“Subra, are you up for a long bicycle ride with me?”
“Where?”
“Far … very far away.”
“What!” Subra’s eyes got widened with surprise. He was nicknamed Godfather. "Look, Subra, could you ride bicycle for a full day, at the very least?" My inquiry prompted him to give me an inquisitive guise.
“Yes, definitely.” A sudden glare appeared on his face. “I’ve biked for more than a hundred kilometers in a day.”
“No… no, man. not one day, it will be months, maybe a year, maybe even longer.” “Michael,” he looked at me oddly. “What’re you talking about?”
“Yes, Subra, this is the only way to reach the western world. You, know, it’s really a challenge.” I raised my head and looked Subra in his eyes as I explained my whole plan.
I looked at him intently for a moment. But his eyes revealed nothing. “What do you say, Subra?” I asked him piercingly. “Are you interested in coming to the western world? Do you dare to come with me on an adventure trip?” There was a long and heavy silence around us.
“Michael, do you think this’ll work out?” Godfather crooned, breaking the silence. "Is it a feasible plan?"
“I’m not sure.” I replied, Looking at to his perplexed eyes. “Just try, that’s all.”
There was a long pause…
I watched Subra, his eyes were fixed on the far end of the great Arabian Sea, and then to the flying seagulls. The sun had almost set, drowning into the depth of the mighty ocean. Darkness enveloped everything. Our ears were sensed with only the roars of the waves.
“Subra, why are you so silent?” finally I broke the silence. I saw his lips quivering, and struggling to say something. “Michael, I… I’ll tell you later.”
“It is a real story about a young Indian who travelled by bicycle with his friend on a Rotary friendship mission to Europe. Yes, it's a truly touching tale of an adventurous traveller who overcame all challenges to reach his destination… and…"