Monster

This piece of news is several months old. Yet worth sharing. I've been driving a Bajaj CT100 since 2004. It was a nice bike, amazing mileage, no big problems and it has served me loyally. I never really had any complains. It did what was expected out of a bike of its class and more. In fact, when new, I was very proud of its specifications and would tell anyone who cared to listen; and several who didn't.

I'd ridden it less for 6 years. Around 30000 Kms. Yet it was enough to give problems. It seemed like I always had a bad back or it was a due bad posture at work and in bed. At one point of time, I'd decided I need to see a physiotherapist about it. 2 days into the week long therapy he declared it was my bike. "Too short for your height", he said. That was true. Not many bikes were good for my height. But I'd never thought about such stuff when I got this. Who would? I was too excited about getting a bike for myself.

Times were different now. The bike was a problem. I tried not using the bike for a week. That coupled with the sessions with the doc worked wonders for my back. I wasn't ready to buy a new bike yet. I sought out some used ones but couldn't find a good deal. This went on for a several weeks. Jobs changed. Office was now closer home. And all the while I had the same old bike. The back pain returned, though cricket during weekends helped a lot. Around a month after I joined the new company, I'd started some research about bikes. Within a week I decided a 150cc is going to be lot more comfortable than what I owned. Atleast a 125.

Soon, I was reading reviews, complaints and whatnot on the internet. Every bike seemed to be good. All 150s were priced roughly the same, except Yamaha of course which was higher. A lot of recommendations for the same bike came in from friends. But I also had this thing about not buying something that's common. I wanted something different from the crowd. Atleast in my social circle. So a lot of bikes from my list were knocked off. Then one fine day while talking to a colleague about it I learnt about a bike which he'd bought 2 years back. I took a test ride and within few metres I'd almost made up my mind. I then looked up reviews about it, consumer complaints what not. Since I didn't personally know any other owners I had to rely a lot on online forums. And since I liked this bike a lot, I tended to read only positive reviews. I even called up competing brands and asked why I should buy their product instead - didn't get very satisfactory answers.

After I saw the new version of it at a showroom, everything seemed to fit about this bike. It was big; right for my height. Great specs. Seemed to be a marketing failure which suited me perfectly well. A very comfortable ride. Similar price tag. Delivery promised within a week. The reputation of Suzuki engines. And to top it all, the colleague who had it resigned all of a sudden which meant I was the only person with a Suzuki GS150R in the whole building! I even tried to ignore the fact that there are only 4 places I could service it in Chennai as of then. Now that I'm a proud and happy owner, I want to share a pic of the monster.

Am not going to talk about the specs here. You can find them on their website. But I can tell you its an great piece of engineering - drive it to experience it! The 6th gear (I know!) deserves special mention; almost as good as cruise control.

PS: I am no longer the sole owner of this model - another colleague bought it on my recommendation, same colour even!
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Mederma

Did you just google that word? Or did you know it already? I hadn't heard the term until recently. Unlike most of you who just learnt the term, I was introduced because people thought I might need it. Once convinced I do, my natural tendency was not to enquire people where I can get it but simply look on the internet. I couldn't find much and besides I was really lazy about it. I've been lethargic for sometime now. No real reason. But the consequences were many and varied. One might be what let me to look for this world famous product. In fact, as a friend noted it was available at the local chemist. 275 bucks for 10 grams. Am a big fan of cricket. I haven't watched a whole match in maybe 5 years. I prefer playing over watching it on tv. Recently, I've been attending practice sessions on weekends and matches sometimes. Am all alert and everything when am playing. Yet it had to happen to me. I was only hovering behind the wickets to return the bowled balls. Medium pace bowler. Pitched short and wide. Unexpected bounce. Wizzzz. Wham. Silence. Hurried voices. Obscured vision. Blood. Dizziness. More voices. Then came the pain.

With a doctor friend around I was assured it wasn't bad except for a deep cut. I was to know much later that I got real lucky with it given the area of injury. With no first aid available, my team mates had to clean the wound with drinking water (the 20 ltr cans you get for a few bucks!). They made me hold a thick towel to the wound while I was taken (on a bike) to a private hospital nearby. I was scared, the driver had a history of accidents. The nurse there cleans my wound while the doctor was busy with another patient. When she finally came over she took one look and demanded all sorts of scans. An X-ray I can understand but a CAT scan was too much to digest. And saying my brain might've been affected was too far fetched! I excused myself telling her I live far off and since I needed stitches I'd prefer a clinic closer home. There wasn't much of a fuss and the doc seemed quite relieved to be rid of me. I talk a lot of crap when am unwell, that must've been why.

Another team mate who lived closest to my place dropped me off at my family doctor's clinic. We rode some 18 Kms and I had to cover the dressed wound from the wind by holding my helmet against it. My general physician made me do simple movements and deemed it was nothing serious. However, he did recommend an x-ray before I got sutures.

The hospital I was referred to for getting stitched had only a 'duty doctor' available at that time. And what a character she was. She said so herself. She said I talk too much when I was only trying to understand what would be done to me. Besides she kept saying she was a person with a different character which I found very irritating though I was amused as I was reminded of actor Sathyaraj (non-Tamil folk please excuse). One of her nurses was patient with me while the others feared to be found chatting me up. While the doctor was getting ready, I finally got to see my wound in proper light - it was deep. And nearly an inch long. After quarter of an hour passed when the stitching was almost done, the local anaesthesia had already worn off. Later when came I home much to the shock of my parents I found the dressing looked clumsy and later when it came off, the stitching worse.

I knew the swelling and blood clot on the left side of my face wound reduce but I was constantly told that the scar wound remain. Before the sutures were undone I used to tell myself, "maybe the scar would look cool or wicked at the least". I wouldn't have minded being called evil looking. But it looked rather silly with no sign of wickedness. After several days of looking like half a panda a visit to an eye doctor left me rather scared. I was told stories of similar accidents and how I could've lost my vision. But am alright now. Am not going to scare any of you. People who don't see me often, say when they do that the wound has healed well but they still like to mention how sad it is to have a silly scar. Thank you, but I don't need your pity. I trust in the 'proven results' of Mederma!
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