Beautiful Temptress and Riders of a different kind

i am pleasantly surprised at how well have friends reacted to this narrative of history of a popular motor cycle and of personal reminiscing about my younger days ( Well, I say "younger ' only as a concession to those who insist I must look gravely mature now...Truth be told, I am still at Baring College -some 40 years back - mentally, and to a large extent even physically. Yes, some rough living , massive abuse of body and long periods of financial hardships and of poverty zones may have taken their toll, as have the stress of debts and of income which simply refuses to budge - but as hands emerge to lessen my burden, I feel like the first time I held the accelerator of the Bullet in my firm grasp - and on only the fifth day after that, escaped death by the proverbial hair's breadth.
Life has always remained a beautiful maiden - desirable, never entirely approachable but often smiling - if spoken to in right language and with respect.

Early enough in life, I had this little pact with Life, telling her I will never cross the lines of decency in talking to or about her - and also that this needn't bind her down to reciprocal decency. "You go your way but all i will give you is what every man must always give every woman - love, respect and whenever permitted a little playful indulgence, but everything always within the bounds of finesse and decency." At times she has pretended not to care - life has - sometimes acting up a bit too much as all beautiful things have a birthright to do - but all in all, she has stayed nice and warm and loving, taunting me when vanity sat on my head like a cocky something, teasing me with dreams which she knew I enjoyed but lacked the persistence to to fulfil, flirting with me when I wanted serious commitment, demanding commitments when I wanted her for a fly-by-night fling and so on.

But most importantly, she has sat by my side, silent, compassionate and caring when I needed her to just let me sob in her lap - as when I suffered the biggest loss in mother's departure. When mother was alive, she was my life. When she left, life decided to be my mother as long as she thought I needed to be reminded that mother had never gone.

Once convinced that I had recovered just enough, life sprinted away or climbed the nearest trees which I used to climb as a child, and tempted me with her tantalizing beauty. She knew the stem was slippery and I would be able to climb to the delicate branches where she sat precariously, inviting me with her curling fingers like a little mischievous school girl.

And when the hour of bidding her farewell arrives, I expect her to be there like she has always been - smiling, lively, full of mischief and yet caring and compassionate.

That day, I hope to be able to tell her this: " I must go now, but you must stay - which you will. There are children here, weak and needy like I always was, and they need your company. Be kind to them, like you always were to me, and lend them the smiles which you sometimes with-held from me just out of difficult and naughty just out of good-hearted playfulness . I must go now, and give me a big, warm hug,as I leave. If we meet again in some foreign, unknown lands, be a friend to me again just as you were here - caring and loving , demanding and difficult. Be the perfect beloved and beauty - teasing me, tormenting me, yet kissing me on my forehead when burdens and worries of the world threatened to blow it apart.

Above all, be kind, caring and compassionate to everyone. Be what my mother always was. Learn from her whenever pride in your power makes you forget that there is a moment when even you must end - or at least get tired, sleep and wake up in new attires Not that you need to fear death. Death can't touch you as long as I am alive. Still be humble. In short, be like mother was - whom I must find elsewhere, in other lands, in other forms, - and I must try and be a better son - better dressed in the clothes she gave me which I didn't wear and finally lost. Her love will lead her to sit, spin new threads to weave new clothes for me. And this time I will not lose them.
And you - be good to yourself and to everyone. May you live forever, dear life!"