In the fall of 2009, my parents had enrolled me in intuition classes about 10 km away from my home. There I had my worst encounters with my arch-nemesis, Mathematics. Looking at my 10+2 score one might get wrong ideas, I was terrible in mathematics once.
The Grind
This 10km distance I covered on foot. As I entered the premises of my teacher, I occasionally collapsed in the garden from the exertion. Later, was helped to the classroom by fellow mates and was given an energy drink. Just kidding, I use to ride my bicycle ‘Hercules Ultima IC 26’, What a fancy name.
On this 30–40-minute journey music was my support system, sometimes on my Micromax mobile and other times Walkman. I heard a lot of Michael Jackson, Madonna, Daft punk, and so on. I had a newfound love for western music in those years. Pop, hip-hop, and whatnot.
One fruitful day I found it. So, before I move any further this narrative is about Song ‘Rasputin’ by ‘Boney M’ and not ‘Rasputin’ himself, though some might say the song shares the same enigma as his.
The discovery
As I was riding on a desolated road a vehicle passed me by. SUV with its windows drawn down and these catchy reggae vocals of a man with funky music in the background blasting on the speakers. I immediately knew this is something I would like to listen to over and over again. However, within a matter of a few seconds, the SUV had zoomed past the distance from where I could listen to anything.
With a hint of disappointment I moved on, only If I could listen to that song again. Came to rescue ‘cigarette’. A kilometer ahead I saw the same SUV parked to the side, with its door open and a man, who was apparently the driver, having a smoke. I rode close and the song was still playing! I stopped a meter or two before and tried to listen to the lyrics while pretending to check my phone, desperate to catch a few words from which I could search the song on the Internet. A minute in and I was able to make out one word, Ra — Ra — Rasputin.
And that’s how I found the song and the group to whom I am still listening 12 years after. True story.
