Sunday, July 25, 2010

Bullet Rani

She looked nothing like the conventional pretty girl - pleasantly plump, pierced brow and lip, bandana, tattoo adorned arm and leather boots. Yet, Rani happens to be the most beautiful person I have seen.

Every morning, I watched her zoom into campus on a motorcycle, an oddity in the parking lot of an all-girl college. She showed the helmet its place and walked swiftly to Nescafe each morning..every morning. That she was nearly bald under the bandana didn't make her less radiant for she always had a kind 'good morning' ready. I used to watch her till she was out of sight, oblivious to several 'What's the deal with her hair?' and 'Did she actually shave her head?!' remarks.

Lovely as she was, even the dogs on campus loved Bullet Rani- that was what I heard people call her. She somehow managed to be in the canteen, library and the chapel at the same time! Rani seemed to be everywhere, sometimes spread out in the sun alone while academic sessions were in progress, perpetually with food, iPod carelessly plugged, book in hand with her typical stare-on-I-don't-care look. That she had only one state -happy- seemed to grab my attention always and slowly, I began to seek inspiration in her. Rani's answer to life helped build an attitude impervious to judgement that shaped a person who valued kindness while not letting any turmoil affect the tone of her 'good morning'. A mother soon noticed her eternally pseudo-depressed teen happier than she had been in the recent past and was heard raving about how the 'II PUC stress' had failed to affect her daughter.

After a few months, there was no sign of her in college and the general assumption was that she had graduated. I did eventually find out that Rani didn't really run a razor along her scalp every Sunday; she was on chemotherapy for leukemia. That didn't seem to deter her from effortlessly bringing the Enfield to life with a single kick.

I do not know where or how Rani is today..it is depressing to even think about the success rate of chemotherapy. Every morning as I start the Scooty, there is that one moment of regret for not getting to know Bullet Rani in person, for all the conversations that could have happened over the numerous donuts she downed and for the difference we could have made in each others' lives. All those endless hours idled in the basketball court - an amazing person was just a syllable away.

16 comments:

Praveen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Praveen said...

She had leukemia?! Total respect.
Hope she's fully recovered.

One of my friends underwent chemotherapy for brain tumour while we were in school. We used to visit him once a week, our 14 year old minds wondering what to tell him. And then find him lazing on the bed, completely nonchalant. Nothing was a big deal. He had (has) such optimism and positive energy, that we used to leave actually feeling better.
Really admire their stoicity.

Akshatha Hegde said...

Tumour at 14? Shocking and sad. Well I'm glad he has recovered. Maybe you should write more on the subject. *cough* Blog post!

Unknown said...

This coming at a time when one of my friends just died...Dengue and brain haemorrhage.

Too much!

Merin Mandanna said...

Respect.
Absolute love and respect.
Hope things are good with her..wherever she is.

Akshatha Hegde said...

@ Govil:

I'm really, really sorry if the post made you remember something you didn't want to. It wasn't intentional. I do hope you get over the pain of losing the person soon. :)

@ Chotu:

You must have seen her as well..the girl used to be everywhere!

Jil Jil Ramamani said...

Falling in louwe with blog because of bald girl and enfield has happened. Now I shall go give my exam, come back and read the rest of the blogposts.

Akshatha Hegde said...

@ Jil Jil

Whattaname! And thanks, I'm flattered. Hope the exam went well. :)

Madhurya said...

The success rate for chemotherapy to treat leukemia is pretty good unless it is the likes of acute myeloblastic leukemia.

Hope she has recovered fully and is doing well. :)
Also, May the social networking sites prove there worth by leading you to her. :)

anusha said...

akkuu... being brutally frank bout thisa.. but i'm reading ur blogs for the first tym.. trust me... its jus extravagant.. :)))))

Akshatha Hegde said...

Thanks, all of you. Felt good hearing that. :)

Yeah..still searching.

monish said...

nice!

Pooja said...

Refreshing..soulful, inspirational. :)

Pied Piper said...

If ye find her, suggest her to try Wheat Grass juice. Tons of it helps a person a ton! It helped moi sister, fight cancer - ye can say.. she gutted the cancer out, so far that iss!

Akshatha Hegde said...

Thank you. If I ever do find her, she will be fed wheat grass juice even if it is by force. :)

Unknown said...

This post will change fundamentally the way in which the rest of my day shall progress.