A Vespa nicknamed ‘helicopter’

We arrived at Mussoorie with our two daughters, aged five and three, and a Vespa scooter when I got posted to Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in the summer of 1986.

Vespa was then a much-sought-after two-wheeler and used to fetch high premium on the black market. I was lucky to get its delivery in the nick of time, just a month before my posting, as I had booked it many years ago.

In the very first weekend, we decided to go to the famous Kempty Falls on the scooter for a picnic. While my wife was busy preparing sandwiches and paranthas, I helped the kids to get ready.

Carrying snacks, water bottle and tea in a flask, we left home well in time. Its little boot space was roomy enough to accommodate our picnic bag.

Though I had driven scooter in my college days at Chandigarh, but by now, I was out of touch. Imposing Ambassador cars driven by smart cops in uniform in districts where I was successively posted as the district police chief had rather spoiled me.

The four of us, with the elder one standing in front, and the younger one and my wife riding pillion, started off excitedly. As we hit the descent point on the Kempty road, I changed into top gear and pressed the throttle. Presto! The scooter was flying. ‘Slow it down,’ my wife shouted. ‘I can’t do that. It’s getting out of control,’ I yelled back, as the scooter was hurtling down.

It was after miraculously lucky manoeuvrings at a few sharp turns that I could bring the scooter to a halt. It took some time for us to regain our composure. We waved and stopped a two-wheeler rider and took some tips for driving on a downhill road and finally reached the beautiful falls.

It wasn’t long before I picked up the skills of driving a scooter in the hills and could effortlessly drive up and down on narrow winding hilly paths.

It was such a versatile machine. I had quickly and without fuss changed its flat tyre. And whenever in a hurry to address a class, come rain or cold winter, a half kick was enough to ignite it into a soft purr and I would dash off to the academy to reach there on time. What a simple, hassle-free efficient machine it was! We lovingly nicknamed it ‘helicopter’!

When the kids were too tired or in a foul mood, I would drive them up on the narrow path to our dainty cottage, perched atop a hill, and pull it right in front of our main door. It thrilled them no end.

Our occasional trips to Dehradun for shopping and sightseeing were full of adventure and excitement. Oh, the Vespa added so much more charm and fun to our tenure at Mussoorie.