Operation Desert Mountain

The target was to reach at least Chandigarh that same day, which was 263kms., and then decide the next step. We made a couple of stops to have breakfast or tea and it was not yet noon as we were entering the beautiful city of Chandigarh. It was too early to call home.

 

I could remember a previous bike trip to Chandigarh with my brother Anil, that was on the YBX. That day the 263 miles from Delhi to Chandigarh had been the target which we had achieved. Today, it looked too short because Chandigarh was just a camping stop, the real target was much farther. How things change in perspective!

 

We stopped at a modest dhaba to have refreshments and wait about an hour or so. Then I could call home. The first thing my dad said was, “Oh, you are already in Chandigarh? Don’t drive too fast!”. That’s why I had not called for the last 1 hour.

 

There were a few other calls to make, to my second best friend, third best friend and so on. That’s always the way. They say it’s your second best friend who comes and puts up the bail for you, because your best friend will be there beside you saying, “Dude! That was awesome!”.

 

My best friend was still with me but I have some really wonderful people in my life who worry about me and think about me and in whose prayers I can easily assume myself to be included!

 

One such person was my “sir”. I had had the honour of meeting Mr. Chauhan when he had replaced our teacher in my computer institute. I can still remember that first meeting when we had argued over the terms “algorithm” and “program” in the PLT class (Programming Language Techniques). Actually, I had argued, he had just been goading me to find out what made me tick. That was always his style. But that was a long, long time back. Now he was more like an elder brother to me than a teacher, though he had taught me a lot and not just in computers.

 

I told him we were in Chandigarh, and we would probably move forward in the afternoon. We talked for a few minutes and just as I was hanging up, he said, “Sunil, if there’s anything, let me know!”, I stopped and ask, “Anything what, sir?” and he said, “If you get into any problem, let me know. I will come up in my car.” That simple statement instantly brought tears to my eyes. I knew sir well enough to know that he did not say anything that he did not mean. He never wasted his breath in useless pleasantries. What he thought, he said. And to think that he’d leave his business, his family, and bring his brand new car on those perilous, dangerous roads just to rescue me from difficulties touched my heart!