The Stone Age
It was a different era, not so long ago, but yet so different. It was the 80’s…oh wait…its important to say the 1980’s and 1990’s! (Yes, this blog is going to be a long lasting one!)
So-back to where we were!
The clock shows 4.30, p.m. I am home, sitting on a chair, with a school book on the table in front of me. Studying. (for those who know me well, I can hear you say “Ghanta studying!!” and you are right :D) And in my mind, I can hear me saying “Yay!!! 30 minutes to go! And then football!!!”.
I am getting restless, and just cannot wait.
The mind is visualizing lush green grass on the ground just 2 stairs, and 20 meters away from home. Right below our house. I look up, and its just 4.31 p.m. Has the clock stopped? Why is it ticking so so slow? The tic-tic-tic seems like Tic (3 decades in between) Tic (one second on planet Jupiter) Tic (no, yeh bilkul t(h)ic nahi hai)…
Nevertheless, I continue to make an effort to appear like I am engrossed in the book, for that will allow Varsha, my sibling, to tell parents “Haan, Jitu dohapar mein 2 ghanta (pun unintended) padaee kiya.”. Well, I am hoping she does.
4.45 p.m. I can’t wait anymore. I get up, restless, and start changing into shorts and the t-shirt to play football. And I am all set. Took me not more than 42 seconds, including the time to fetch it.
“What about the studs?” You may ask! Studs?! What Studs! We play barefoot! Period! (Well, today, when I am 40+, it takes me 15 minutes to get ‘ready’! Nike shorts, Braca jersy, shin guards, socks, extra pair of shorts and t’s to change, the ‘Bongirwar’ crepe bandage (follow this link to know why it’s named that way!), water, electrolyte, wallet with money to pay for the turf, car keys, phone to take and post selfies, Garmin watch to figure out how much I ran…oh man! The list goes on! Full too show baazi. Like they say, chaar aane ka murgi, baara aane ka masala.
Waiting for the clock to strike 5. And with that, standing at the balcony, goes out a ‘TOCK” sound, by rolling the tongue, squeezing it into the upper pallet, and releasing it with force! (click here for the sound effect).
Some tribes communicated through smoke signals, some through beating of drums…and us- it’s the TOCK! A ‘paanch bajj gaya bhailog, neeche aao’ signal has been sent out!
A TOCK of multiple frequencies would be heard at varying intervals, indicating “haan, apan toh neeche hi hai!”
There was no whatsapp group, no tech driven messaging services, no phone calls…kuch nahi. Simple. Tock. Utro. (get on to the ground!) And it worked perfectly.
Then the warm-up begins…kick the ball around, ball control, dribble, headers, corners, bicycle kicks et al.
And the teams- random yet smart distribution of folks. And the game. Fully intense, for 2 hours. Non-stop. No half times. Crazy running on grass, mud, pebbles, stones, sliding, falling, getting up, turns and twists, bullet shots, yelling, shouting, gaaligaloch, roughing up. Annnnnnddddd Cut
Maaa kasam…Padeene se lathpath…fully drenched, stinking clothes, aa gaya abb post football session. We would sit on the ground, forming a circle.
“Sala tumlog ke paas ek extra player tha, iske liye”- (You guys had an extra player, and that’s why)
a visibily dejected guy would start…and then, the analysis of the game begins!
(While someone runs to fetch a couple of bottles from anyone’s house in the ground floor).
“Maradona kaiko bann neka? Ijjat se pass deneka na. Tu trapping nai saktai kya? Game ke pehle kartai, khelne ke time paon ke beech kaat ke jaarai sab…Uske wajah se haara…Fukat chakli kaat raha tha, seedha daalne ka tha na goal pe”
Intense, but fun analysis!
And at 7.30 p.m. a shout from the balcony of my house- “Jituuu…aath bajj gaya…chal, aaja” (Jitu, its 8, come home now)
And I shout back- Haan dada, five minutes.
7.40 p.m. Dada: “Jitttuuuuuuuu, ho gaya paanch minute”
Me: “Haan, aaya ayaa”
7.55 p.m. A louder, angrier sounding JIIIITTTTUUUUUUUU
That’s it. And I bolt! Faster than Usain.
I do an obstacle run of sorts. Jumping 4 steps at a time. Reaching home, and gaali. “ek baar bola toh samajhta nahi hai kya? Next time I will come down with a stick”.
Hahaha 😊
I seedha go and open the fridge, pull out a bottle of nice cold water…and it going down the throat and quenching thirst…aaaha…(confession time- yup, now that is substituted with a chilled beer after a long days work! Oops. I digressed.)
Mom: Thanda paani matt pee aisa. Gala kharab hoga.
But, I would drink it anyway!
Then go for a shower…the wonderful Mysore Sandal soap..aaha…kya fragrance. So fresh.
And post shower, the hunger pang. Oh, there is something about that thirst and that hunger post a football game I tell you.
Everyone sits together for dinner- at the dining table. Garam chappati, sabzi, saambar…waaah…the aroma, the taste…I just can stop drooling and having that meal!
(Hey, you don’t watch your diet? What about the protein supplement eh? This Gen may ask!- Ghanta again!)
Khaana ho gyaa. Abb watch TV. Its either watching Hum Log or switch off. Followed by Buniyaad. And then off to bed. that’s it! Choices were simple!
And once on the bed…zum zum…the sweet pain of the leg, the beautiful post-game body ache, where the body seems to be splitting into anek. But wah! What a feeling! Absolutely loved it! Kya mazaa tha yaar…
And this ache lasts only for 2 minutes. Fatakk se zzzz…deep sleep…no matter how much noise around. Just. 😊 Blissful 😊 Sleep😊!
And now, this probably just remains a dream 😊 a good one to have. A good one to reminisce.
