Funny thing happened to me recently. An inadvertent bit of memetic mirroring may have resulted in some accidental memetic engineering.
Yesterday, as we entered and rode around Hyderabad in our full biking gear on our way to the hotel riding these beautiful motorcycles, the people who were most impressed and excited to see us were kids. You see, it was the exact time for school buses to be about. They all waved at us, and while my club, Bikers’ Creed India, frowns upon and discourages engaging with the locals (because we have had some rather unpleasant experiences in the past where innocuous conversation and innocent hand-waving was taken offence to and arguments erupted), I very much enjoy interacting with children, especially when they so enthusiastically wave vigorously at us, all starry-eyed, wowed by the external appearance of a motorcyclist. So, I waved back.
But while doing that, I made up a signal just to be cool (you do know, or at least believe, I am cool as fuck, right?) by kissing the back of my hand and then doing the ‘Sign of the Horns’ or what I call the ‘Stay Cool’ sign, my favourite sign when being photographed, and then shaking it about, all the time trying to look as if that’s what bikers do all the time. To my utter surprise, the kids picked it up and started imitating me. Bus after bus full of schoolchildren were making that gesture at us and at each other as we passed by (unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera cover off and couldn’t record any, so this video just has me doing the sign to the camera; I’ll try tomorrow if we run into any kids).
So, where’s this story going? It’s like this: I may have, without intending to, started a trend in Hyderabad schools. If you see some kids doing ‘the sign’ at each other in the near future, you know who to credit. Or blame.
Stay cool, folks. And two wheels forever!
P.S.: Look how we are so disciplined as riders. We stay in file, ride safely, communicate clearly, and observe all local laws. That’s the cool way to ride, kids. Learn from your elders.
