Of Bikes and Boys

Thankyou all for such mixed reviews. I have a tendency to write of such a nature. Copying is such a filthy word, and must it be used against me in a manner so demeaning? I feel inspired by Salinger and Harold Robbins, two of the greatest in my opinion. One is simplictic and the other can bring his characters the warmth of life. Again thanks to all of you. I have some more pieces I will be submitting shortly.
aliG

Ali,

This is one of the sweetest memoir, I have read so far.

In fact, it also introduced you in a sweet manner. The other interesting part was your ability to make the reader (me) feel your mood and its swings. Since you are not seeking to be consoled, I just thought I will let you know that the memoir was an engrossing read. And, the reader could certainly feel the void and unspoken pain.

You remind me of my dear friend`s chubby little brother who looked like a cute toat batoat during his early teens. It was always fun to tease and irritate him, since he acted like a nerdy character with carpety straight hair. Not that I am comparing you two 100%, but his toat batoat-ness used to be very appealing.

On an ending note, the loss of a dear friend cannot be overcome easily. It takes years to build good friendships. Childhood friendships have a spontaneous element involved in them that cannot be compared with the friendships at later ages. In a way, childhood friends are unique, since you can bombard them with all about yourself without being concerned on the wavelength. And, as you grow older, you`ll come across a wide variety of friends with whom you may not share all aspects of your life 100%, but still there is a bond. With some you can talk about all the books you like to read and what you want to do in your future; with others you may like to just talk about the extra-curricular. There can be many many other categories depening on the kind of humans and animals you come across.

By the way, I lost one great friend many many years ago who I knew since my early teens. She died in her very early 20s during one of her water expeditions. I had really hard time going near water for many many years since I didn`t/don`t know swimming and it reminded me of her. I still have all the hand written birthday cards and letters from our childhood days in the boarding house, stored in one of my cute birthday-cards boxes. Life goes on after a while(...). Now, all my vacations and meditative retreats are near water for some unbeknownst reason.

Thank you for the sweet memoir.

Best Wishes.

zee #22 OK. bye bye. If you ever read the Great Gatsby, I hope you will invite me to the parties that you no doubt will start throwing just like the Great Gatsby.

Sure it is. Enjoy arguing with yourself and laughing at your jokes.

rozaiba #19 I read about it somewhere. Its been some time since I read the book, but I assume it has references to the anti-establishment hero putting on his baseball cap backwards as a sign of his flouting convention.

zeeshanmahmud #18 you were doing great until I came to the final line: ``Now piss off before you really get on my nerves.``

This last line is as surely an acting out that Holden Caulfield himself, while spitting on this article for copying the style. This indicates a subconscious desire to be like Holden Caulfield, and also explains your umbrage at anyone else who you think is copying the style. You cannot stand to have another copycat present.

Now there is no need to get down on your knees and start kissing my shoes for presenting you your unconscious self. I do it all the time on chowk, and my clients include people far weirder than you. You are nothing compared to my best clients.

Did anybody teach you comprehension in school boyo?
Your post implies theme, my post implies lack of theme.
My post implies that the writer has ripped off Saligner`s style without knowing anythign more than ``it sounds cool.``
That story is called Catcher in the Rye. Do you know what a Catcher in the Rye is? Did you ``get`` the ending? Did you see the point of the story after he has a nervous breakdown? Catcher in the Rye is about more than alienation I`m sorry.
And if you think that`s not ripping off, I bet you believe in the ``cut/paste`` philosophy as well.
Now piss off before you really get on my nerves.

Tahmed:

``PPS: If you are looking for catcher in the rye copycats, check out the amreeka return teenagers in islamabad who wear their baseball caps backwards. catcher in the rye is credited with starting this trend in the us in the 1950`s. ``

really? wow! but how did the book manage to do that? regardless, that book never ceases to amaze (though i just read it a few weeks ago).

Nice kick.
Mind explaining how you`ve managed to look ten years into the future or got the idea that I`m here to beg for respect? And how I`m on drugs or will be?
I think they call it an ``all-assuming`` nature. And those who assume too much can never know too much since they`ve been spending their lives making assumptions, trying to win the smartguy marathon.

Now if that is true...you assuming too much and trying to be smart, you are actually desperate for validation and everybody`s love/respect.
I, on the other hand haven`t made assertions and assumptions so large hung in the air only by my wit.
My hypothesis is you`re the loser here. You`re the one who`s trying to defend someone who`s more popular than me without actually replying to my post. It`s a clever theory practised by many pakiretards when they are unable to answer the question. Demean the questioner isntead of answering him.
And thank you for the warm welcome. Stop hiding behind an empty bio and a screename loser.

zeeshanmahmud #12 I wont predict the dire future that sac predicts with pleasure awaits you, but I do think you got an F if you took catcher in the rye in school. the only thing common between this article and salinger`s book is the preppie background. the salinger story had to do with the alienation of the hero from society. the story above has to do with the loss of a friend, and the writer`s relationship to society is not a major issue.
Now go back and read that damn book again!!

PS: No, i dont teach english and its been a zillion years since i read that book - but google can refresh one`s memory.

PPS: If you are looking for catcher in the rye copycats, check out the amreeka return teenagers in islamabad who wear their baseball caps backwards. catcher in the rye is credited with starting this trend in the us in the 1950`s.

re zeeshanmahmud #12:

Without blowing off your stupid post, here is my prediction for you. You`ll hang around chowk for a month or two, pick a lot of unnecessary fights which will make you look worse than the chump you actually are. Finally you`ll realize that nobody gives a hooey about your existentialist bullshit and you`ll have to write that amazing novel that you`ve been itching to write since you were in diapers to get any respect. You`ll continue to bang away at the keyboard trashing everyone and getting stoned whenever your papa sends you some money. Soon you`ll be on the wrong side of 30. You most probably will never write that novel or screenplay or whatever your current fancy is. Oh yes, before I forget. Welcome to chowk.

later
-sac

Ali

A sad and a very poignant story. Told well with feelings.

Start making friends - and girl friends - Now your are 14. Let your emotions find a release.

and buy a new Bike to get over the past.

This is absolutely wonderful writing.

Enjoyed the simplicity and the flow here.

Hope that you will write more on CHOWK.


Ras

Catcher in the Rye theme?
Using ``damn`` or ``killed me`` doesn`t make it a theme.
I`d have liked it better if you`d have used your style rather than a watered down teenie CITR ``homage.`` I`m sure you`ll grow out of being ``inspired`` but someone`s got to tell you this and I`m already a cartoon villain on the board. Those who have read Catcher in the Rye will prefer references not blind ripoffs. If you didn`t mean to ripoff, it still reads like it. You`ll know it`s for your own good when you mature as a writer if you want to be one.
Consider this.
Would a writer want you to be inspired by his work and go on to do something original or copy him?
Sorry...honesty blows.

bechara, i hope u make more friends... nice peice...

Ali

A very gripping account. Thank you for sharing this with us on Chowk. Friendship such as the kind you described is a rare thing - for any age, but especially in childhood.

Enjoyed reading this, Ali.

this was nice but i dont understand why..hope you make many more friends

Honestly it was very difficult for me to read it in full after whats been going on with me in recent days but again “It is hard to endure mourning but we wouldn’t have it any other way” besides I like “All I thought about was what will happen to his bike”
Thanks Ali

A very difficult subject to deal with. Ali has done complete justice in describing events. Two thumbs up!

#1 by rozaiba on May 20, 2003 8:41pm PT
The truth, innocence, simplicity and honesty hint at THE CATCHER IN THE RYE theme. Agree with you cent per cent.

Ali:
This resonated with so many little truths, in fact it reminded me of dog-eared pages of a favourite book: LIFE.

One quibble...the piece deserved a better title than `Of Bikes and Boys`, though I know that the bike `metaphor` could play a role. But you don`t seem the kind to stretch a from-the-heart thought to technical finesse.

Am sure one will see more of you here...

i like the way you`ve used simple words to describe some of the most deep thoughts. so many things come and go as we mature in life, we forget some and remember others, never the less they all leave an impression which shapes us for better or for worse. c`est la vie.

You are probably the seventh Ali Rizvi I have come across.

Very nice piece. Has elements that remind me of `Catcher in the Rye`.
I agree. The street is the real teacher.

Great article, Ali. You have written about a difficult subject with honesty.

Enjoyed reading your story first thing on a turbulent morning here. Thank you. Coming of age and to terms with death.

Experience shows that people who are faced with, come to terms with, and then try to understand the complete concept of death tend to lead deeper lives subsequently.