It was such a.... ‘Good Shot’

Being a cricket fanatic, it seldom happens that you pass by a maidan in Mumbai and you don’t stop for a moment to see a ball being bowled or a shot being played. And, if you have a little more time, then you definitely stop and reminisce about your playing days and convince yourself how you would have bowled that ball better or hit that delivery better.

And then clichéd thoughts cross your mind (Woh bhi kya din the…) (I wish I could play again). You instinctively call / text a friend, “chal na yaar cricket khelte hai, kam se kam Sunday ko khelte hai.”

A similar situation happened to me recently when I was waiting for someone near the Matunga ground. Since I had to wait for the person for a few minutes, I automatically moved towards the katta and stood there to see some of the matches that were being played.

It was a near-perfect atmosphere. The late-afternoon sun was blazing down on the ground, while, the rain-trees surrounding the ground offered lovely protection from the sun and the breeze just made the whole scenario tailor made.

I decided to sit on the katta and watch an ongoing match which was getting interesting. As I was looking for a place to sit, I realised, the entire katta had been taken over by young couples and college kids who were chilling out, without the slightest interest in the cricket matches. I finally managed to find a spot in between a young couple and a group of youngsters dressed in cricket whites.

As I settled on the katta facing the ground, I realised the young couple was sitting within a ear-shot and their sweet-nothings fell on my ears. The first instinct was to move away, but there was no other space available and I had to spend a good 15-20 minutes there. Then, I told myself, I will ignore their conversation and concentrate on the cricket. But, the very first sentence of their conversation got me hooked on and what followed was an astounding revelation of modern day love-stories and how young college going kids who are in relationships converse among themselves.

Let us call the guy Abhishekh and the girl Pooja (Disclaimer – these are fictitious names and the only reason I chose these names was because the guy really looked like an Abhishekh and the girl did look like a Pooja. Abhishekh must be 21-22 years old. Pooja must be a year younger at 20. A typical college going couple, sitting with their backpacks clinging on their shoulders as they sat hand-in-hand.

So, this is how their conversation went:

(Mind you, I was sitting there seemingly interested only in the cricket and making all efforts to ensure they don’t feel conscious and my presence does not spoil their few moments of privacy)

Pooja: Tu soch agar uss din maine teri woh FB friend request accept nahin ki hoti toh aaj meri life kitni easy hoti.

Abhishekh mumbled something, which I could hear.

Pooja: Main tujhe chhodke kabhi nahin jaaoongi. Ab tak nahin chhoda toh iske aage bhi nahin chhodoongi. Hamari shaadi hogi. Hamare bachche honge aur hum old bhi saath main hi honge.

(This is what got me hooked on to their conversation. I was like, yeah right, young lady, I hope it does go that way. Then I was like, isn’t this supposed to be a modern generation who don’t think about marriage and long-term relationships. Then, I told myself, maybe, this is a different couple. So, as my eyes focused on the next delivery that was being bowled, my ears focused on their conversation)

Pooja: Tu meri life main aane se ek cheez achchi ho gayi, mera sootta aur daru kam ho gaya.

(This was more like it…)

Abhisekh: Lekin mera badh gaya na.

Pooja: Tu toh c*****a hai. Tu meri sunttaa hi Nahin hai.

Pooja: Mujhe dekh daru cigarette kam hone se meri health bhi achchi ho gayi hai.

Abhishekh: Achchi Nahin tu moti hogayi hai. Woh dekh (Abhisekh was pointing at Pooja’s tummy)

“Kya khel raha hai yaar” (Suddenly, I heard these words, and wondered, what was that, only to realise, the group of youngsters sitting on the other side were commenting on the ongoing match. The funny bone in me couldn’t resist to relate the two conversations. In my thoughts, I said, Abhishekh, kya khel raha hai yaar)

Pooja: (jokingly) - Arre main moti nahin pregnant hoon.

Abhishekh: (jokingly) - Kahan muuh kala kare ke aayi tu.

Pooja: Tere hi saath. Yaad nahin hai kya uss raat ko kya hua tha.

Abhishekh: Raat ko? Main toh 10 baje so jaata hoon.

Pooja: Achcha? Toh uss raat ko kya tera bhoot tha woh.

(Needless to say by now, their conversation had my utmost attention, I could actually visualise my ears moving like a dog’s ear in their direction, just as a faster bowler began his run-up to bowl a clinching delivery. So my eyes were hooked on the bowler, as both my senses (eyes and ears) individually started concentrating on the next few seconds. The timing was such that both, Abhishekh and the bowler delivered at the same moment)

Abhisekh: Arre nahin re, main hi tha uss raat and it was such a.….... “Good Shot” (I blurted out instinctively as the batsman played a cracker of a hook shot and the ball soared high in the sky and went for a six).

I realised that even though, I had blurted to myself and it was barely audible, but, it was loud enough for Abhishekh and Pooja to hear it. From the corner of my left eye I could see both of them staring at me with gaping eyes. As I tried to figure out what had happened, they got up and left.

I am still trying to figure out why they left…