Page 20 - FATE & DESTINY

FATE & DESTINY

rented us the cassette RUMBLE IN THE BRONX, we didn’t form any syndicates. Kids watched Asia’s
biggest movie star, Jackie Chan perform breathtaking stunts. The warning ‘Do not try this at home’ was
clear, but youngsters performed Jackie Chan’s stunts on the streets.
Jackie—the son of the most affluent businessmen in the town—formed his gang. “Call me Jackie.” He
took a deep breath and did the Kungfu. “Ha! Hu! Aiya!” He carried the notes in bales, and for this, boys
joined his gang.
One week later, the alpha male said, “Guys, we’ll fight Chaychay Gang in the afternoon. Are you
ready?”
“Yahoo!” said the other members. “Yeah, let’s fight!”
“A gang fight?” I blurted. “Not even a fortnight and I have to fight a gang fight? This is double-trouble.
No way.”
Jackie ignored me and held his chin high. “Report to the public ground at 2:00 pm.”
“No way,” I said, stepping back. “I ain’t gonna fight!”
“What the hell did you say, you coward?” Jackie cracked his knuckles. “You had better come or—”
“Okay, I will come,” I said, swallowing hard. “Trust me.”
“You must,” he said. “Or I will come after you.”
My heart pounded as I thought hard. “Should I fight?” Jackie’s snarling face flashed in my mind. “Um,
okay, I will fight.”
The other members were on the ground. One wore a helmet. Our enemies stood at the other end of
the ground, facing us. Bare hands, they outnumbered us.
Jackie said, “You all ready?”
“Yes,” we said in unison.
“Charge!” His voice sounded like a leader of the Spartan in Troy. “Everybody, charge!”
We charged. Soon two lads surrounded me and tried to trip me. I hung onto their shoulders and
resisted them, straining every muscle in my body. Sweat dripped from my face as I grunted. “Ah! Eiii! O!
Whop! Hek!”
We wrestled over twenty minutes, but my enemies showed no sign of exhaustion and tried all means to
pin me down.
“Everybody, run,” said Jackie. “It’s my dad!”
“Guys, leave me, please,” I said. “I give up. You won it.”
The moment they freed me, I ran into the bushes below the football ground and hid in the bushes.
I quit the damn gang thing right away.

***

Sonam Penjore lived in a gorgeous house. People held his family in high regard for their aristocracy. He
was a soft-spoken guy too. We were great friends, and we watched movies at his place.
“Let’s play outside,” said Penjore. “I feel drowsy today.”
I yawned in disappointment. “Where?”
“Anywhere, but let’s go from here,” he said. “I don’t want to be inside all day.”
“Fine,” I said. “Um, football ground?”
“Why not?”
“Follow me.”
We arrived at a pine tree, above the road, that had low branches to swing.
“Let’s see who hangs onto the branch the longest,” I said.
“Fine,” he said, keeping his hands on the hips. “I bet I win at this.”
“Let’s see.” I spit my hands and scurried after him. “Who’s gonna start?”
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