Naturally, after a night like that, I was in no shape to practise the next day. The team knew well enough what 'indigestion' meant, but that is what they told the media. That I had 'indigestion'. But after waking up late -- for a man who practises from 7 am in the morning, 10 am is terribly late -- I went to the stadium anyway.
The thought of that woman I dreamt about nagged me.. would she be there at the stadium?
I sauntered in, absently saying hi to Kenchanna, the man guarding the gate. I knew him quite well, had given him some money for his grand-daughter's school fees just the other day. But I was in no mood to talk to him now. I wanted to see if my woman had come.
I could see lots of fans had managed to sneak in to watch the practise. Kenchanna must have been feeling benevolent and his hands must be very full of notes indeed. My team mates were at the nets still, but I could see Tiwari and Coachie talking to the media. I screwed up my eyes to see more clearly .. now a days my vision wasn't what it used to be .. yes, my short-haired woman was there, wearing a really lovely yellow salwar kameez. I smiled.
By now, some of the fans had seen me and had started crowding around. I signed some autographs, smiled and nodded, and feeling very tired, looked for a seat. I didn't have much choice, only some seats were empty and I sat down at the nearest one, still looking at the media and their mikes and pens in the centre. I could see my friend Dillip Peters, listening intently, but not bothering to write down. Well, he was senior enough to know what to write without scribbling..
At last, the media broke up and everyone started scattering. Was my woman going to go away without my getting another good look at her? I frowned. Should I go there, nearer to the field? Then, I saw her, coming my way. Oho, had she seen me? Would she come and talk to me again? I felt tingly all over, and I didn't even know why.
She came unerringly to my seat. Wow, could she spot me from that far? Me in the shadow, she in the sun? I stood up as she came near and said: ''Hi.''
She gave me a look. Now what had I done to bother her? Then I realised she was again looking at my feet. What, really was this fascination? I looked down myself and saw the handle of a woman's bag -- orange! -- sticking out from under the seat.
''Oh is that your bag? Wait, let me get it for you,'' I said, bent down and fished it out for her. She just stood looking at me, gaping, so I bowed, to show her that it was really a pleasure.
She turned red, but looked around quickly, I don't know why. I just stood and stared at her, for all I was worth. ''Are you going to play the match?'' she said. She looked tense and irritated. Did she also have a bad night like me? Some hopes. ''No sleep?'' I said and smiled. ''I didn't sleep either,'' I said.
She just looked more irritated. What had I said wrong? ''Please tell me, are you going to play the match?'' she said again. I looked at her. How did it matter, really? I probably would, but I didn't see any need to tell her that.
She slung her bag on and turned to go. Then she said: ''I hope you play.'' How sweet of her.. ''Your wish is my command madam,'' I said and bowed again. She turned away, though, and bumped into Dillip.
''Oho Anju,'' he said and looked at me with a grin. He could obviously see how attracted I was. For he said: ''Now I understand why AK got indigestion.'' I grinned, but she was upset, I could see that. Why should she be upset now? I had said I would play, didn't I? For her?
The thought of that woman I dreamt about nagged me.. would she be there at the stadium?
I sauntered in, absently saying hi to Kenchanna, the man guarding the gate. I knew him quite well, had given him some money for his grand-daughter's school fees just the other day. But I was in no mood to talk to him now. I wanted to see if my woman had come.
I could see lots of fans had managed to sneak in to watch the practise. Kenchanna must have been feeling benevolent and his hands must be very full of notes indeed. My team mates were at the nets still, but I could see Tiwari and Coachie talking to the media. I screwed up my eyes to see more clearly .. now a days my vision wasn't what it used to be .. yes, my short-haired woman was there, wearing a really lovely yellow salwar kameez. I smiled.
By now, some of the fans had seen me and had started crowding around. I signed some autographs, smiled and nodded, and feeling very tired, looked for a seat. I didn't have much choice, only some seats were empty and I sat down at the nearest one, still looking at the media and their mikes and pens in the centre. I could see my friend Dillip Peters, listening intently, but not bothering to write down. Well, he was senior enough to know what to write without scribbling..
At last, the media broke up and everyone started scattering. Was my woman going to go away without my getting another good look at her? I frowned. Should I go there, nearer to the field? Then, I saw her, coming my way. Oho, had she seen me? Would she come and talk to me again? I felt tingly all over, and I didn't even know why.
She came unerringly to my seat. Wow, could she spot me from that far? Me in the shadow, she in the sun? I stood up as she came near and said: ''Hi.''
She gave me a look. Now what had I done to bother her? Then I realised she was again looking at my feet. What, really was this fascination? I looked down myself and saw the handle of a woman's bag -- orange! -- sticking out from under the seat.
''Oh is that your bag? Wait, let me get it for you,'' I said, bent down and fished it out for her. She just stood looking at me, gaping, so I bowed, to show her that it was really a pleasure.
She turned red, but looked around quickly, I don't know why. I just stood and stared at her, for all I was worth. ''Are you going to play the match?'' she said. She looked tense and irritated. Did she also have a bad night like me? Some hopes. ''No sleep?'' I said and smiled. ''I didn't sleep either,'' I said.
She just looked more irritated. What had I said wrong? ''Please tell me, are you going to play the match?'' she said again. I looked at her. How did it matter, really? I probably would, but I didn't see any need to tell her that.
She slung her bag on and turned to go. Then she said: ''I hope you play.'' How sweet of her.. ''Your wish is my command madam,'' I said and bowed again. She turned away, though, and bumped into Dillip.
''Oho Anju,'' he said and looked at me with a grin. He could obviously see how attracted I was. For he said: ''Now I understand why AK got indigestion.'' I grinned, but she was upset, I could see that. Why should she be upset now? I had said I would play, didn't I? For her?
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