Cherry n Berry (2)  Continued

We are Cherry n Berry

We make all Creatures merry

They sang and sang over and over again, waving at the passersby on foot, bicycles, horseback and on ponies, Cherry honked the horn singing to the music :

Po PPaw Po Po PPaw- PawPoPaw-PPaw Po PPaw-w-w

Quite often this startled the horses they jumped and stood on their hind legs that nearly threw off the rider, the sheep and cattle scattered too, some ran up hill, some down, while a few stood ground staring with large innocent eyes. They laughed and laughed thumping the dashboard and singing :

We make the horses jump

Sheep n cattle run

To make all laugh

And have some fun

We are Cherry n Berry

We make all creatures merry

They passed many small towns and villages on way, children ran out to greet them, screamed with joy at seeing such a colorful van, running, shouting, waving, wishing them a happy n safe journey, following the van till it disappeared leaving behind a cloud of dust and the echoing sound of the Horn.

Po PPaw-PoPo PPaw-Po Po Pawww

The Valley vanished round a bend: a steep climb up the mountain track began. Their singing stopped. Cherry, had to concentrate on driving, this was his first trip through the mountains.

He had to deal with the steep climb sudden descent and the blind curves. The narrow track with broken metal and potholes looking like moon craters only added woes to his in experience.

Berry rested the guitar on the berth above his head, switched on the music system and slumped lower into his seat, looking out at the valley below. The mountain stream which had accompanied them throughout the journey now, looked like a necklace around the mountain, as it threaded its way through the valley.

They were now travelling at considerable height nearing the peak of this mountain track.

Berry, now lost in thoughts; how they had worked day n night druring the past week, to get this old rusty Van which they bought from the Village Baker, ready for this trip.

Their parents had assisted them, Sultan Singh, Cherry’s father, a farmer by profession was a good mechanic too, he broke down the engine cleaned, polished and overhauled it. Switching the ignition it roared like a young bull and gleamed in the sunlight as new.

While Rajah Khan, Berry’s father who was a shepherd scraped off the rust and old paint from the entire van, he oiled and greased the wheels, then revamped the upholstery with new colourful sheepskin to keep them warm. He also polished the walnut teak dashboard which now shone as new.

Both Berry n Cherry then set upon to paint the van. They both started with the interior, painting it with white enamel, then moved out.

Cherry took up the left side, while Berry set about painting the right side of the van.

Cherry drew a picture of a mountaineer, sitting near the snow covered peak of a mountain, heating a frozen bottle of an orange drink, over a bonfire; the Cherry n Berry flag fluttered in the breeze atop a snow tent that lay in the background.  On the snow outside the tent, was written with bold engraved letters:  -  

“ Its Free - Z - zeey --- Its Oran - G – geey ”.

 Berry drew a colourful scene of a girl dancing on a sea beach, a bottle of cola was wobbling on the waves with another slogan written Waverly over it, which too seemed as if dancing, while music filled the air. The slogan read as follows : -

Its fresh n Ic-e-e --- Coz --- Its Sp-ic-e-e-y

They both then moved to the back of the van and drew a life size Bottle of a Lemon drink and wrote a slogan which read : -

Its lim-mey-lim-mey --- Le – mo – ne-e-e-y

S-C-R-E-E-E-E-C-H-H the sound of tires burning on the metalled road, broke Berrys’ thoughts abruptly, he was thrown forward with full force and, would have certainly crashed into the dashboard but, for the seat belt securely tied around him.

Round a blind curve, Cherry, stamped down the brake pedal, with full force bringing the van to a sudden halt. Half leaping out the side window waving his fist, at the shepherd whose flock had completely blocked the road, he shouted;

“What the hell”, honking the horn with his other hand;

PO PPO PPO PPO PAWWWWWWWWWWW PPO PAWWWWW PPO,

Cherry screamed; “Get those stupid animals off the road”.  

The shepherd whose, large flock of sheep and cattle had completely blocked the road was startled too. He looked on alarmed at the situation shooing his flock in a confused manner. The cattle dispersed here and there, some ran uphill some down while some stood ground, staring at them as if, wondering what was wrong.

Berry, was shaken by the sudden change of events, gathered himself, looked out, at the helpless shepherd who was trying his best to clear the road, but animals are animals, they kept coming back on the road.

Berry, was also a shepherds’ son, understood the behaviour of animals, took pity on the poor shepherd, opened the door and alighted the van, to lend a helping hand.

“ Nyersey – Nyersey - Woosh - Hai-Hai-Hoosh”, he shooed the animals to clear the path for Cherry to drive the Van ahead.   

Having accomplished the task he waved adeiu, to the shepherd, moved ahead towards the van ascended it, smiling at Cherry who beamed back.

(To be Continued)