A Shadowy Cost (Shadow Hunter Contest)

What do you see in this picture?

A bike? Pretty normal. A shadow? Every physical object has it. A person repairing? Dah, he is behind the bike. And a person sitting? Do not disturb him. Because he is going to have a serious issue, of course sarcastically.

Here is the reason behind all these emotions and existence. It is a story about a moment that almost every boy - especially in South Asia - has lived through at least once.

A pretty normal day

Everything is going according to the plan. You have calculated every penny of your montgly expense. And most probably, you are heading to your workplace. Maybe to the university; maybe someone is waiting for you. You kick-start your CD-70, ride for a few minutes in the blazing heat, and boom! You heard a little blast, and something starts to feel wrong.

The bike starts to wobble. After escaping near to death experience, you stop. You look down, and congratulations, the tyre is flat. At the spot, you already know that your day has changed.

There is an absurd law of the universe: getting in trouble, when you are not free.

Now, there are two options: wait for the rider to come and pick you up with your bike; or you push the bike to the nearest shop. Sweating under the sun is a must thing, so do not think that any of these options are easy. The only difference is the money.

To those, who think this is the end. Here is the twist. It is basically a simple sentence, or a national anthem of the punctured world.

"Ustad G, tube shot h!" (Translation: Boss inner tube is done for)

Sometimes, even worse: "Naya tyre lagana pare g" (Translation: You will need a new tyre)

Those words hit differently, as if someone has reminded you of their unpaid debt.

The mechanic says these words as he is announcing a romantic story. Why would not he? Like he is going to earn a good sum. But, on the other hand, there is YOU. An accountant will start to run in your head.

"I was supposed to go to gaming zone".

"My weekly tea budget".

"There goes the plan to finally buy that baggy jeans". List goes on...

The real pain is not thee puncture itself; it is the unplanned money, which feels a waste.

In this economy, life is already full pf expected bills. Fuel prices act as a whole in my pocket. Electricity bill, even after solar panels, is the most loyal one towards me. But, as mentioned earlier, these a re expected bills. Though heavy one, yet we have to pay. Not because we enjoy it. Because, there is no alternative.

The Surgeon

Puncture shops are tiny roadside workshops, where strangers come and go on daily basis. Thanks to our corruption made roads. However, these little workshops are nothing less than a hospital. The mechanic applies the patches like a surgeon is treating a critical patient, yet the confidence is top-notch. And, just like any private hospital, you are calculating whether disease takes you or the bill.

Haggling

This thing is everyone's favorite. You start to haggle, as Nami from "One Piece" said: "There is a price they say; there is price they will take." It does not mean that mechanic is being unfair, but because bargaining gives you the illusion that you are the winner of this lost battle.

Sometimes you save a few rupees; sometimes you only save your pride.

As a children, I imagine adulthood as freedom, and it truly is. But never have I ever thought about bills and maintenance costs.

In the end, you will pay the price, share a laughter with the mechanic about the increased prices, and set off to your journey ahead. That is why, looking at this picture, I do not just see a motorcycle. I see a cost hiding beneath the shadow.

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Peace 🕊

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This is my entry for Shadow Hunter Contest. Feel free to check out the rules, and enjoy!