Hobbyist Forever

I bought my guitar, unzipped the blue cloth cover and sat down to play the only popular tune I learnt in three months. The time and place both seemed conducive. It was evening and all the family including Ma, Pa, aunt Bianca, Uncle Suresh, my two sisters, brother and a cousin were sipping coffee and munching savouries prepared by mom. 

With great expectation, I struck the first cord and lifted my eyes to see the frozen faces of all my relatives like madam Tussaud’s wax figures. This encouraged me more as I misconstrued them as a sign of being engrossed in my music. I closed my eyes and started playing the tune, self complementing for picking up this hobby of learning the guitar. 

My teacher Mr. Banerjee encouraged me to join the music class every Sunday. Initially he tried his best to teach me to hold the guitar and play but slowly his interest dwindled in me but I continued to learn. 

My greatest achievement was learning the popular tune and today I got the opportunity to showcase my skill. How wonderful! I thought. Surely I would earn both name , fame, and money would follow like a pet. I could feel the jarring sound in one or two notes. It’s natural it happens I assured myself. Three minutes of the song got over. I waited, still with eyes shut to hear the thunderous applause...  

Silence, Silence more Silence! I could hear my own breath and was filled with pride for casting a spell on the audience. Slowly I opened my eyes and was greeted with ‘Meow’ from our cat Brownie since the rest had left on their cat feet to escape from my music.

 I was both angry and hurt and for one whole week I didn’t speak with a single member including my mom. Few days later I heard my elder sister talking over the phone that how fortunate they were to escape from the terrible music. That was the last straw and that was the end of my hobby of learning to play a musical instrument.

I swore never to have a hobby in my life. One evening I tried to hum a song. Our maid was making up my room. “ Oh didi(sister) why did you stop? Please hum again. You remind me of that famous singer...uum I can’t recollect her name, your voice is similar to her. For singing all you need is a karaoke mike set and the will to sing”, she quipped.  

Though I didn’t take her seriously, next morning I stood before the bathroom mirror and started to sing. Now the signing bug caught up as my next hobby. I enrolled myself in a class where classical vocal music was taught. There were twenty students from age seven to thirty. I tired singing in a group and no one knew how I sang. Slowly I regained my confidence and I started singing wherever I got an opportunity. But behind my back the family sabotage was in full swing. I was given a new name from the famous French comic ‘Astrix - Cacophonix the terrible bard. Next people stuffed their ears with cotton buds and somebody sealed my window from outside to avoid the noise floating out. 

One day the family gathered to celebrate the birthday of my cousin. I felt this was a god sent opportunity to exhibit my singing skills and make everyone to regret for all those adverse comments made on my hobby. 

“Hello folks I like to entertain you all with a beautiful song ! Are you all ready ?”, I announced.

 I cleared my throat and opened my mouth ‘ Saaaa...

“Wait ! Wait!”, Screamed uncle Suresh. 

My mouth shut like a car bonnet and I looked at him quizzically. 

“ I like to narrate a story and then Mini would get a chance to sing. It’s always better to have the best in the end,” he snickered.

He began his story narration in a dramatic way ...

Bhima, the great warrior prince and one among the five Pandava brothers suddenly developed a hobby for singing. He had lot of muscle power, good appetite but unfortunately was not blessed to sing. He was so dedicated to his singing practise that the entire palace had to bear the noise for hours together but no one dared to tell the truth to him. They feared his anger and of course his muscle power. He could lift a mighty elephant toss it in the air and kick it in the outer space then what to speak of mere weak mortals. The only person who could advice him was his beautiful intelligent wife Draupadi. So on public request ,Draupadi advised Bhima that he should go at the outskirts of the kingdom and practise his singing for better concentration, peace and tranquility. Bhima left for the outskirts to practise his singing skills with lot of enthusiasm. After sometime a washerman came that way and appeared to be looking for something. Bhima questioned him what he was looking for? The washerman who didn’t recognise Bhima, sighed that he had lost his donkey since last two days and a little while ago he heard its brays in the same direction where Bhima was singing. Without a word Bhima stood up and left the place immediately with a promise to himself never to sing again. 

All the family members laughed loudly but I left the place in a huff. I swore never to sing again and buried the hobby deep within my heart.

I decided that I should go for adventure sports which was now my new hobby. I bought a bicycle. I never had a chance to learn during my school days. Now in fifties I decided to give a try. Friends and family encouraged me. I would observe people riding the bicycle with so much ease. I started collecting lot of information about the riding skills. I ordered on-line safety gear required to ride a bicycle. I appeared like ‘Don Quixote’ going for the imaginary battle field. A dozen people volunteered to teach me how to ride a bicycle.  Every one would suggest different styles and ways.

 “Sit straight, don’t bend to your left, give more power to pedal, balance the cycle with one leg, don’t apply brakes, no apply brakes....” endless instructions . 

Everyday I ended up with one or two bruises and people assured that it was normal to have few cuts and nicks like a boxer in the ring. My determination to learn bicycle and the idea to participate in a bicycle mini marathon caught up,  that day and night I started to practise.

Last night I saw the bright moon and it’s soft light tempting me to ride my bicycle. I could only half pedal now. I tried to culminate my old hobbies ringing the cycle bell, humming a song and riding the bicycle imagining the adventure in the mountains of Leh Ladhak region during summers. Suddenly the front tyre was on a melon size rock good enough to topple me down.

Right now with a leg in the cast , bandages covering half the face I am in a hospital bed. I better take up some hobby which doesn’t involve so much risk. Let me think : philately,  numismatics, photography, bird watching, collection of old film posters, writing poems, collecting match boxes... the list is endless. Uff !! First let me leave this hospital ...