Learning something new everyday

 I was feeling a bit dazed after walking down from the Bukit Mertajam hill at Ceruk To'Kun late Friday afternoon. No, it had nothing to do with my blood pressure. I felt fine except that I had one of the most mind-blowing casual conversations with two fellas I met at the foothills.

If you are a regular BM Hill trekker, you will see quite a number of people who ride their bicycles up the tarmac road. You see them huffing and puffing away as they slowly make their way up on their spiffy looking mountain bikes. Of course, coming down is a different matter: always a breeze for all of them.

I've long admired these bicycles. They look so different from the ones I used to ride when young. They also look different from the bicycles that I bought for my children. These new bicycles come with front suspension forks, disc brakes and even rear monoshock systems. Great looking mountain bikes! How I wish that I can have one....

So last Friday when I came down from the hill and found two chaps at the foothills talking about their bicycles, I went up to them. One had his brilliant blue bicycle on the ground. I asked how much it cost. Cheap only, he replied, only RM2,000-plus. Then he added, his friend's bicycle was more expensive.

By now I was quite intrigued. Gosh, if RM2,000 was cheap for a bicycle, how much would the other one be? I turned to the other fella and looked at him, then at his strikingly white mountain bike. Fantastic looking machine. How much, I asked.

Without blinking an eye, he remarked: RM5,000-plus. That was when I stopped hearing the birds singing, the cicadas chirping and the wind blowing. I felt dazed and then I slowly walked away. It was just too incomprehensible. Now, come to think of it, maybe I should have told him that the bike I used at home cost me $150.

My pal, Eric, said that I should have asked to test ride his bicycle. Take a ride on it and understand the difference. Nah, I told him, no way was I going to tempt myself.