Debasish* was in a pensive mood (girl problems as usual). He was riding a bike he borrowed from a PhD student, returning from a refreshing bout of cycling. The bike, being a stylish MTB (Mountain Terrain Bike, for the uninitiated), had two sets of handlebars. Debasish was enjoying the fresh air with his hands on the upper ones.
As he neared the IMSc gate, he noticed that the narrow entrance was partly blocked by a group of fellow summer interns. But in his very deeply pensive mood, he neglected his noticing this very noticable obstruction.
So he carried on, unruffled. Meanwhile, the guy blocking the gate noticed the onrushing Debasish (with a very pensive expression on his face). He tried to move out of his way only to realize that Debasish, in trying to avoid him, moved in the same direction.
Now Debasish swerved away and reached for the brakes. To his immediate wonder and anguish, the upper handlebars did not have a set of brakes with them. Brakes were there only for the lower ones. He was headed towards the Drain.
For a split-second he agonised over the rationale of having brakes only for the lower handle bars. Then, realizing that he had more pressing issues at hand, he decided to let it pass. He had not quite recovered from the shock of absence of brakes and the paucity of time forced him into making a hurried decision. Instead of putting his feet on the ground to slow down or clutching for the brakes only an inch away, he decided to avoid the dreaded Drain by crashing into a tree right next to it.
Although he suffered just minor bruising on his forearm, he was distracted from whatever had clouded his mind for the past few days. Even if it was for a brief while.
* The names have been retained as original to reaffirm identity ;)
As he neared the IMSc gate, he noticed that the narrow entrance was partly blocked by a group of fellow summer interns. But in his very deeply pensive mood, he neglected his noticing this very noticable obstruction.
So he carried on, unruffled. Meanwhile, the guy blocking the gate noticed the onrushing Debasish (with a very pensive expression on his face). He tried to move out of his way only to realize that Debasish, in trying to avoid him, moved in the same direction.
Now Debasish swerved away and reached for the brakes. To his immediate wonder and anguish, the upper handlebars did not have a set of brakes with them. Brakes were there only for the lower ones. He was headed towards the Drain.
For a split-second he agonised over the rationale of having brakes only for the lower handle bars. Then, realizing that he had more pressing issues at hand, he decided to let it pass. He had not quite recovered from the shock of absence of brakes and the paucity of time forced him into making a hurried decision. Instead of putting his feet on the ground to slow down or clutching for the brakes only an inch away, he decided to avoid the dreaded Drain by crashing into a tree right next to it.
Although he suffered just minor bruising on his forearm, he was distracted from whatever had clouded his mind for the past few days. Even if it was for a brief while.
* The names have been retained as original to reaffirm identity ;)
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