Aspiration

Aspiration
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(Short story for Anu Adi)
Rahul always wanted a cycle
But he couldn't afford one
Kids cycled around whole day
It seemed a lot of fun

On the day of his birthday
Dad took him to an old junk yard
All kind of spoilt or rejected goods
Were scattered all over the yard

He spotted a kids cycle
But without pedal and chain
Old windows and metal goods
Collecting rust in the rain

And then his eyes fell on
On old fashioned bicycle
It seemed pretty intact
maybe missing a few parts

Father and son carried it home
Under the hot sweltering sun
But they had a contented smile
As if the world had been won

They tinkered on it next day
And changed tyre and tube
With some grease and paint
They hoped to get it renewed

When Rahul test rode it after a week
He had a smile plastered on his face
But the children in the apartment
Found the cycle a complete disgrace

Rahul cycled up the hill alone
In the early light of every holiday
His father looked on with joy
As Rahul strived higher each day

No magic spell,  no fairy or wizard
But Rahul felt stronger every day
It must be his passion for cycling
His muscles started rippling away

Once thin and frail Rahul
started winning races in school
Children in the apartment
started to find him very cool

Even the old weird cycle
Was now liked by the crowd
It became a symbol of perseverance
A style statement clear and loud
°°°°°°Jibrael Jos
(Story 1 of Rahul and Pragya series)