A Fine Day to Crash a Party
“Arghhh!” A loud scream tears through the otherwise calm Sunday afternoon; the shrub near my feet shudders as a couple of squirrels scurry away in fright, and then I see it — Alex hurtling towards me almost out-of-control cycling down the slope, exhilaration written on his face as his legs pump at the pedals at lightning speed. “Outta the way!” he shouts as I gently step aside and let him pass. He disappears down the cycling path with a scream and a swoosh.
“Too much drama. Wonder where he’s going,” chuckles Vince. “Google maps says he’s going in the opposite direction.”
“He’ll be back,” I grin.
Our motley group all mounted on bicycles patiently waits by the side of the road on the empty cycle path, our eyes scanning the scene for Alex. Sure enough, he returns with a sheepish grin on his face. “Hi again, guys. I’ve saved you some trouble. There’s no way down there.”
“We know,” states straight-faced Mark unblinking and unamused.
“What did you see there, man?” asks Harry inching his bicycle towards Alex studying his face.
“Err…it’s a dead end,” mutters Alex straightening his bun which seems to have taken the brunt of the rash ride.
“Ah, I see.”
“Okay, where to next? Vince, lead the way,” I say throwing a glance at Vince who seems only too eager to lead the pack of six.
“Follow me,” he says with great gusto.
“You were waiting for this moment, weren’t you?” I chuckle.
“I was born for this,” he laughs and cycles away as we follow after him on the narrow cycle path beside the Danube as it flows under the bright afternoon Sun shimmering in blue and white seemingly greeting its speedboats and cruisers with a gentle tip of its hat and a generous almost graceful bow.
I make an effort to cycle as properly and as carefully as possible on a bike with a gear system, testing out different combinations of speeds to figure out the unwritten relation between the gear, the speed, and the rotations per minute of the pedals. “The faster you go, the higher the gear; the higher the gear, the better the control,” I repeat to myself as the cool wind rushes against my face and plays with my hair as beads of sweat make their way down the side of my face.
I cycle almost mechanically — lost in my thoughts — occasionally making sure I don’t bump into Vince in front of me, as he keeps checking his Google maps. I look around; Mark cycles single-handedly while clicking pictures of the Danube and of us; Harry is deep in conversation with Carl who is the newest member of our group; Making the rear, Alex watches the passers-by with deep interest while cycling almost absentmindedly.
I suddenly feel something wet and cold on the back of my neck. I brush it away while trying to maintain my balance concentrating on the tarmac in front of me. Something else lands again on my neck; I smack it away. Another one hits me; then another. And a huge deluge of cold needles of water descends from the sky and on our little cycling party as our legs pump as fast as possible along the Danube as it welcomes, then eats up the slivers of rain gracefully and in one gulp. I pull up the hood of my blue raincoat over my head as the rain beats down on us mercilessly and relentlessly.
“There’s no shelter nearby. Keep cycling, guys,” instructs Vince as we rigorously cycle down the slippery road eager to get out of the pelting rain. I look up, wipe my face with the back of my sleeve and then I see it — something rising in the distance.
“Hey, there’s some place over there. We can take shelter till the rain stops,” I call out to Vince who nods and heads towards the growing building — an over-bridge.
We stop and huddle under the bridge like drenched poultry as twelve-wheeled trucks and speeding cars swoosh by overhead. Mark wrings out water from his jacket as Alex tries to salvage a small pack of cookies hidden in his hoodie. Vince re-calibrates his Google Maps while Harry and Carl stand a little way off drying themselves with a small towel. I tie the hood of my raincoat tighter and button myself up thoroughly.
“Did you already know it was gonna rain?” Alex approaches me eyeing my bright, blue raincoat.
“Rule Number One: I never go out without either a raincoat or an umbrella.” I state looking very prim and proper. “Although, the weather report did say it was gonna be pretty sunny,” I grin at him. He crosses his arms across his chest and throws a sardonic look at me — “Tsk, tsk.”
Soon the Sun peeps out from behind the clouds, almost shyly glancing at us, gently waving in our direction dispelling the torrents and calling the birds out of hiding. And to my sheer delight, a splendid rainbow of epic proportions spreads itself across the sky as the sky breaks into a wide grin and I watch open-mouthed in awe of its multi-hued magnificence lost in its splendour till Alex snaps me out of my reverie.
“Time to roll!” Alex whoops launching a fist into the air and cycling away getting a head-start.
“This way, guys. Turn right now. We’re heading into the city and away from the river,” directs levelheaded Vince as we move into the cycle lanes of the city.
“Keep an eye out for red lights and pedestrians,” I add almost as a reminder to myself.
A passing boat replete with old Abba music, drunk party-goers wearing balloons as hats and clothes, and an abundance of food and drink waves us goodbye as we gracefully peel ourselves away from the riverside and into the city.
We cruise along the dull red cycling path with Vince in the lead, each of us lost in our own thoughts occasionally nodding to the other and yelling out directions to those at the back of our pack. It almost seems that the streets of Krems are half-asleep with the occasional BMW passing us by swiftly and quietly. We pause obediently at a red-light while Vince takes stock of our surroundings as Alex waves excitedly to a red-haired young lady dragging or rather being pulled along by a bunch of hot pink helium balloons which she tries to control with much exertion.
“I wish I was invited to that birthday party. It’s her friend’s 26th,” notes Alex rather morosely, trying to look cool as she manages to get the number-shaped balloons under control.
“There, there, buddy. Some day,” I grin at Alex shooting a look at Vince who looks rather amused while distractedly glancing at his Google Maps.
“We turn here, guys,” calls out Vince as our group makes our way off the cycle paths of the main road and into the cobbled walkways of sleepy little Krems. “Watch out for people.”
We make our way past souvenir shops, cozy little cafés and old couples sitting outside the little restaurants lounging at their tables, engaged in chatter and nodding a polite greeting to passers-by who happen to glance in their direction. They study with great interest our odd group of cyclists — a guy with a bun and a black jacket emblazoned with red letters, one in a green hoodie whose hand is welded to his phone and Google Maps, two in deep, rapid conversation in an Indian tongue unknown to the others, one with his sunglasses and phone camera and a short-haired girl in a bright, blue raincoat and a cap.
“By the way, where are we going, Vince?” Mark asks looking up from his phone camera.
“We’re exploring Krems —” says Vince throwing Mark a glance, “— on our way to the Railway Station to catch our train back to Vienna,” he adds with a smirk. Mark nods soberly.
“Aren’t we trying out the Apricot dumplings? It is famous here, man!” pipes up Harry looking at Carl enthusiastically.
“We’ll try to find some café near the Station,” says Vince studying his map.
“Yo, Alex! Where do you think you’re going?” calls Mark as Alex cycles down a small alley almost hidden in the motley of shops and curiosities.
“I hear something…” comes the reply.
“Wait up!” shouts Mark as he races after Alex.
“Not again,” groans Vince as we watch Harry and Carl absentmindedly follow after Mark and Alex. “This path does not exist on Google Maps!”
“Here we go again,” I grin at Vince as we cycle after our buddies.
We make our way into the narrow, cobbled alley one behind the other and to our surprise, it opens out to another parallel street packed with elegant restaurants, dainty cafés and peppy music. The tunes wafting from a café nearby permeate the air calling the street to life, almost making it nod its head and sway its hips to the music. We cycle our way slowly along the cobblestone path with a silly smile plastered on our faces and a boisterous bounce in our pedals grinning at each other thoroughly enjoying the vibes and smells of the little street.
“Hallo? Excuse me! Hello there!” A voice floats into my ear vying for my attention. I stop, look around and then I see her — a pretty black-haired girl in a bright pink dress embroidered with the text “Team Bride”. She tiptoes to me in her inch-high heels holding the edge of her dress delicately in one hand while waving a paper card in the other.
“Hi,” I reply with a hint of doubt. Vince catches up with me and stops beside me breathlessly.
“Hello there,” he says looking effortlessly debonair.
“Hi, guys. I need your help. I couldn’t help but notice that you are a pack of six — with five guys. Okay, so, that’s my friend, Emma,” she says pointing to a blonde girl in a white skirt, an electric pink T-Shirt and a white sash across her torso. “We’re throwing her a bachelorette party, and she’s gotta complete like ten tasks by midnight tonight. One of them is that she’s gotta find five guys to sing a Backstreet Boys song with,” she explains in a rush looking up at us expectantly. I politely smile back at her as Vince opens his mouth to reply.
“Oh, for sure. We’d be glad to help!” interrupts Alex, who appears out of nowhere, flashing a gallant smile at her, smoothing back his hair. “Hey, guys! Get off your steeds! Today we gotta do a good deed!” Alex jumps off his bicycle, straightens his bun and gathers the rest of the guys. “Yo! Carl and Harry, What are you guys doing there? Come here! Mark man! Vince!”
I watch the scene unfold in amusement chuckling to myself. Alex bounds up to me hurriedly, “Take a video for me, will ya? And lots of pictures!”
Tasked with an important job, I whip my phone out of my pocket and walk closer to the heart of the party.
I flash a smile at the girl who invited us. “I’m Kassandra with a K,” she says holding out a hand and beaming at me. “You’ve got a nice group of friends,” she says her voice laden with a German accent.
“Yeah. They’re the best,” I grin at her as we watch the little concert-to-be.
“What song do guys want to sing?” Emma, the bride-to-be, looks up at Mark straightening her sash.
“Err…do you have a preference?” Mark asks busying himself with his phone.
“I want it that way!” hollers Alex as the whole street lets out a resounding whoop.
Cameras flash and confetti dot the sky as an out-of-key ‘I want it that way’ wafts up the air while the guys and the bride-to-be belt out their rendition of the Backstreet Boys Classic.
“Cause I want it thaaaat waaaaay!” finishes Vince in a tenor solo as the street erupts in cheers. They exchange high-fives around the group and pose for pictures.
“Go ahead, join them!” urges Kassandra with a wide grin. I throw her a huge smile and run headlong into the action just in time to catch the last few snaps.
Vince grins at me as I join the guys. “Gotta hand it to Alex. That guy sure knows how to find a way — to crash a partayyy.”
“And I certainly want it that way,” smirks Alex shooting the biggest smile at the cameras.
P.S. It is impossible to even mention the rainbow without drawing attention to our Heavenly Father who first set it up in the sky. He threw the light into the water, and it split — into a million colours; and He remembered me. It is a sign that God will keep His promise — without a doubt, one hundred percent — for sure. And when God makes a promise, He keeps it.
“I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
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