirit of resilience that acts like an inbuilt shock absorber. Having to endure the daily grind of a tough life reduces the shock of these potholes for these little men.

  16. oh, the insufferable, arrogant indestructibility of youth!!

  17. nice Kavi.

    they probably have hours or years of practice riding on that van?

    Maybe that position which appears so awkward to us is actually something that they have settled on by evolutionary design to be the most convenient pothole retardant position?

    just like how a golfers bending of the knee before they swing is talked about? (I played only mini golf and somehow never once bent my knee..did not even strike me that any knee bending would be required).

    more thoughts..

    you muse. we muse by induction!

    keep it going.

    🙂

  18. Lou says:

    I came from Dr John’s and wanted to say I really enjoyed this post.

    I love reading viewpoints from others, especially people from other cultures.

    I enjoyed the way you wrote about what they were saying, thinking from your vantage of the windshield!

  19. SGD says:

    WOnderful wonderful post….
    I wonder in awe at this gift you have, to put in words the humdrum realities of ordinary life …

    And yes…how can our aching bones and joints match the exuberance of youth!?

  20. Rinkly Rimes says:

    I came here from Dr John. He seems t track down interesting people. Thankyou.

    I am at http://rinklyrimes.blogspot.com

  21. manju says:

    Great picture, Kavi, and great word-picture, too!

    It’s the exuberance of youth! It’s lost once we grow up! 🙂

  22. Rush says:

    hiya,
    added u to my blogroll, u can check it out at the top of the page under the BLOGROLL tab.
    Have added a little thanku note to it.

  23. Thanks for bringing back memories of those reckless-feckless days when one lived for the moment. Those days which are now a distant memory…

  24. KK says:

    Well I feel its the company that makes them not feel the potholes… When Friends are around to help during life’s potholes you wont feel the pain of the pot holes… 🙂

    Nice post!!!

  25. Kavi says:

    Suma : Thank you !! I hope the week was good and the ankle safe !! 🙂

    Ugich Konitari : Yes..i have been through all what you say. Of living in constant ‘shortage’ and traveling by hiking. And that happiness is something that i miss…

    Hobo : Brilliant. The problems start with awareness i guess !!

    A new beginning : Yes. In the school buses especially, the last seats were the most desired. For the ‘swing’ up and down…was guaranteed !

    G : Thank you ! And yes..there was a time, not long ago, when the bumps provided the kicks !!

    Ankit : The tractor ride in the student days is indeed something. Indeed something. And especially when done with company that matters, the bumps didnt.

  26. Kavi says:

    Anghh Desai : Welcome here..and the nostalgia of those days keeps you going.

    Swatantra : Thank you !!

    Jeevan : Thank you.. i just look with an attentive spirit. Thats all.
    Its easy !

    Sujatha : Hmm. Thank you ! Thank

    Naperville Mom : Thanks for the comment. Glad to know that its work thats keeping you busy !

    Rush : That was a super comment. The scream exists. But more of a wailing scream !! lovely. Somewhere that spirit of taking on…has gone into hiding.

    NS Iyer : Yes. sir. I am not only ageing. It is also showing !!

    Priya : Whoa ! Now thats some inspiration to do something else !!! Hmm !! Thank you !

    amreekandesi : Thank you !! “guess its the spirit of resilience that acts like an inbuilt shock absorber” Thats a brilliant thought indeed. Indeed !

    roshini : Aha..the ‘not a science geek’ way of looking at it. And looking at it so very well.

    Sundar : I thought bent knees was a wrong thing. And they need it for golf…thats some learning.

    But what happens if i also think that golf is also fundamentally wrong…!

    Well, thats when i become incorrigible i guess !

    Lou : Welcome here ! And thanks for the generous comment !

    SGD : Thanks a ton for that very generous comment. I guess being at the right spot at the right time, with the right frame of mind makes all the difference !!

    Thank you !~!

    rinky rhimes : Welcome here indeed !

    Manju : Thank you ! And yes, wonder where the exuberance of this youth seamlessly disappears

    Rush : Thank you for the addition to the blogroll. and for the very special comments !! Now..i will have to live upto it i guess !!! 😀

    Sucharita : Distant they are. But the fact remains that they are indeed there. Thats the saving grace.

    KK : How are you buddy. Its been some time. And yes, company can overrun potholes. And good company can smoothen out the toughest of ditches..!!

    🙂

  27. What a great post. I loved looking back at the photo several times as I read.

    Very nice Kavi… writing this proposal is not so fun, but it is going well. Thanks 😉

  28. SSQuo says:

    🙂 Its habit and reality for them. Nicely written.

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