Rewind and Play is a fiction by Tarun Gautam, an IIM-Lucknow alumnus, which tells the story of a successful man living in the United States who gets an invitation to a get-together with his college batchmates. The invitation triggers a sea of memories in him from his college days as well as the times spent by them. Though the book is meant for readers of all ages, it is bound to touch a chord with those in their early 30s and 40s, who nostalgically reminisce their school or college days.

Published by TreeShade Books, the 176-page Rewind and Play is priced at Rs 295.

Following is an extract from Rewind and Play by Tarun Gautam

Chapter TWF 177

After answering his father’s questions in the increasing order of difficulty as in the popular television show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Venky was given the key to the 1982 Lambretta. As he sat on the scooter, Venky felt like a pilot who had earned his wings and was ready to fly his first MIG-29 sortie. Well, the scooter was not an MIG-29. In fact, even calling it a biplane would have been an exaggerated compliment to the vintage vehicle.

Venky had made Aadil his partner in crime and had coaxed him into riding along with him on the scooter to the college hostel.

Venky rode the scooter and reached Aadil’s house at 5a.m. to find Aadil and his parents eagerly waiting for him. Aadil’s mother had made sure that Aadil was wearing all the woollens in the house that she could get hold of.

Seeing Aadil in that state, Venky couldn’t help remarking, ‘Don’t you want to bring a quilt as well?’ Aadil’s mother heard this and retorted, ‘Venkat beta, it will be very cold in the highway. If you want, I can give you a spare muffler.’

Venky replied sheepishly, ‘No, aunty. I think I can manage.’

Aadil’s excitement quickly melted when he saw the scooter.

Venky was keen to show off that although the scooter looked old, it could start like a bike. He gave it one kick and waited. Nothing happened. He gave it another kick, again nothing happened. Finally, he had to tilt the scooter towards him to kick-start it. After seeing this, Venky hoped that Aadil wouldn’t change his mind.

Aadil gave Venky an annoyed look and sat down on the pillion seat with a bag of eatables packed by his mother. Aadil looked at Venky and said, ‘I don’t think this thing can make it through 350 kilometres.’ Venky too was skeptical about it but he knew he had to sound confident for the success of Operation Scooter Delivery. So, without a pause, he blurted out, ‘What rubbish! This contraption may look old but it’s nothing short of gold.’

Looking at the two speed away on the ‘contraption’, Aadil’s parents said a silent prayer and went back into their house.

Riding out of the congested roads of Delhi onto the highway gave Venky and Aadil a new lease of freedom. Though this was Venky’s first time on a highway, he rode like a veteran. They rode past the light morning fog that hovered over lush mustard fields and numerous dhabas. Venky rode for over an hour before handing over the scooter to Aadil. Initially, Aadil was apprehensive but slowly became confident and briskly overtook tractors, bikes and the odd slow-moving car.

Their plan was to stop for breakfast in the next town. So, Aadil decided to give the Lambretta a throttle. The scooter tried its best to compete against the other vehicles, but it simply didn’t have the legs.

All of a sudden, Venky heard the sound of a motorbike behind him and shouted to Aadil to give way. Aadil could barely understand what Venky was saying and tried to look in the rear-view mirror.

Aadil shouted, ‘I don’t see any bike.’ By then, Venky had also turned his head and realized there was nothing. Just then, Aadil slammed the brakes. ‘The bloody silencer has gone kaput! I told you this thing won’t go very far. Now you’ll buy me breakfast.’ Aadil revved up the scooter but quickly cut off the engine as the sound from the broken silencer was deafening.

With a look of embarrassment on his face, Venky took the scooter from Aadil and rode it in the direction of the nearby town. They were lucky that even before they reached the town, they spotted a mechanic by the side of the road.

The mechanic started fixing the scooter. When he was done, he got up to say, ‘You are very brave to ride this scooter all the way from Delhi.’

Though this incident shook them up for a moment, the boys were relieved that they were able to eventually get the scooter going. Venky and Aadil continued to ride and stopped only occasionally to give their aching body some rest and drink cups of piping hot chai from the roadside vendors.

When they were about twenty kilometres from the college, Venky increased the speed of the scooter. He wanted to reach the hostel before dinner to avoid the Lambretta getting too much attention. The scooter was now on reserve fuel but Venky and Aadil thought they would be able to make it in time.

They had hardly cruised for a couple of kilometres when the scooter started sputtering. They both looked at each other. They knew they had run out of fuel. Venky tilted the scooter and started it again. They rode for another kilometre and then the same thing happened. They did these six more times before the scooter came to an absolute standstill.

Aadil said to Venky, ‘We’ll need petrol now. Let me take a lift from someone and go to a petrol pump.’

Aadil got to know from a passer-by on the street that the nearby petrol station was about a kilometre away.

Aadil stood by the road and started asking passers-by for a ride, while Venky continued his efforts to start the scooter.

A couple of cars and bikes passed by but nobody stopped. Aadil was getting mighty frustrated and decided to make one last ditch effort. Just then, he saw a motorcycle speeding towards them at 100 kilometres an hour. Aadil jumped on the road and started waving wildly at the bike.

Seeing the two students in trouble, the rider decided to stop and the bike screeched to a halt.

Aadil was thankful the biker had stopped. He pleaded with him, ‘Brother, can you please drop me at the nearest petrol station?’ The biker nodded his head and asked him to sit on the pillion seat.

Aadil was just about to sit on the bike when Venky, who was oblivious to what was going on, managed to start the scooter. He looked back and shouted at Aadil, ‘Quickly get on the scooter or it will stop again.’ Aadil didn’t know what to do. He was confused whether to sit on the bike or the scooter.

Aadil had half a mind to sit on the bike, but Venky wouldn’t stop shouting. Aadil turned around, rushed towards Venky and sat on the pillion seat. The biker was livid with anger. But instead of an explanation, Aadil only had an angelic smile to offer. Without wasting any time, Venky gave the scooter a throttle and sped past the biker.

The frustrated biker gave the boys his choicest expletives and overtook them, shaking his fist at them.