Exploits of Mechanic Murthy

Mr. Murthy is a kannadiga & a mechanic by profession, having his own two-wheeler workshop. Some strange quirk of fate got this wonderful person associated with us for a long time, during my growing years. His life was a story of struggle and rebellion. He had discontinued his studies in the primary school itself. He had run away from home for whatever reasons best known to him, though after many years he joined back his family.

Life had made him tough physically. He stood at a mere 5 feet 6 inches, but his courage touched the sky and his affection touched everyone's heart. He got so besotted with being associated to our family, that he would make it a point to come to our home almost every 2nd or 3rd day and sit for hours talking about anything and everything. His love for english led him to learn that language over the years and he would comfortably read english newspapers and feel proud about having understood most of it.

Being a mechanic, he was interested in riding fast and performing tricks. His love for speed even got him enrolled for races of 250cc bikes, and had got some podium finishes too at the local level. Wheelie and other tricks were his forte, though i got the opportunity to witness only one. Once during his visits to our home, we were very interested in hearing his stories and one of us asked him if he can really demonstrate what he just spoke. He agreed.

We all came out of our house and waited for Mr. Murthy to do some trick with his bike. He sat on his yezdi bike and dropped a one rupee coin to his left side. He said he could pick that coin by his mouth, while he was circling around it. None of us thought it possible, but his trick was so fast and he achieved what he said, but with a lot of mud in his mouth. My parents, myself and my sisters were mesmerised with his show.

On another occassion his courage got his story in the local newspapers. He went to the bank one day to deposit 10,000/- rupees. While he was standing in the queue, there were 2 Iranians who were quite lanky & strong who snatched the money from his hands and ran out. For their bad luck they had chosen the wrong person. May be they were fooled in by his average height. Murthy anna chased the duo for some distance and when they knew they couldnt keep pace, they split into different ways. Murthy anna chased the guy who was having the money, and atlast caught up with him. Though his adversary was more than 6 feet tall, he fought him quite valiantly and punched till he was knocked out. He then carried the Iranian on his shoulders and walked more than a kilometer to the Police Station and dumped him on the table of the Sub-Inspector and narrated the story.

His courage was appreciated by the police and his story appeared in the vernacular papers of Bangalore. Unluckily when we changed our residence, we couldnt intimate him about our changed address as he didnt have a phone number. We too didnt know his new workshop, and hence lost touch with him. I have thought of finding this person when i have enough time in hand, while in bangalore. Cant lose out on such a lovely soul.