The redemption..with smiles. Part 1

My cousin is a regular Alexander. Among his feats are raiding fruit laden trees and defying the sun in countryside playfields. The other cousin specialised in hijacking family two-wheelers for our expeditions to the hills and cremation grounds. With such illustrious partners, I was expected to complement their acts with a suitable achievement of my own. Being physically inferior, emotionally weaker and unfortunately younger than them both, I was miserable in spite of all the fun we had.

Over the years this misery sought to dissipate itself. Unsuccessful attempts at proving my athletic side only fuelled the passion. I shone indoors but that was not enough. If you are taller than your cousins, you will have to prove it in the same frame. It was irrelevant that I excelled them at the board exams. The colleges I attended went unregistered and so did the rising pile of certificates. I had to accomplish something with my torso! And 2000 AD was an abnormal year as cocoons split.

As soon as my 12th ended in a dramatic fashion, the new wings itched for practice. I was totally consumed by the fervour to discover the sheer treasure Islam holds. The traditional educational structure appeared monochromatic compared to the soaring rainbow of spiritual pursuits. Friends lost hope of my return to the café while some concluded I have embraced celibacy. Since, theology classes were due some months later, I agreed to meanwhile enrol for the Bachelors programme. Still, the walls of my residence seemed oppressive. I was a born rebel whose resolves hardened with objections.

My eldest cousin’s resume boasted of two cross-province cycling tours. They were so timed that the journey terminated at a famous saint’s shrine on the day of his annual death anniversary. The process was gruelling in itself and June-July are the least pleasing months in this part of India. The previous year hadn’t seen any dare-angel willing to brave the furious summer sun which had downed almost 1900 people in our state. The sun’s mood had dampened after that because of the increasing workload of frying earthlings every year. Guess that’s why it decided to grant us a short reprieve before setting 21st century on fire. And I chose not to disappoint him. Rather it was an impulse. Me on a cycling trip. The sloth’s sprint. This tag was set to be reworded