My Tobu cycle

When was the last time I rode a cycle? Lets see, ummm... probably in 1997 - after which I moved to Delhi for my higher studies and my younger brothers took it over. But, I'm right now thinking about my first Tobu cycle, a tricycle, bright red colored. Recall its jingle on DD: "Chalo chalein hum, le kar apni, Tobu cycle-ein.....". I remember riding it day long, having my food on it - my hassled mom running around to make me eat. I would never let any of my friends have a ride on it (unless they gave me something in return!). The only other person who accompanied me on it was my younger sister, who would dutifully sit on the back seat and let me paddle...(hold on, was that a trick - to let me paddle the tricycle while she enjoyed the ride? Damn!).

And then one day, the sun and the rain did my tricycle in. The handle-bar broke, now all it could be used for was as my sitting chair. Then, after a lot of haggling and howling, my dad got the handle fixed (read, soldered). The cycle was in use again, but not for long - the handle-bar broke again and this time, fearing rebuke from my father, I left the tricycle alone; in a corner.

When I was in class 6, my Dad got me an Atlas cycle (although I wanted an ATB), but thats another story.