Another Episode / Biking in the "hood" with Harry & Shakini

Every single day since the Ramadan ended, my bus has reached school at 8:15. For all those who don't know, assembly is at 7:40. Let me tell all of you now itself that I hate missing assembly. Most of the ones in the hall I get to sing, but nowadays if there is a slight reduction in traffic, a light bag and if I run as fast as I can, I'm lucky to catch the "Prefects and teachers, please take over."

It’s been 3 weeks since Eid. I decided I had enough. There was to be a special screening of the documentary in the hall this morning, after which we would be called on stage to receive our very own copy of From the Inside and a "letter of gratitude". I really didn't want to miss it, so I asked my mom if I could stay in someone’s house who lived in Dubai. It was arranged and I packed my bag to stay at Renoo Aunty's house for the night.

Renoo Aunty lives in Jumeirah so obviously I had to take the bus back to her place and to my pleasant surprise Harendra was in my bus too. I was telling him earlier that day.
"So where does Renoo aunty live?" he asked me.
"Jumeirah."
"Okay where in Jumeirah?"
"Uhh I dunno I think somewhere behind Beach Centre..."
"Okay...I live behind that too..."
"Yea in some villa back there."
"Okay...so do I...


...so what’s Renoo Aunty's real name?"
: P

After Crashing at her house and showering I closed the door to the room in which I would be sleeping. I tried to study for a while, I actually did some poetry in the end, but it was too exhausting; I had a bad cold and a headache too. But something was better over there. There’s nothing like privacy you know. Shutting your door and keeping your thoughts too yourself while they are still tender. Then letting them grow into something fantastic. I was drawing for a while.
I called Harry later to find out what time the bus usually came to pick him up. After he told me I was about to say 'thanks bye!' but he was like 'Hey, what are you doing now?"
So it was after a Sharad Pawar/Democratic/Advertising in India-filled conversation at dinner, that Harry, Shakini and I went for a walk around Jumeirah. I got to ride on Harry's grey bike.

Jumeirah is quiet. I like that. Apart from the occasional car passing by there isn't much 'action'. Harry told me that the population was mostly made up of dogs and babies. I loved the silence and the feel of being out late at night in the company of friends. Instead of writing line by line, here's what all I saw/enjoyed:
1. A not so clean Moon.
2. Shakini going all serious and saying "Tejas get off the road" whenever there was a car crawling in the distance at perhaps 2.5 miles an hour.
3. Slowing down on the bike and circling so I could be in line with Harry.
4. A Garbage Truck.
5. A mini grocery store.
6. A Black dog.
7. A white dog.
8. A man restraining a Black and a White Dog.
9. Fancy Cars.
10. Dog Poop.
11. The Silence.

I decided to blog on this episode anyway while we were riding, and Shakini suggested a title for it: "Biking in the hood"; which I have included...sort of.
I liked it. Thank you, Shakini and Harry.

The Next Morning after Changing and packing my bag, I said goodbye to Renoo Aunty and Satish Uncle. It meant a lot to me that they let me stay, considering the fact that it was on very short notice. I really enjoyed myself there. They gave me my privacy and even allowed me to go out with my friends at night. I respect that. There are anyways otherwise like family to me. They have been really good friends with my mom for a really long time and helped us a lot too. Thank you Renoo Aunty and Satish Uncle.

I reached school at 7:30!
Assembly cancelled...buses were late. Stuck in traffic it seems.